On Wednesday, February 13, CGS submitted comments in response to a solicitation from a group of senators around disparities faced by students of color when accessing and financing their postsecondary education. The letter underscores the need to continue to diversify graduate programs to address our changing population and the demands of the workforce, and reiterates CGS’s commitment to achieving this goal. Specifically, it highlights a proposal to allow graduate students who remain income-eligible to apply Pell Grants toward their graduate degree, as well as the need to support several current student aid programs that help students from underserved populations finance higher education.

View letter here. 

Elizabeth Kenney, Assistant Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, Executive Director, Center for Research and Creative Activities, Salem State University

Successful campus advocacy is an ongoing process of engagement rather than a project with a defined beginning and end. As such, it requires the development of varied strategies in response to constantly changing institutional landscapes.

Changes in organizational structure, the appointment of new personnel, or altered job descriptions, even when they don’t occur in the graduate division itself, create opportunities to reassess strategies for advocating on campus for resources, support services or strategic position. Regarding changes as new opportunities for campus advocacy creates occasions to identify and develop new partners for graduate education. These strategies are empowered by the formation of responsive, flexible cross-functional collaborations. Cross-functional teams both educate and engage areas across campus that otherwise might not see themselves as invested in the graduate mission.

An example of such an advocacy opportunity occurred on our campus recently when the graduate school lost the position that had supported our graduate student research day. In evaluating how to cover those duties, we recognized an opportunity to rethink the event itself. Graduate Research Day had historically involved only graduate students and graduate program faculty. The challenge of managing the event was re-envisioned as an opportunity to engage with other areas on campus to expand its impact.

Graduate Research Day had been an excellent opportunity for students to practice presenting their work within the conventions of their discipline, under the guidance of faculty advisors, to a sympathetic audience, but now we looked for ways to engage other offices on campus by building cross-functional teams to support the event as a more robust professional development opportunity for students. The writing center ran a workshop on transforming a written paper into a panel presentation; Theater and Communications faculty offered training on oral presentation; Marketing and Communications Office staff gave feedback on posters; and staff from the Center for Teaching Innovation shared tips about effective power point presentations. While these areas provided resources that enhanced the graduate students’ experience, their involvement also increased campus awareness of graduate programs and commitment to graduate education.

The same event will help the graduate school develop advocacy strategies to respond to other kinds of change. As the university considers the place of graduate education in its mission as a public, regional, comprehensive university in times when traditional undergraduate student populations are shrinking and employers in many fields are seeking post-graduate qualifications, on-campus advocacy allows us to lobby for the centrality of graduate education to the mission of the university. This year, new cross-functional teams will initiate collaborative relationships to maximize the impact of the event; in addition to inviting the Board of Trustees, we will work with the career office to invite regional employers, the admissions office to invite potential students, institutional advancement to reach out to donors, corporations and foundations, and the alumni office to engage graduates. We hope also to expand the participation to include our Explorers Club, the organization for seniors that is affiliated with the university.

Regarding campus advocacy as an ongoing process of building support and networks in response to change and challenges, rather than as a set of defined goals, can create a resilient and dynamic menu of strategies.

On January 30, CGS signed onto public comments submitted to the Department of Education regarding its notice of proposed rulemaking on Title IX campus sexual assault guidance. The comments note that the proposed rule is extremely complex in nature and highlights several concerns and questions.

View letter here. 

On January 25, Congress and the White House reached agreement on a temporary, three-week funding extension to keep the federal government open through February 15. The shutdown- the longest in U.S. history- lasted for five weeks and caused certain federal agencies to suspend activities critical to education and research. CGS President Suzanne Ortega called for a solution to reopen the government, and the council maintains that it is essential that a final Fiscal Year 2019 spending deal is reached to prevent futher exacerbation of the damage already caused. CGS would like to know how the government shutdown has impacted our members. Please send stories, data, or other evidence from your campus to GovAffairs@cgs.nche.edu.

The following testimonials from CGS member institutions highlight the problems faced by students, faculty, and the programs, as well as the implications for the public who are affected by federally-funded research initiatives:

“I am a fifth year student and PhD candidate in Plant Biology. I am afraid that the shutdown will not only affect my access to credible research sources, but that it may also impact the day to day operations as we rely mostly on government grants to pay our lab technicians, purchase supplies such as microbiological media, filtration devices, pcr primers and other molecular biology supplies, DNA extraction kits, etc. I am unable to acquire seeds through the USDA GRIN database system to continue research at this time due to the shutdown. I use GRIN for wild type native hops seeds and live plants, with the latter only being made available to order in early January to February.  I may not be able to acquire live plants this year at all, and will have to rely on more expensive options for seed procurement. The pedigree or breeding history of the seed is very important for my project. There are also disease resistance traits that vary between cultivars, so properly documented seed source is necessary component of my research. I worry about the accessibility and maintenance of National Institutes of Health resources such as BLAST databases during the prolonged shutdown as well. This could impact research other than my own, like cancer research, which could potentially be set back years.” -Fifth year PhD candidate

“Two ways by which the work of my one remaining graduate student is impacted by the government shutdown are: a.) Communications with our United States Geological Survey government collaborators is turned off as they have no access to their e-mail accounts.  My student is in the process of submitting abstracts to several national and international conferences- all have deadlines for submission that need formal USGS review and approval.  b.) Submission of applications for support from various government agencies is halted and communication with program directors regarding existing awards, as is the case with the student, is blocked.”  -Microbiology faculty member

“I know my colleague and I are approaching critical situations about getting supplements to keep postdocs working for us. One student’s National Science Foundation supplement was approved but not yet "out the door," whereas mine was viewed favorably but needs all the paperwork and approvals to be done, once the government reopens. We have a month until the postdoc is unemployed.” -Physics faculty member

“I am a professor in the sociology department. Six months ago, I applied for a Fulbright research fellowship to Poland. I have now been officially notified that I am indeed a recipient of a 9-month research fellowship- a great honor. However, since Fulbright is a federal grant though the State Department, we won't know the amount of the fellowship. That means I am, at the moment, unable to bring this matter to the dean's office, delaying all arrangements to the unforeseeable future. The shutdown will have a number of other adverse consequences , especially with respect to our graduate student population, particularly foreign nationals accepted into our programs, who will likely face delays in the visa issuance process if the shutdown continues.” -Sociology faculty member 

“You can mark me down as somebody whose research is suffering because of the shutdown.  More particularly, if I am to meet the deadlines on my federal grants, I currently need data or data technical support from two federal agencies: National Agricultural Statistics Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service. In each case, the shutdown is slowing my progress on research being performed under a USDA grant. In addition, I have a small supplementary grant proposal pending at USDA.  Because of the shutdown and my lack of this money, the budgeting is about to get very complicated. It would not surprise me if I wound up losing this money just because of the nature of the calendar and the very unexpected fact of the shutdown.” -Agricultural Economics faculty member

CGS President Calls for End to Partial Shutdown

“With the partial government shutdown now approaching its third week, it is imperative that Congress and the White House work together to fund the outstanding Fiscal Year 2019 appropriation bills,” says Suzanne Ortega, President of the Council of Graduate Schools. “CGS is particularly concerned that this abrupt halt in funding is impacting the research and innovation being conducted within our member institutions and the scientific community.” Seven federal fiscal spending bills have yet to be passed, encompassing agencies including the National Science Foundation, Department of Agriculture and Research, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These agencies provide critical dollars that support not only graduate research, but the broader institution and the public. As a result of the shutdown, some agencies are required to furlough their researchers or not accept new funding proposals. Travel of federal staff and cancellations of review panels resulting from the shutdown are creating additional challenges for stakeholders in the academic and research arenas.

CGS Joins Amicus Briefs on DHS and DOL H-1B Visa Rule Changes (10/30/20)

On October 30, CGS joined the American Council on Education and 22 other higher education organizations on two amicus briefs seeking preliminary injunctions for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) H-1B visa rule changes. One, filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California is available here, and the other, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is available here.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief Re: Harvard/MIT Challenging July 6 ICE Guidance (7/13/20)

On July 13, CGS joined 71 higher education organizations on an amicus brief filed in a federal district court regarding Harvard and MIT's lawsuit challenging ICE's July 6 guidance on international students and online education. 

CGS Joins Amicus Brief in Harvard Admissions Case (5/22/20)

On May 22, CGS joined 40 higher education organizations in submitting an amicus brief on the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard case in support of Harvard's "holistic" admissions process.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief to Uphold DACA (10/04/19)

On October 4, CGS joined an amicus brief submitted by 43 other higher education associations. The brief, which was led by the American Council on Education (ACE), was submitted to the Supreme Court urging that the justices uphold the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The court will hear oral arguments on November 12 related to a set of three court cases challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to end DACA, first announced in September 2017. The amicus brief expresses support for the courts’ decision to currently keep DACA in place, highlighting how rescinding the policy would be extremely detrimental for Dreamers, their peers, institutions of higher education, and the nation writ large. For additional information, read ACE’s summary here.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief in Harvard Admissions Case (7/30/2018)

On July 30, CGS joined 36 other higher education associations on an amicus brief in support of holistic admissions review and the use of race as one factor in reviewing applicants. The brief, which was filed in the case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard, focuses on diversity in the student body, and highlights the benefits of holistic admissions as a way to achieve this diversity.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief on Travel Ban (3/29/2018)

CGS joined 32 other higher education associations in submitting an amicus brief on March 29 to the Supreme Court on a case examining the president’s third ban on several majority-Muslim countries. The administration issued the third version of its travel ban in September 2017, which places restrictions of varying degrees on entry to the United States from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela. The brief highlights the ban’s potential impacts on U.S. college and universities.

CGS Joins Higher Education Community Amicus Brief on Travel Ban (9/19/2017)

On September 19, CGS along with 29 other higher education associations submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding President Trump's second executive order which banned refugees and immigrants from several majority-Muslim countries. The brief focuses on the importance of maintaining a welcoming perception to international students and scholars. It highlighted the risks of deterring them from studying, teaching and researching in the United States. Further, it argues that the travel ban has already harmed America's reputation in the global education market.