FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Julia Kent 

202.461.3874 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu

“We believe that the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects nearly 800,000 young, undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children, will hurt the American economy and our institutions of higher education. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), an organization of approximately 500 universities, recognizes and affirms the importance of constitutional order and the need to follow the rule of law. However, we also believe that the DACA program has allowed a group of exceptional young people, brought to this country by their parents, the opportunity to contribute to and positively impact our society and economy by serving in the U.S. military, attending college, entering the workforce and paying taxes. The strength of our nation’s graduate programs depends upon students from diverse backgrounds. To disrupt the lives of these young people is unconscionable and inconsistent with the moral values and basic principles upon which our country was founded.

Dreamers contribute significantly to our economy; according to a recent study by the CATO Institute, deporting those currently in DACA would cost over $60 billion in lost tax revenue and result in a $280 billion reduction in economic growth over the next decade. These bright and talented young people did not choose to come to this country, but America is the only home they know. We hope the U.S. Congress will work to find a permanent solution that allows these young people to stay. It is in our country’s best interest to do so.”

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Julia Kent 

202.461.3874 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu

"At a time when our fastest growing occupations and knowledge-based economy requires more, not fewer, individuals with advanced degrees, the President’s budget overlooks the importance of education as a critical component of America’s competitiveness in a global market. Master’s and doctoral education is the backbone of America’s national security and economic strength: graduate degree holders develop the knowledge and innovations that make America a leader in healthcare, technology, and defense. The President’s budget continues the trend of the past several years by proposing policies that make graduate education less affordable. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) supports efforts to strengthen and grow America’s economic future, but not at the expense of our master’s and doctoral students. CGS calls upon Congress’ to put forward a budget that makes a strong commitment to education, and does not create barriers for students who seek master’s and doctoral degrees."

"Further, CGS is concerned that the cuts to the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation will lead to a serious decline in scientific, technological, and medical breakthroughs. These breakthroughs have strengthened our national defense, economic prosperity, personal wellbeing, and health. They are applied commercially, create jobs, and help businesses grow. Disinvesting in our nation’s science and research enterprise today jeopardizes our ability to attract domestic and international talent to meet the increasing demand for a STEM-educated workforce."

In a previous statement CGS expressed its objections to the proposed elimination of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities.

# # #

Released this week, the Trump Administration’s FY2018 budget, “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again,” calls for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). As one of the organizations that recommended the founding of NEH, we affirm our belief that humanistic study and professional activities are in the national interest and merit continued federal funding support.

The current administration has argued that cuts must be made to rebuild and prepare our military for the future. Yet one of our military’s greatest assets is knowledge of the history, languages and cultures of the countries and regions where we are engaged. Indeed, the humanities have played a critical role in the United States’ efforts to protect our country since September 11, preparing our servicemen and women to better navigate the complex religious and cultural landscapes where they are deployed; enabling our diplomats to build alliances with key partners; and empowering our intelligence officers to brief our leaders on military strategy.

The NEH strengthens our nation’s preparedness and commitment to its soldiers through programs such as Teaching the Middle East, which provides resources for K-12 teachers to introduce their students to the history, cultures, and languages of the Middle East, and Our Warrior Chorus, which trains Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans to connect with the civilian public through “modern stories anchored by the shared experience of classical works.” 

The humanities and the arts also serve the national interest by helping us to explore what is common to all human experience—to seek peace, and to resolve conflicts that drain human and material resources both at home and abroad. Created Equal, a film series about the struggle for African American equality in the United States, is one notable example among many in NEH’s history.

NEH grants have benefited every state, region, and territory of the United States, and its programs serving rural areas have stimulated growth and preserved important history that may otherwise have been lost. For example, NEH supports Appalshop, a cultural center, which “celebrate[s] the culture, voice and concerns of people living in Appalachia and rural America.”  NEH’s digital initiatives bring important and rare texts into the hands of students, researchers, and interested readers across the country, including one preserving and digitizing the papers of President George Washington. Regional cultural museums supported by NEA not only enrich our understanding of American culture, but contribute to local economies by attracting tourism.

A skeptic might reply: Americans can still benefit from the humanities and arts without federal support. But philanthropic organizations do not have as their mission to support the national interest. If our goal is to protect this interest and preserve our history, we must continue to preserve the NEH and NEA, two of America’s great and historic institutions.

Suzanne T. Ortega                          
President                                                                           
Council of Graduate Schools                                       

Contact:

Julia Kent, jkent@cgs.nche.edu

Other Statements of Support:

Earl Lewis, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Pauline Yu, American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Julia Kent 

202.461.3874 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu

Following is a statement by Council of Graduate Schools President Suzanne Ortega.

"In response to the March 6^th Executive Order on Immigration, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) continues to affirm that our nation’s security is paramount and a strong visa process contributes to our safety. However, as an organization of approximately 500 universities, we also believe that the modified ban is still likely to have unintended consequences on U.S. graduate students and their institutions.  Although this revision reduces the scope of the January 27^th order, international graduate students and scholars, regardless of country of origin, may continue to view the uncertainty regarding visa policies as a deterrent to pursuing graduate studies in the United States."

"The strength of our nation’s graduate education depends upon both domestic and international talent. International faculty and students are vitally important to U.S. graduate education and research. They are essential contributors to our economy and research enterprise. International students (both graduate and undergraduate) contributed nearly $36 billion to the U.S. economy in 2014-15 (IIE, 2016). Domestic students benefit from the experience of training alongside international students, gaining the cultural competence needed to be competitive in a global economy. American graduate education represents the gold standard of higher education around the world, and we are committed to seeing it remain open to the best and brightest domestic and international talent."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Julia Kent 

202.461.3874 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu

Following is a statement by Council of Graduate Schools President Suzanne Ortega.

"Our nation’s security is paramount and a strong visa process contributes to our safety. However, as an organization of approximately 500 universities, we encourage the administration to reconsider the executive order barring entry or return of individuals from specific countries."

"The strength of our nation’s graduate education depends upon both domestic and international talent. International faculty and students are vitally important to U.S. graduate education and research. They are essential contributors to our economy and research enterprise. International students (both graduate and undergraduate) contributed nearly $36 billion to the U.S. economy in 2014-15 (IIE, 2016). Domestic students benefit from the experience of training alongside international students, gaining the cultural competence needed to be competitive in a global economy. American graduate education represents the gold standard of higher education around the world, and we are committed to seeing it remain open to the best and brightest domestic and international talent."

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January 29, 2015

United States Congress
Washington, D.C.

Dear Member of the 114th Congress:

Congratulations on your election to the 114th Congress. A new congress brings with it new opportunities for policymakers such as you to spur American job creation, innovation, and productivity. As you begin your work, we want to call to your attention to the critical role that graduate education plays in producing highly skilled individuals that meet the demands of the U.S. economy and allow the U.S. to remain competitive globally. To maintain our world-class workforce, we need public policies that encourage talented individuals to pursue education beyond the undergraduate level, specifically master’s and doctoral degrees.

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) represents over 500 universities and is the only national organization dedicated solely to the advancement of graduate education and research. CGS member institutions award more than 92 percent of all U.S. doctorates and over 78 percent of all U.S. master’s degrees. The nation’s graduate schools are the epicenters of discovery, innovation, and application, leading to advancements that impact the lives of every American.

As Congress gets underway, there are four key issues that CGS believes have significant impact on graduate education and graduate students. They are the reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and the America COMPETES Act, along with reforms to federal tax and immigration policies. When evaluating such policies, we encourage you to consider the following:

• The past few years have brought changes to the federal student loan program. These changes have resulted in graduate students paying more for their student loans. In fact, underrepresented minorities and master’s degree students have been particularly hard hit. Americans who pursue advanced degrees, which are becoming an entry-level requirement for the fastest growing occupations in the U.S., must not be disadvantaged financially for furthering their education.
• Proposals for tax reform, which would repeal the lifetime learning credit and eliminate the deduction for student loan interest paid and the cost of education related expenses, have the potential to further reduce federal support for graduate students. These actions could make graduate education less affordable, especially for low-income students.
• The most critical investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and innovation is the America COMPETES Act. By reauthorizing COMPETES, the U.S. can continue to produce the highly skilled professionals our economy needs to fuel innovation, conduct top-level research across all disciplines of basic science research and engineering, and meet the increasing demand for STEM skills in the workforce.
• Improving current immigration policies is necessary to ensure that our nation continues to attract top talent to meet the demands of the 21st century knowledge economy. The U.S. economy will benefit by allowing international students who have received advanced degrees in the STEM disciplines to earn green cards and work in jobs related to their fields of study.

As these issues move forward, please keep in mind the needs of those obtaining master’s and doctoral degrees and the programs that support them. CGS believes that graduate education is a critical component to sustaining our nation’s global competitiveness. Our nation’s public policies should encourage the pursuit of education beyond the undergraduate level.

CGS research, data, and best practices reports, as well as fact sheets and a financial education tool for students can be accessed through the CGS website, www.cgsnet.org. We believe that you and your staff will find these useful resources as you work on policies relevant to graduate education. Please do not hesitate to contact us at (202) 223-3791 or govaffairs@cgs.nche.edu, if you or your staff would like to discuss these issues further. We welcome such an opportunity and look forward to working with you on these and other important issues throughout the 114th Congress.

Sincerely,
Suzanne T. Ortega
President

CGS and other Higher Education Associations Send Public Comments to DHS Regarding DACA (11/29/21)

On November 29, the higher education community submitted public comments to the Department of Homeland Security regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Since the program was established in 2012 it has not undergone any formal rulemaking. This is an important step to further enshrine a program that many in the United States, including employers and institutions of higher education, have come to depend on, and allows qualifying undocumented people brought to this country at a young age to remain here.

CGS Joins Coalition Letter to Biden Administration Regarding National Science Foundation Funding (11/9/21)

On November 5, the Coalition for National Science Funding sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy regarding increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Fiscal Year 2023. NSF plays a critical role in advancing our nation’s competitiveness and addressing research and education challenges related to many Biden Administration priorities.

CGS and the Higher Education Community Continues to Support Afghan Students and Scholars (11/5/21)

In this latest letter to Secretary Antony Blinken, the higher education community asks the U.S. State Department to prioritize visa appointments for Afghan students and scholars and to grant them the needed flexibility in determining non-immigrant intent for F-1 and J-1 visa applicants. 

CGS Joins Letter on Importance of Supporting International Education (11/3/21)

On November 3, CGS joined a coalition letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in support of prioritizing and strengthening the Department of Education’s international and foreign language education and research role.

CGS Joins Letter on P-2 Visas for Afghan STEM Professionals (8/25/21)

On August 25, CGS joined a community letter to the Office of Science and Technology policy advocating the extension of evacuation assistance to STEM professionals with ties to international scientific networks. 

CGS Joins Letter to DOS on COVID-19 Travel Restrictions and NIE (07/20/21)

On July 20, CGS joined a community letter to the Department of State (DOS) regarding the current travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and seeking clarification on the national interest exemption (NIE).

CGS Joins Comments to Dept of Ed on Title IV (07/01/21)

On July 1, CGS joined a community letter to the Department of Education providing written comment on topics suggested by the Department as part of the Department's intention to pursue negotiated rulemaking on programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

CGS Joins Letter on Presidential Proclamation 10043 (06/10/21)

On June 10, CGS joined a community letter to the Department of State requesting an updated brief on Presidential Proclamation 10043, which suspends and limits certain new and existing nonimmigrant visas.

CGS Joins Comments to Dept of Ed During Title IX Review(06/10/21)

On June 10, CGS joined the higher education community on comments to the Department of Education with recomomended changes to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

CGS Joins Letter to Biden-Harris Domestic Policy Council on Federal Student Loan Origination Fees (04/19/21)

On April 19, CGS joined a community letter to the White House Domestic Policy Council in support of S. 847, the Student Loan Tax Elimination Act, which would eliminate costly origination fees on federal student loans disbursed on or after March 27, 2020.

CGS Comments on NIH UNITE Initiative (4/8/21)

On April 8, CGS submitted comments to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) UNITE Initaitive in response to a Request for Information inviting insights and suggestions to advance and strengthen racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in the biomedical research workforce and to advance health disparities and health equity research.

CGS Joins Letter Requesting President Biden Champion the RISE Act (3/24/21)

On March 24, CGS joined a letter led by Research!America, requesting President Biden champion the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act (H.R.869/S.289), which would provide $25 billion for research relief.

CGS Joins Letter to DOS, DHS on Actions to Support International Students (3/18/21)

On March 18, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter recommending how the Department of State (DOS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can support international students' return to campuses and institutions in the fall 2021 semester.

CGS Joins Letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas on Higher Ed Priorities (2/3/21)

On February 3, CGS joined a letter congratulating Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on his confirmation and sharing how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can support international students and scholars.

CGS Joins Letter to President Biden on IHEs' Role in Overcoming COVID-19 (1/29/21)

On January 29, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to the Biden Administration outlining the ways that higher education institutions (IHEs) could be a resource in the fight against the COVID pandemic. 

CGS Joins Letter to Acting Secretary of Education on Scope of Emergency Student Funds (1/28/21)

On January 28, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to Acting Secretary Rosenfelt asking that DREAMers and international students be made eligible for emergency student funds under HEERF II.

CGS Joins Community Letter to Secretary of State Blinken (1/27/21)

On January 27, CGS joined an introductory letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken including higher education priorities for international students and scholars.

CGS Joins Community Letter to DHS on OPT (1/26/21)

On January 26, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requesting support for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CGS Joins TFAI Coalition Letter to President Biden (1/25/21)

On January 25, CGS joined the Taskforce on American Innovation coalition in sending an introductory letter to President Biden including priorities for research and development.

For further information on specific Congressional issues or departmental activities, please check the following websites:

Congressional Websites

House of Representatives – www.house.gov; Senate – www.senate.gov

Both sites provide links to individual members, committees and bill status.

Thomas (Library of Congress) site - http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php

Contains information on bills before Congress, including text, names of sponsors and status.

Department and Agency Websites

U.S. Department of Education - http://www.ed.gov/

National Institutes of Health - http://nih.gov/

National Science Foundation - http://nsf.gov/

Bureau of Labor Statistics - http://bls.gov/

National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov/

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy - http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp

Federal Register - https://www.federalregister.gov/ 

Provides a daily listing of most publications and public notices of federal departments and agencies, including requests for comments on proposed regulations and requests for proposals.