You are on CGS' Legacy Site.
Thank you for visiting CGS! You are currently using CGS' legacy site, which is no longer supported. For up-to-date information, including publications purchasing and meeting information, please visit cgsnet.org.
Selection of Institutional Partners made for Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion
March 15, 2012
Contact:
Belle Woods
bwoods@cgs.nche.edu
(202) 223-3791
Washington, D.C. ̶ The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has selected 20 proposals representing 21 universities to participate in a study to examine completion and attrition among underrepresented minorities in STEM doctoral programs. The project, referred to as CGS’s Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion (DIMAC), funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) (grant # 1138814), will compare data across a diverse set of institutions, including some that have been funded by NSF’s Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program. The purpose of this research is to better understand the factors that promote successful completion and the policies and practices that hold promise for increasing completion and reducing attrition.
“Through analysis of data, both quantitative and qualitative, we will create a tool kit of key policies and practices that have been shown to increase completion and reduce attrition rates of underrepresented minority students,” said CGS President Debra W. Stewart. She added, “Given changing demographics in the United States, the findings from this initiative will only become more important in the years to come.”
Each awardee will receive $30,000 in funding to participate. The Research Partners, selected by an independent committee are:
| Brown University | University of California, Irvine |
| Drexel University | University of California, San Diego |
| Florida International University | University of Central Florida |
| Florida State University | University of Georgia |
| Loyola University Chicago | University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign |
| New Mexico State University | University of Iowa |
| North Carolina State University | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| Northwestern University | University of Mississippi / Mississippi State University (joint proposal) |
| Princeton University | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Texas A & M University | University of South Florida |
Awardees will:
- Collect and report completion and attrition data for all underrepresented minority students entering STEM doctoral programs in academic years 1992-93 through 2011-12.
- Complete and submit data on program characteristics and policies, practices, and interventions that might impact completion and attrition for all STEM Ph.D. programs offered by the institution.
- Field a web-based student survey, developed by CGS, covering a set of topics addressing completion and attrition in STEM doctoral programs.
- Host a two-day site visit for CGS project staff to conduct focus groups with students and interviews with graduate deans, faculty, and other university personnel.
- Highlight the institution's participation in this effort by taking part in national discussions on the topic of Ph.D. completion (e.g., at CGS Annual Meetings and/or Summer Workshop sessions).
The projected release date of the study’s findings is June, 2014.
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of over 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. Among U.S. institutions, CGS members award 92% of the doctoral degrees and 77% of the master’s degrees.* The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices.
* Based on data from the 2010 CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees
CGS is the leading source of information, data analysis, and trends in graduate education. Our benchmarking data help member institutions to assess performance in key areas, make informed decisions, and develop plans that are suited to their goals.
CGS Best Practice initiatives address common challenges in graduate education by supporting institutional innovations and sharing effective practices with the graduate community. Our programs have provided millions of dollars of support for improvement and innovation projects at member institutions.
As the national voice for graduate education, CGS serves as a resource on issues regarding graduate education, research, and scholarship. CGS collaborates with other national stakeholders to advance the graduate education community in the policy and advocacy arenas.
CGS is an authority on global trends in graduate education and a leader in the international graduate community. Our resources and meetings on global issues help members internationalize their campuses, develop sustainable collaborations, and prepare their students for a global future.
