117th Congress
CGS, higher education community, and coalition letters to Congress regarding legislation and nominations.

The Administration
CGS, higher education community, and coalition letters, comments, and feedback on administrative policies and regulations.

The Federal Courts
Higher education community amicus briefs joined by CGS.

Archive

We live in challenging times, when government officials, business leaders, and members of the public question the value of higher education. As graduate deans, we know that society is well served by our master’s and PhD graduates who have been trained to think critically, reason analytically, and solve complex problems. But how do we convey this message? I believe the answer lies in data – specifically, data about alumni career outcomes. Information about the sectors in which alumni are employed and the kinds of work they are doing can provide tangible evidence for the importance of graduate education.

How do you go about collecting this information? As part of its PhD Career Pathways project, CGS has developed an alumni survey that can help you get started. The consortium of schools with NIH BEST (Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training) grants has developed a taxonomy for categorizing the jobs of alumni in the life sciences; this taxonomy can easily be adapted for all disciplines. Reach out to graduate program directors and department heads; they may already be collecting this information for use in program reviews and training grant applications. Team up with your Alumni Relations office; they would be delighted to know more about where alumni are and what they are doing.

At UCSF, we have found that our alumni are using their graduate training in a wide variety of positions in academia, industry, government, and the non-profit sector. Aggregated data on these outcomes, combined with the “success stories” discussed in previous GradEdge columns, paint a portrait of the meaningful contributions made to the national, state, and local economies by graduate alums. With data in one hand and compelling anecdotes in the other, you will be well-equipped to make the case for graduate education externally to legislators, philanthropists, foundations, and industry partners, and internally to your chancellor, provost, public relations managers, and development officers. Alumni can be great partners in these efforts, as they know best how their career pathways benefitted from the education they received at your institution.

Data on career outcomes can also be used to advocate for greater attention to graduate students in campus career services offices. One of our responsibilities as leaders in higher education is to ensure that our students are being readied for meaningful employment post-graduation. If we can provide information about employment patterns and particular positions attained by graduate alumni, our colleagues in career counseling can develop graduate-level programming and materials for career exploration and the development of co-curricular skills to help students prepare for next steps after graduation.

As instructors, mentors, and researchers, graduate students play vital roles in the university ecosystem for the production and dissemination of knowledge. However, the contributions they make to society as alumni provide real-world examples and clear-cut justification that people outside the academy can appreciate. Let your alumni – through their individual stories and collective statistics – help you make the case for graduate education.

CGS Letter Thanks Congress for Passage of Opioid Bill 

On October 10, CGS sent a letter thanking Congress for passing H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act, which would address the growing opioid epidemic in the U.S. In particular, the letter highlights a new program that would repay the student loans of healthcare professionals in substance use disorder occupations, serving as an incentive for entry into these high-demand fields. 

View letter here. 

FY 2019 Education, Research Funding and CR Enacted

On Friday, September 28, the President signed a two-bill spending package that includes the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense measures, as well as a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the reminder of the government at FY 2018 levels through December 7. The House passed the measure by a vote of 361-61 on Thursday after the Senate had approved it last week. CGS signed onto a community letter in support of the legislation. CGS commends the bipartisan efforts of Congress to reach this deal.

Investments in higher education and research in the bill include:

• $39.1 billion for the National Institutes of Health, a $2 billion increase over the previous year
• $350 million for a short-term eligibility fix for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program
• $1.06 billion for TRIO programs which include the Robert McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Award
• $6,195 for the maximum Pell Grant award, an increase of $100
• $23 million for the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program
• $1.13 billion for Federal Work Study
• $65.1 million for international education and foreign language programs under Title VI and $7.06 million for Fulbright-Hays

To view proposed and enacted funding levels for CGS programs of interest in more detail, visit CGS’s FY 2019 Funding Chart.

On July 24, Democrats on the House Education and Workforce Committee unveiled the “Aim Higher Act” proposal to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA), the comprehensive law that drives policies and programs impacting students and institutions. A stark contrast to the Republican-backed PROSPER Act (H.R. 4508), which also outlines a path for HEA reauthorization, the Aim Higher Act proposes additional investments in student financial aid programs but would increase regulatory reporting requirements for institutions. 

Several of CGS’s policy principles on HEA reauthorization are reflected in Aim Higher, including improving procedures so that students can make more informed financial aid decisions, supporting programs that increase degree completion, and extending Pell Grants to graduate studies. Noting that the bill would strengthen support for certain federal student financial aid and loan repayment options, CGS President Suzanne Ortega stated “We are encouraged to see additional investments in programs that ensure students, including those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, are successful. A workforce that propels the nation as a global competitor begins with strengthening the higher education pipeline.”

Provisions related to graduate education in the Aim Higher Act include:

 Borrowing, Repayment, & Loan Counseling 

• Does not cap graduate student borrowing
• Eliminates origination fees on all federal student loans
• Requires annual student loan counseling, tailored to the type of aid borrowers receive
• Simplifies the federal student loan system by replacing the numerous existing repayment plans with one fixed repayment plan and one income-based repayment plan
• Preserves and extends the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

Student Aid Programs

• Increases the annual Pell Grant award by $500 and allows students to exhaust the full amount on graduate studies following completion of a bachelor’s degree
• Preserves Federal Work Study for graduate students
• Restores the Perkins Loan Program for graduate students
• Increases funding for TRIO programs, which includes the McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program
• Maintains and extends the TEACH Grant program and protects recipients from unintended grant-to-loan conversion
• Reauthorizes Title VI programs and provides an increase of $60 million

Given that time remaining on the Congressional calendar is limited and the likelihood of securing the minimum number of votes is low, the bill is not expected to pass.However, CGS remains committed to working with Congress in a bipartisan manner as efforts to advance HEA reauthorization continue.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Katherine Hazelrigg / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu / 202.461.3888

Washington, DC— Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) President Suzanne Ortega released the following statement on reversal of guidance that aims to promote diversity:

“Diversity is critical to the quality of U.S. graduate programs. Our programs must be able to prepare master’s and doctoral students to work in diverse teams, to understand the impact of research and practice on different U.S. communities, and to consider our nation’s greatest challenges from different perspectives. In light of these needs, the Council of Graduate Schools supports the ability of graduate programs to consider race as one factor in admission decisions. CGS data show modest growth in first-time enrollments for underrepresented minority groups— a trend that must be allowed to flourish. Given these factors, the recent announcement by the Trump Administration to rescind guidance to colleges and universities to promote diversity within the bounds of the law would limit, rather than advance, the quality of U.S. graduate education.”

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For more information about holistic admissions and graduate education, view CGS’s Holistic Review in Graduate Admissions report. Visit Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 2005-2015 to view trends in admissions.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Katherine Hazelrigg / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu / 202.461.3888

Washington, DC— Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) President Suzanne Ortega released the following statement on recent immigration proposals

“Recent proposals stemming from Congress and the Administration have focused the nation’s attention on immigration issues impacting students and families. The Council of Graduate Schools remains steadfast in its support of policies that help ensure individuals are afforded opportunities to pursue their graduate studies here in the United States, including those with DACA status and those from the international student community.

“As the House of Representatives continues to debate the future of DACA recipients who, at a young age, were brought to the U.S. and have grown to call it home, CGS implores Congress to yield a solution that will ensure they can continue to live, work, pursue higher education, and strengthen our nation’s economy.

“CGS also remains supportive of policies that bolster the ability of U.S. higher education institutions to recruit and retain international talent. Immigration policies, including the visa process, should strive for greater efficiency without imposing additional barriers so that international graduate students and faculty can enroll, graduate, and apply their education in ways that increase our country’s global competitiveness.

“We remain committed to working in a bipartisan manner and urge Congress to find solutions that support DACA recipients and the international graduate student community.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Katherine Hazelrigg / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu / 202.461.3888

“Over the past few weeks, the Council of Graduate Schools joined a coalition of organizations raising serious concerns about the proposed tax legislation and its effects on higher education, particularly on graduate education and graduate students. We were pleased to see our community join forces to raise awareness about the consequences of the proposed tax reforms. As a result, many proposals that would have negatively impacted graduate education were defeated. This is an excellent example of what we can achieve when we work together. Our efforts will help ensure that graduate students are able to pursue and achieve their educational goals.”

“The bill passed by the House and Senate remains far from perfect, and we continue to have serious reservations about its overall impact on institutions of higher education. We maintain our belief that master’s and doctoral education are the backbone of America’s national security and greatly contribute to our economic standing in a global economy. Any tax provisions that affect the financial stability and accessibility of institutions of higher education could negatively impact our nation’s future.”

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The House released its tax bill, which as drafted, will significantly impact graduate students. Check the Tax Reform and Higher Education website and the CGS Public Policy & Advocacy page for helpful resources, including letter templates, a tax policy issue brief, and tax reform scenarios. Also, see this graphic, developed by CGS, which can help illustrate the implications of taxing tution waivers on graduate students. 

Actions You Can Take:

1. Contact your government relations representatives and your campus administration to let them know how the proposed benefit eliminations will affect your graduate students. Work with them to communicate to your Members of Congress the importance of these tax provisions to the ability of your graduate students to finance their education. 
2. Encourage graduate students to join you in your advocacy efforts. Support them as they explain in their own words how changes in the tax code would affect them and their families.
3. Consider using examples from CGS's GradImpact Gallery to explain how graduate education improves the lives of all Americans, not just graduate degree holders. Consider submitting your own story to CGS if you have not already done so.