Organization, Administration, and Improvement of Graduate Education Daniel Denecke, Ph.D. Program Director, Best Practices and Publications The Council of Graduate Schools NAGS Annual Meeting April 10,

The Council of Graduate Schools  Membership 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. CGS members award 94% of the doctoral degrees and 80% of the master’s degrees in the United States.  Mission: “to improve and advance graduate education” through Advocacy, Research, and Best Practices.

CGS 2004 Publication

Ch. 1 – The Role of the Graduate School in the University  Articulate a vision of excellence in scholarship and education  Provide quality control for all aspects of graduate education  Maintain equitable standards across academic disciplines  Define what graduate education is and what it is not  Bring an institution-wide perspective to all postbaccalaureate endeavors

Ch. 1 - The Role of the Graduate School in the University (cont.)  Provide an interdisciplinary perspective  Enhance the intellectual community of scholars  Serve as an advocate for graduate education  Emphasize importance of preparing future scholars  Develop ways to enhance undergraduate education  Support graduate student services  Serve as an advocate for issues and constituencies critical to the success of graduate programs

Ch. 2 - Structural Elements of Graduate Education  Faculty units that supervise graduate study and recommend degrees: need not be departments  Chief Academic Officer responsible for graduate education: need not be a Dean  Degree-granting unit: Graduate School or decentralized  The Graduate Council, faculty governance  Graduate student representation

Ch. 3 – Relationship to Research Administration  Sponsored research: Facilitator, liaison, guidelines and policies on RCR issues, grant and contract mgt., ensure compliance, and administer funds.  Two models for research administration: (1) Combined duties (e.g. Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies) (2) Sole research duties (e.g. Vice President, Vice Chancellor, or Vice Provost for Research)

Ch. 4 – A Compendium of Graduate School Activities  Program Content  Students  Faculty  Administrative Support  University-Wide Activities  External Relations  Research Administration

“Chapter 5” – Self-Reinvention  Best Practices  Emerging Roles for the Graduate School  What’s Next

“Best Practices”  Graduate degree completion  Inclusiveness (pathways and pipelines)  Professional development E.g. Professional Master’s Degrees Preparing Future Faculty Preparing Future Professionals  Research integrity Responsible Conduct of Research Ethical Deliberation Integration into the fabric of graduate education (intercultural, interactive, interdisciplinary)

Emerging Roles for the Graduate School in the University (1)  Assess the role and responsibility of the graduate school in the education of post-doctorates  Define the graduate school’s position on professional doctorates  Strengthen graduate school’s ties with the community and the public  Situate campus efforts in a national context

Emerging Roles for the Graduate School in the University (2)  Ground discussions in empirical data Enrollment management > completion management > alumni tracking External grants bring national visibility to campus efforts, can help garner support of senior administration (President, Chancellor), and can strengthen community.

Emerging Roles for the Graduate School in the University (3)  Provide a Global Context International Students International Competition Employability Responsible Research and the Public Good

What’s Next?  Graduate Education in 2020? Who (or what) will fund our institutions and our students in the future? How will new structures of funding impact research and graduate education? How might the political climate impact the relative weight of (sometimes competing) domestic pathways and international student mobility priorities? Can innovation be taught? Are our pedagogies of innovation being emulated? Are we preparing future scholars and professionals for a global research community?