CGS Endorses the Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act

CGS endorses the Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act, a bill that was introduced by Representative Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) on July 25, 2024.

The bill will appropriate $5 million over five years to the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund programs designed to improve mentorship practices and provide resources for faculty, graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers.

The Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act would:

• Create a demonstration program to support projects that improve mentorship practices and provide resources for graduate researchers, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty, with special consideration for institutions that serve underrepresented populations.
• Assess the effectiveness of the demonstration program on increasing the quality of mentorship in STEM education and report these findings to Congress.
• Require institutions of higher education that receive NSF funding to disseminate information on existing institutional and agency reporting processes for any professional misconduct, including discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.

“Mentorship is crucial to the success of students completing their STEM graduate degree, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students,” said Suzanne Ortega, President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). “This bill will help faculty and program directors create positive mentorship environments, support evidence-based mentoring practice and help faculty and students understand mentorship expectations. Strengthening mentorship in graduate education will ensure a strong STEM pipeline that is career-ready for state and national workforce needs.”

The bill is also endorsed by the Association for Women in Science, Framework for Accountability in Academic Research and Mentoring Project, MIT Graduate Student Council, National Association of Graduate-Professional Studies, and the National Postdoctoral Association.