About Membership
Hear what our members have to say about their involvement with CGS and its importance in their work.
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Peer Engagement, Professional Development & Networking
- Member registration rates for the CGS Annual Meeting and Summer Workshop & New Deans Institute, the premier professional development and networking events for leaders in graduate education where issues like the rise of AI, fundraising for graduate education, and supporting master’s students are addressed
- Access to the CGS Dean’s Discussion List, the only online platform for information exchange dedicated solely to graduate education
- Participation in governance of the Council and service on advisory committees
- CGS presidential office hours, free, members-only virtual events designed to promote opportunities for networking and information sharing among graduate deans from universities of similar size and mission and to build a national network of trusted peers
Access to Data & Insights
- CGS members receive exclusive access to the online CGS Member Library and other online resources on important topics in graduate education. Resources include:
- Resources about the new gainful employment (GE) and financial value transparency (FVT) regulation that takes effect July 1, 2024, as well as the new reporting requirements for your institution
- Access to members-only webinars and the CGS webinar recording library including Building a Healthy Research Culture: Where to Start and Microcredentials in Graduate Education
- Subscription to GradEdge, our quarterly member newsletter which features the latest on national issues and trends in graduate education, including current graduate research, recent developments in government affairs, updates on CGS research projects, and details on upcoming meetings
- Subscription to Washington Insights & Highlights, our bi-monthly policy newsletter which provides up-to-date information on public policy and related initiatives that impact graduate education
- Reduced member rates on strategic consultations to assist in tactical decision-making about the administration of graduate education on your campus
- Member rates on all CGS publications
- In collaboration with our member universities, CGS continues to lead activities that result in key findings and best practices for the graduate education community, including new and ongoing projects on:
Resources for Admissions, Enrollment & Completion
- Opportunity to compete for National Science Foundation (NSF) subaward grants including Broadening Participation in STEM Graduate Degrees and the U.S. STEM Workforce
- Access to Graduate Enrollment and Degrees by Fine Field, an annual report, available only to CGS member institutions, includes data on first-time and total graduate enrollment data by fine field of study (e.g., chemistry, history, philosophy, etc.), gender, citizenship, and race/ethnicity. The tables also include one-year percent changes, as well as five-year and ten-year average annual percent changes.
Support for Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness
- Resources regarding the recent Supreme Court rulings on race and higher education admissions
- Option to participate in the National Name Exchange (NNE), a program which aims to support greater diversity in U.S. and Canadian graduate programs
- Annual access to the TRIO McNair Scholars Directory, designed to provide graduate schools with access to TRIO McNair Scholars who have expressed an interest in pursuing graduate studies
Eligibility to Participate in International Engagement Events
- Opportunity to attend the Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education, an invitation-only event that promotes active discussion and collaboration for graduate leaders seeking to prepare their institutions for new opportunities and challenges
Representation and Visibility in the Graduate Community
- Eligibility to nominate individuals to five CGS awards programs:
- ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Graduate Education
- Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education
- Assistant and Associate Deans Leadership Award
- CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards
- Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities
- Opportunity to be a signatory university to the Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants (also known as the April 15 resolution)
Membership Categories
Regular Membership
United States and Canadian institutions of higher education that are significantly engaged in graduate education, research and scholarship, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees are eligible for Regular Membership. An applicant institution must:
- Have approval to offer graduate work, granted by an accrediting authority determined appropriate by the CGS Membership Committee
- Offer degrees in at least three distinct and separate fields or disciplines at the time of application
- Have awarded a total of at least thirty master’s degrees or ten doctoral degrees in at least three distinct and separate fields or disciplines within the three-year period immediately before the date of application
- Have a formally organized administrative unit responsible for graduate education
Associate Membership
Institutions of higher education in the U.S. or Canada that are engaged in graduate education but do not meet the requirements for regular membership, may be eligible for Associate Membership. An applicant institution must:
- Have been approved to offer graduate level work by an accrediting authority determined appropriate by the CGS Membership Committee
- Offer at least one graduate degree program at the master’s level or above
- Have awarded at least ten graduate degrees during the three-year period preceding application
Membership Dues Information
Please visit here for information on Regular and Associate Membership dues.
To learn more and request membership application materials, please contact Adrienne Vincent or Janice Goggins.