GradEdge: Winter 2025
Letter from CGS President Suzanne Ortega: We will adapt
It’s only been two weeks, but the Trump Administration has managed to cause a lot of upheaval and anxiety 
for the country and graduate education community. We know it is affecting you and your staff, and most importantly, your students. Teaching and supporting graduate students is already a rigorous endeavor, and the onslaught of executive orders and the brief withholding of grant funding created unnecessary strife.
I’m writing today to tell you that CGS remains focused on its mission to support and advance graduate education through evidence-based practices, innovative research and advocacy. We will continue to build a diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive graduate community and will not be distracted by bad faith actors. Read the full letter.
Message from the New CGS Board Chair, Chevelle Newsome
As I step into the role of Board Chair, I am honored to serve alongside such a dynamic and 
dedicated community of educators, administrators, and leaders. I have long admired this organization’s transformative work in advancing graduate education, and I look forward to building on this rich legacy during my term.
As we look ahead, graduate education faces a pivotal moment. Shifts in student demographics, technological advancements, and societal demands are reshaping the landscape. In response, we must reimagine our strategies to ensure graduate education remains relevant, accessible, and impactful. Our focus, as I see it, embodies three key priorities. Read the full letter.
CGS Launches Healthy Research Teams and Labs Initiative
CGS is excited to announce the launch of Healthy Research Teams and Labs initiative. Originally developed at the University of Toronto and expanded by CGS with support from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), this initiative will provide positive actions CGS members can take to develop and support productive research teams at their institutions.
A healthy research culture is important for conducting high-quality research, promoting work-life balance, creating realistic goals and expectations in the research team setting and encouraging the well-being of all members. Importantly, healthy research teams may help prevent or address some common challenges in the highly competitive research environment. This initiative is intended to provide CGS member institutions with guidance and support to foster positive change in their research communities.
CGS Announces New Project to Better Understand and Support Inclusive Research Environments
Previous IGE research at the University of California, Berkeley, has shown a strong correlation between student success and program environments where expectations and rules are clear and consistently applied. Working with a network of 10 universities and 60 doctoral programs, CGS will collect the data needed to examine whether this finding holds across a broader range of institutions and program types.
2024 Global Summit Tackles Transdisciplinary and Transnational Research to Solve Global Grand Challenges
Attendees of the 2024 Strategic Leaders Global Summit have released their action agenda and guiding principles for conducting transdisciplinary and transnational research for addressing global grand challenges.
Water management and climate change are examples of the types of grand challenges that will require researchers with multi-disciplinary backgrounds and the ability to work across borders. Global Summit participants sought to build consensus around principles of conducting transdisciplinary and transnational research to foster the types of researchers and frameworks needed to successfully tackle these crucial issues.
New CGS Publication on Master’s Education
CGS is excited to announce the release of a new publication, Master’s Education: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Student-Centered Programs. The book revises and replaces an earlier guide to master’s education published nearly twenty years ago, providing new data and guidance and recent examples from CGS member institutions.
This volume addresses the gap in our understanding of master’s degrees, highlighting best practices for faculty and administrators working to support their students.
The First 100 Days of the Trump Administration
Donald Trump has been president for 18 days and the changes have been swift and many. The CGS Government Relations and Public Policy Department has created a new webpage detailing the new executive actions and our communications. They also launched a supplemental weekly newsletter yesterday to make sure you stay informed. CGS will continue to monitor the release of executive actions and will post updates as soon as they are announced. Be sure to login to access the new resources.
Master’s Degrees at Work: Bridging Law Enforcement and Mental Health
Ryan Gagnon, the chief of police in Auburn Hills, Mich., has built a career defined by 
dedication, innovation, and an unyielding commitment to community well-being.
A graduate of Oakland University’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, Gagnon is now leading the charge in transforming how law enforcement handles mental health crises. His groundbreaking work on co-response teams, which started as his graduate research project has not only shaped his career but has also created a ripple effect across Oakland County. Read the full article.
New CGS Leaders and Members
New Graduate Education Leaders
- Jennifer Alexiou-Ray, Executive Director of Graduate Studies, University of Montevallo*
- Gabriel Aquino, Dean of Graduate Studies, State University of New York at Oneonta*
- Wayne Bosma, Director of Graduate Education, Bradley University*
- Michael Bradley, Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, Arkansas Tech University
- Angela Canda, Dean, Graduate School, John Carroll University
- Amy Cathey, Interim Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Deborah Haynes, Interim Dean, Graduate School, Montana State University
- Amanda Hill, Assistant Vice President for Graduate Studies, Adams State University
- Brian Kite, Dean and Vice Provost of Graduate Education, University of California, Los Angeles
- Deniz Leuenberger, Interim Dean, College of Graduate Studies and Chief of Staff/Vice President for Planning and Strategy, Bridgewater State University
- Michael Mathis, Dean, College of Graduate Studies, Tarleton State University*
- Sean Mullen, Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs, Boston University
- Rodrigo Rentería-Valencia, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, Central Washington University
- Ayanna Thomas, Dean of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Tufts University
- William Tolone, Dean, Graduate School, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Severine Van slambrouck, Associate Provost, Office of Research Services and Graduate Studies, Youngstown State University
- John Vasquez, Executive Director, Graduate Studies & Research, Colorado State University Pueblo*
- Kerry Wilks, Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies and Research, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay*
*Graduate education leader at new or returning CGS member institution
New Members
- Colorado State University Pueblo, Regular Institutional Member, Pueblo, CO
- Tarleton State University, Regular Institutional Member, Stephenville, TX
- University of Montevallo, Regular Institutional Member, Montevallo, AL
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Regular Institutional Member, Green Bay, WI
Returning Members
- Bradley University, Regular Institutional Member, Peoria, IL
- State University of New York at Oneonta, Regular Institutional Member, Oneonta, NY