Andrew M. Goodliffe Wins Assistant and Associate Dean’s Leadership Award
CGS Contact: Kelley Karnes
602-791-8278 / kkarnes@cgs.nche.edu
Geophysicist led program for mentorship, increased diversity in
applications and admissions.
Washington, DC – Andrew M. Goodliffe, Associate Dean for Graduate Recruitment, Admissions and Fellowships at the University of Alabama (UA), received the Assistant and Associate Dean’s Leadership Award today during an award ceremony at the Council of Graduate Schools’ (CGS) 62nd Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
The award was created by the CGS Board of Directors to recognize individuals who have shown exemplary commitments to graduate education. Dr. Goodliffe has worked tirelessly to support the success of underrepresented students, lead policy and assessment reviews, foster the development of new programs, and raise the caliber of graduate education across the university.
As noted in his nomination materials, Dr. Goodliffe has demonstrated his commitment to the education community through his leadership as chair of the statewide Council of Graduate Deans, served on the Council of Southern Graduate Schools Mentorship Award Committee (leading UA to develop its own internal Mentorship Award), and continues to play a significant national role in graduate mentorship within his professional organizations (geophysics).
Dr. Goodliffe led the Tide Together mentorship program at UA, which paired first-generation and underrepresented minority students with a faculty and student mentor, helping increase graduation rates for participating students by 90 percent. He used his skills in data analysis to overhaul the Graduate School’s admissions systems and software, making it easier for students to apply. Applications have increased by 120 percent and offers of admission by 70 percent during his tenure because of his adoption of new technology.
Susan Carvalho, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School at UA, who nominated Dr. Goodliffe for the award, commends his ability to work on the individual and collective scale simultaneously.
“To balance data with deep human understanding – is a rare and wonderful combination. This unique set of skills has been transformational for graduate education at UA, both at a large-scale and student-by-student,” Carvalho said. “His approach to graduate education has opened doors particularly for underrepresented and first-gen students and given them the tools and confidence to succeed.”
Jeni Hart, CGS committee chair and Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Studies at the University of Missouri, celebrates Dr. Goodliffe’s achievements and work ethic.
“It is a pleasure to recognize the outstanding efforts of our assistant and associate dean colleagues who tirelessly work on behalf of our graduate students, and Dr. Goodliffe is no exception,” Hart said. “His commitment to lifting up first-generation and underrepresented graduate students is an example of the leadership we want to acknowledge with this award.”
Assistant and Associate Dean Leadership Award nominees must demonstrate creativity and innovation in response to institutional challenges and/or limited budgets or resources. They must also demonstrate evidence of building partnerships both internal and external to the graduate school; identifying and obtaining resources, both internal and external to the graduate school; effectively advocating on behalf of graduate education; fostering inclusiveness in the graduate community; and engaging student voices (including diverse voices).
Nominees for the award must be a current assistant or associate-level dean at a CGS member institution (Regular or Associate) with primary administrative responsibility in graduate education. The winner receives a $1,500 honorarium and is invited to plan and participate in a session at the CGS Summer Workshop on a topic of their choosing.
CGS gratefully acknowledges Duolingo English Test’s financial support of the Assistant and Associate Dean’s Leadership Award. Duolingo English Test, a CGS Sustaining Member, offers a digital language proficiency tool designed for international students and institutions.
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About CGS
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 500 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices.