CGS Announces Chevelle Newsome as New President
CGS Contact: Kelley Karnes
602-791-8278 / kkarnes@cgs.nche.edu
PDF version of press release
Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced the appointment of Chevelle Newsome, currently Dean of Graduate Studies at California State University, Sacramento, as its seventh president. Since 2008, Dr. Newsome has worked to advance academic excellence and support academic achievement across Sacramento State’s more than 50 programs to ensure graduate education is accessible, student-centered and focused on successful outcomes.
Under her leadership, the Graduate Office has partnered with academic programs and colleges across the university to deliver best practices in recruitment, admissions, mentoring, funding, academic program development, guidelines, policy, and all facets of graduate student success.
Dr. Newsome has built strong relationships across different sectors, collaborating with organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, California Manufacturing Association and the Sacramento Regional Partnership for Digital Equity to expand both educational access and innovation. She also serves on the United Way California Capital Region (UWCCR) board and worked on initiatives to raise collegiate foster youth and families out of poverty by 2030.
As an advisor to the CSU Board of Trustees and the Center for California Studies, Newsome developed policy recommendations that directly influenced California legislation, from enabling the CSU system to first offer professional doctorates, such as the Ed.D. and DPT, to now being able to offer independent doctoral programs.
Dr. Newsome will assume the chief leadership role at the Council beginning on July 1. Suzanne Ortega, CGS’ President since 2014, announced her plan to step down from the role in October 2024.
“Chevelle Newsome is an experienced higher education leader who has a proven track record of data-informed decisions that positively impact graduate education,” said Michael Cunningham, Associate Provost for Graduate Studies at Tulane University, former CGS Board Chair and leader of the search committee. “We are delighted that Dr. Newsome has agreed to lead the Council and are confident that her professional leadership and public relations expertise have prepared her well to further the mission of CGS.”
In Dr. Newsome’s role at Sacramento State, she was a Founding Director of the Sacramento State McNair Scholars Program and served as Interim Dean for undergraduate education. Dr. Newsome currently serves as chair of the ETS Graduate Education Advisory Council and as chair for the Council of Graduate Schools’ Board of Directors. Her replacement as CGS board chair will be announced prior to her new role.
“Under Suzanne Ortega’s effective leadership, CGS has elevated the graduate education dialogue nationally and globally. I am deeply honored to build upon this foundation and lead CGS into its next chapter, where we position graduate education as essential to American competitiveness and prosperity,” Dr. Newsome said.
“American higher education stands at a critical moment where excellence, merit, and traditional academic values must be preserved. I am committed to partnering with graduate deans, faculty, researchers and students across our member institutions to advance rigorous standards and champion federal policies that strengthen graduate education and research while respecting institutional autonomy and academic freedom.”
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About CGS
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 460 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.