(NAME-MCE) Graduate Schools Urged to Diversify Enrollments

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Graduate Schools Urged to Diversify Enrollments

Graduate schools need to recruit and graduate a more diverse student body,
according to a report being issued today by the Council of Graduate Schools.
"Our nation is becoming increasingly diverse, yet Hispanic and African
American students are highly underrepresented in graduate schools,
particularly in fields such as science and engineering, where each group
makes up less than 10 percent of graduate enrollment and approximately 5
percent of new Ph.D.'s," the report says. "While women are the
fastest-growing group in graduate education, they too remain
underrepresented in some key fields. These demographic trends present
long-term challenges that can be overcome only by a national commitment to
developing all our country’s talent." The report reviews demographics of
graduate enrollments, and describes programs that have helped some graduate
schools recruit and educate in inclusive ways.

Executive Summary at
http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/GR_Broadening_excerpt.pdf

Complete Report at
http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=79&CategoryID=1&Category2ID=7&List=0&Level=2&ProductID=97

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Stuart Heiser  (202) 223-3791 / sheiser at cgs.nche.edu
April 23, 2009

Graduate Education and the Changing Face of America
Report urges national commitment to developing domestic talent

Washington, DC (April 23, 2009) – U.S. graduate education is widely
considered the best in the world, attracting top domestic and international
students to our nation’s colleges and universities.

But there is a leak in the domestic pipeline, particularly in science and
engineering. At a time when the need has never been greater for
professionals with the advanced, interdisciplinary training required to
solve complex problems, some groups remain highly underrepresented in
graduate schools, even as our nation becomes increasingly diverse.

A new report from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) argues that now is
the time to reverse this troubling trend by fully developing our domestic
talent pool, particularly people from traditionally underrepresented groups,
in order to create the highly-skilled workforce necessary to compete in the
21st century economy.
Broadening Participation in Graduate Education was released today at a forum
held at the Library of Congress, during which Members of Congress, industry
leaders, graduate deans and alumni of programs that successfully increased
diversity in graduate schools shared their perspectives on the role of
graduate education as a key component of a national talent development
strategy.

The report urges that the U.S. cultivate talent wherever it exists, with
particular emphasis on identifying those from traditionally underrepresented
groups. It highlights examples of campus, federal, and private initiatives
that have had success in broadening participation in graduate education. The
report also offers policy recommendations to increase the number of students
prepared to enter graduate school, especially in the critical areas of
science and engineering.
“This report addresses why our nation must develop our domestic talent pool
now to prepare the next generation of leaders, knowledge creators, and
experts in a wide spectrum of fields," said Debra W. Stewart, CGS president.
“Increasing diversity and enhancing inclusiveness efforts are essential as
we work to make graduate education a viable option for a growing number of
Americans,” Stewart added.

The report distinguishes between diversity, described as expanding access
and opportunity, and inclusiveness, defined as the commitment and support
structures necessary to ensure that students from a multitude of different
backgrounds, and in different life situations, achieve degree completion.
The report’s recommendations for universities and policy makers are intended
to revitalize the historic partnership between higher education, government,
and the private sector. They include:

• Organizing a national summit on investing in human capital and talent in
the 21st century.
• Creating incentives for all students, particularly those from
underrepresented groups, to pursue graduate education in critical fields
through competitive fellowships and traineeships, loan forgiveness, and
other measures.
• Increase inclusiveness within graduate programs by providing students with
the support and resources they need to graduate and to succeed.
• Expanding U.S. citizen participation in doctoral study in key fields, such
as science, engineering, and those that foster global understanding of
languages and culture, by enacting a National Defense Education Act for the
21st Century -- one that makes a special effort to develop the full
diversity of talent in our nation.

More information on the report is available at www.cgsnet.org.

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of over 500
institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in
graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced
degrees. Among U.S. institutions, CGS members award 95% of the doctoral
degrees and 84% of the master’s 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.
* Based on data from the 2007 CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and
Degrees

Council of Graduate Schools
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 230 • Washington, DC 20036
(202) 223-3791 • www.cgsnet.org