Dear CGS Colleagues,

After more than a decade of serving CGS as your president, I plan to step down from that post on June 30, 2014. The press release announcing this decision is now available on the CGS website.  I selected June 30 both because it will allow the board an appropriate length of time to conduct a search and appoint my successor and because July 1 is an ideal time for my successor to take over as the new CGS president in the run up to the Summer Workshop.

I want you all to know that it has been a huge privilege to serve as your president. CGS is a jewel of an organization. The staff is hardworking, very smart and totally dedicated to the mission of improving and advancing graduate education. To a person, they execute their responsibilities with distinction, reflecting a “members first” philosophy that never wavers. But as the members of the Council of Graduate Schools, you are the foundation of our strength. The strength of CGS is measured by the engagement of our members. Your involvement makes the work we do here in Washington a privilege and pleasure.

As for my personal plans in July 2014, I will begin my six month sabbatical under the title of Senior Scholar at CGS during which I hope to contribute to wrapping up some long overdue writing projects. Longer term I plan to remain active in higher education work, turning my energies to the kind of serious writing about graduate education that the demands of my job as CGS president have simply precluded.

Please rest assured I will be fully committed to doing the work of CGS as energetically on June 30, 2014 as I was on July 1, 2000 when I arrived in Washington. We have a huge agenda to implement between now and June 30 and working with our team we will implement it. My successor will come into a thriving enterprise.

Very best regards,

Debra

Debra W. Stewart
President
Council of Graduate Schools
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 230
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 223-3791
Email: president@cgs.nche.edu
Web: www.cgsnet.org