- How are seismic federal shifts influencing decisions about graduate education on your campus?
- Is there such a thing as the “right size” for graduate cohorts?
- Are small cohorts and research teams inherently bad?
- How are current pressures encouraging more thoughtful selection and attention to mentorship?
- For what are you seeking to build momentum or protect gains made?
During this challenging time for higher education, we have been heartened to see members of the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Consortium leaning into our community’s origins as a sharing network. In just one recent meeting of our campus liaisons, discussion topics covered were as critical and wide-ranging as those listed above.
We’re seeing that the more fragile political safety seems, the more people need psychologically safe spaces to share, to be heard, and to feel seen. They also need trusted colleagues and experts to help drive positive changes and maintain gains made. Our partners are creating such spaces on their own campuses and as a collective.
We are excited to accept applications for continuing and new partners for the 2026–2028 EGE cohort. Here we offer two ways that you can connect to this thriving learning community and benefit from the community’s deep well of connections, professional wisdom and leadership.
Coaching Membership (One year):
In the current political climate, universities have diverse needs reflecting real variation in state policy, leadership styles and institutional risk tolerance. To address this challenge and provide customized support, EGE has developed a new membership type that provides partners with targeted coaching for specific organizational improvement or change efforts.
Under the new Strategic Coaching Membership, campus partners identify an area of concern in which they would like to receive coaching, and the EGE Leadership team uses the EGE network to construct a suitable coaching team led by a member of our network with relevant expertise. By leveraging our community of expert faculty and administrators, we will provide partners with sustained, focused support that takes their specific needs into account.
There are three tiers of membership available under this one-year membership type, including 10 to 20 coaching hours.
Workshops and Coaching Membership (Two years):
We are also continuing to offer our traditional, workshop-focused membership types under the Mentoring and Wellbeing, Admissions and Recruitment, and Equitable Selection Systems tracks. Each focus area is designed to build capacity for systemic change through actionable and data-informed strategies centered on community and impact. Members gain access to a national network of peer institutions, expert-led workshops, six hours of coaching and consultation from a track lead or other community expert, and practical tools to support institutional change.
In both types, EGE membership provides community and guidance to institutions that are building new initiatives, strengthening existing efforts or navigating the ever-evolving landscape of graduate education. Email Yasmin Kadir, Consortium Manager (ykadir@usc.edu) for more information or register here for our upcoming information session on Friday, May 1 at 12pm PT.
Membership fees are generously subsidized by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, to whom we and our current partners are grateful for their continued support.
