Next Generation Humanities PhD Consortium

FAIN: ZZ-253123-16

Council of Graduate Schools (Washington, DC 20036)
Suzanne Ortega (Project Director: May 2016 to June 2019)

A collaboration between CGS and NEH that will: 1) establish an advisory network of experts for Next Generation Humanities PhD grantees; 2) create a team-based communication platform for grantees; 3) develop benchmarking materials and timelines with each institution; 4) host virtual conversations, presentations, and webinars on relevant topics; 5) offer virtual office hours to coach grantee institutions; 6) provide opportunities for grantees to present at CGS events; 7) co-host Project Directors’ Meetings; 8) document preliminary “lessons learned” at planning grants’ completion; 9) offer suggestions to update guidelines for upcoming deadlines; and 10) evaluate and review the partnership for possible renewal.

This request seeks to establish a working relationship between the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to help administer a rich and supportive environment for grantees of the Next Generation Humanities PhD program. CGS and NEH will work with project directors, university deans, advisors, funders, and other entities to plan and execute high quality collaborative interventions that will support and amplify culture change in humanities doctoral programs across the United States. This culture change will by definition be difficult, since it has significant structural, methodological, and financial implications, among them curricular change, new models for graduate student mentorship, stipends for activities beyond research and teaching, and the possibility of a different dissertation product. To achieve far-reaching results that live up to the promise of the grant program, the intention is to build a strong esprit d’équipe among this first cohort of grantees.

Associated Products

Promising Practices in Humanities PhD Professional Development: Lessons Learned from the 2016-2017 Next Generation Humanities PhD Consortium (Report)
Title: Promising Practices in Humanities PhD Professional Development: Lessons Learned from the 2016-2017 Next Generation Humanities PhD Consortium
Author: Maureen Terese McCarthy
Abstract: Written to help guide applicants to NEH Next Generation Humanities PhD grants, as well as any campus team interested in pursuing the goals of the Next Gen program. Part I, Lessons Learned, summarizes the common features of Next Gen projects and outlines some of the challenges and promising solutions employed by grantee universities in pursuit of the larger goals of the grant program. Part II, Emerging Strategies, offers suggestions for additional considerations that might be included in the design of Next Gen programs. Please note that Promising Practices does not constitute evaluation criteria for the selection of 2018 grantees; rather, this document is intended to help institutions understand what practices have been most successful for past grantees, and identify ideas and approaches that are appropriate to their campuses.
Date: 09/01/2017
Primary URL: https://cgsnet.org/publication-pdf/5049/NEH_NextGen_LessonsLearned.pdf
Primary URL Description: PDF of the report
Secondary URL: https://cgsnet.org/promising-practices-humanities-phd-professional-development-lessons-learned-2016-2017-next
Secondary URL Description: Page on the CGS website linking to the report PDF.
Access Model: open access

Review of Prior Work in Humanities PhD Professional Development (Report)
Title: Review of Prior Work in Humanities PhD Professional Development
Author: Maureen Terese McCarthy
Abstract: A review of the reform efforts and scholarship relevant to humanities professional development. This report will be useful to any campus team interested in pursuing the goals of the Next Gen program and any researcher interested in the history of this work.
Date: 09/01/2017
Primary URL: https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/NEH_NextGen_PriorWork.pdf
Primary URL Description: PDF of report
Access Model: open access

Clarifying NEH guidelines for Third-Party Match of grant funds (Report)
Title: Clarifying NEH guidelines for Third-Party Match of grant funds
Author: Council of Graduate Schools
Abstract: Written to help guide applicants to NEH Next Generation Humanities PhD grants to clarify NEH's Third Party Match guidelines.
Date: 09/01/2017
Primary URL: https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/NEH_NextGen_ThirdPartyMatch.pdf
Primary URL Description: PDF of report
Access Model: open access

Rethinking Humanities PhD Resources (Web Resource)
Title: Rethinking Humanities PhD Resources
Author: Council of Graduate Schools
Abstract: This page links to resources for universities and programs seeking to pursue the goals of the Next Gen program. It includes information on: Admissions, Career Advice for PhDs, Career Exploration Tools, Career Paths Data Collection, Intellectual Leadership and Resources for Graduate Programs, Pedagogy, Preparing Future Faculty, Scholarship on Career Paths Social Media Hashtags, Stories of PhD Career Paths, and Writing Support, as well as links to NextGenPhD Consortium Project Pages.
Year: 2016
Primary URL: https://cgsnet.org/rethinking-humanities-phd-resources
Primary URL Description: Resource page housed on the Council of Graduate Schools website

Next Gen Consortium Private Resource Page (Web Resource)
Title: Next Gen Consortium Private Resource Page
Author: Council of Graduate Schools
Abstract: This private page requires a CGS log-in, which was provided upon request to any Next Gen Consortium team member. It houses resources specifically designed for Next Gen Consortium members, including links to archived recordings of the group's monthly webinars.
Year: 2016
Primary URL: https://cgsnet.org/nextgen-phd-consortium-resource-page

NEH Next Gen Humanities Ph.D. (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: NEH Next Gen Humanities Ph.D.
Author: Katja Zelljadt
Author: Maureen Terese McCarthy
Abstract: Co-presentation at Graduate Career Consortium Southeastern Regional Meeting on the goals and progress of the Next Gen grant program and Next Gen consortium.
Date: 11/18/2016
Conference Name: Graduate Career Consortium Southeastern Regional Meeting

Now More Than Ever: An Argument for the Humanities (Article)
Title: Now More Than Ever: An Argument for the Humanities
Author: Suzanne T. Ortega
Abstract: Now, more than ever, we must harness the power of the humanities to catalyze an examination of what it means to be an American, and, perhaps even more importantly, what it means to be an American living in an increasingly interconnected world. This article describes initiatives undertaken by the Council of Graduate Schools to advance the public humanities, including the NEH Next Gen Consortium.
Year: 2017
Primary URL: https://cgsnet.org/january-2017-gradedge
Primary URL Description: Direct link to GradEdge archive
Access Model: open access
Format: Other
Periodical Title: GradEdge
Publisher: Council of Graduate Schools

PhDs wanted: Valuing deep training in the humanities (Article)
Title: PhDs wanted: Valuing deep training in the humanities
Author: Suzanne T. Ortega
Abstract: The number of academic positions posted by humanities disciplinary associations has decreased overall. This news of the continued sluggishness of the academic job market is only distressing, however, if we believe that the single possible or appropriate professional pathway for humanities PhDs is the professoriate. There is no reason to accept this view as reality when the limited available evidence suggests that a wide range of rewarding careers are possible. As William D. Adams, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has said, humanities doctorate holders have much to contribute to American society.1 And yet, PhD students continue to be told, often explicitly, that the only definition of success is a tenure-track professorship at a high-intensive research university. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has been working with its member institutions on a variety of strategies designed to change this narrative in favor of one that better reflects the breadth of skills and contributions of humanists who hold PhDs.
Year: 2017
Primary URL: https://www.amacad.org/content/research/dataForumEssay.aspx?i=22902
Primary URL Description: Link to American Academy of Arts and Sciences website
Access Model: open access
Format: Other
Periodical Title: Academy Data Forum
Publisher: American Academy of Arts and Sciences

The View from CGS: The Pearls and Perils of Graduate Education (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: The View from CGS: The Pearls and Perils of Graduate Education
Author: Suzanne T. Ortega
Abstract: Plenary presentation at the Council of Southern Graduate Schools' 2017 Annual Meeting. Overview of national graduate education landscape, including information on the NEH Next Gen Consortium
Date: 3/2/2017
Primary URL: http://www.csgs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017CSGSProgramAnnapolis.pdf
Primary URL Description: link to CSGS 2017 Annual Meeting program
Conference Name: Council of Southern Graduate Schools Annual Meeting

Graduate Education’s Impact and Value: Now More than Ever (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Graduate Education’s Impact and Value: Now More than Ever
Author: Suzanne T. Ortega
Abstract: Plenary presentation at the Western Association of Graduate Schools Meeting. Seattle, WA.
Date: 3/20/2017
Conference Name: Western Association of Graduate Schools Meeting

Overview of CGS Projects (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Overview of CGS Projects
Author: Suzanne T. Ortega
Abstract: Presentation at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Conference. Indianapolis, IN.
Date: 4/5/2017
Conference Name: Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Conference

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