This newsletter was sent from the Graduate School Dean to UW GPAs and GPCs on April 14, 2026.
Letter from the Dean
Dear GPAs and GPCs,
As we begin spring quarter, I want to take a moment to recognize the critical role you play in supporting graduate education at the University of Washington. Your work sits at the center of the student experience – guiding, advising and problem-solving in ways that are essential to student success.
With that, I’m pleased to share the inaugural issue of In Community, the Graduate School’s first magazine. The stories in this issue reflect the impact of graduate education across UW—and, in many ways, they are also a reflection of your work. The success of our students is made possible by the guidance and support you provide.
This has been a particularly busy and complex year. You have helped students navigate changes across programs and policies, while continuing to provide steady, thoughtful support. I know that much of this work happens behind the scenes, and I want to express my sincere appreciation for the care and consistency you bring to it every day.
That has been especially true as we prepare for updates to Electronic Thesis and Dissertations (ETDs) to meet federal digital accessibility requirements for the 2026–27 academic year. Ensuring that students understand and can meet these standards is no small task, and we are grateful for the role you play in helping make this transition successful. Thank you for sticking with us through these changes and for supporting students through what can often be a complex process.
The Ph.D. Task Force continues to make strong progress. Our working groups are now drafting their recommendations, and I look forward to sharing their insights and an action plan for forward progress in the next few months.This work is grounded in a commitment to supporting both students and the staff and faculty who guide them. I encourage you to join us for the final Task Force Town Hall on May 4.
Thank you again for your partnership, your adaptability and your continued dedication to graduate students and programs across the University. Your work makes a meaningful difference every day.
Warm wishes,
Joy
Updates and news
New guidelines for all new graduate program proposals
The Office of Academic Affairs, in partnership with the Board of Deans and Chancellors, has restructured the guidelines for new graduate program and program option proposals to provide clearer, more relevant information for evaluating a program’s strategic value.
Because strategic value extends beyond market demand and draws on data of varying types and quality, the proposal format has consolidated prompts related to societal, academic, and fiscal value into a single section. This structure enables programs to present a more holistic account of how a proposed program contributes to the school and the university.
The updated guidelines are available on the Graduate School’s Proposing a New Program webpage.
Cross-College Stacked Graduate Degrees
The Graduate School Office of Academic Affairs has released guidelines and requirements for Cross-College Stacked Degrees (CCSDs), in which students earn a master’s degree by completing two or more certificates from different schools, colleges, or campuses, and an integrated culminating experience in one of those units.
The modular structure of these degrees creates opportunities for academic units to collaborate in developing interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary programs that serve the broader university community.
In addition to establishing partnerships across units, CCSD proposals must include a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among participating units. Programs seeking to admit students in Autumn 2027 should plan to submit a Notice of Intent (PNOI) by mid-May, allowing time for full proposal and MOU review early in the fall.
We created an MOU document to assist units in developing curriculum and collaborative agreements associated with the cross-college stacked master’s degree.
Reminder: Suspension of Admissions (Policy 1.9)
Because suspension of admissions is authorized through a faculty vote, programs are encouraged to use Spring quarter to assess projected student demand and available resources for the upcoming admissions cycle.
Programs planning to suspend admissions should follow the procedures outlined in Policy 1.9: Temporary Suspension of Admissions.
Reminder: Published Electronic Thesis and Dissertations (ETDs) are subject to WCAG Accessibility Compliance requirements
Please review the most recent messaging from the Graduate School on this topic. As a reminder, we are not asking students graduating Winter 2026, Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 to take any different or additional steps when submitting and ETD when earning their degree. We will be sending more details about expectations for the 2026-27 academic year.
Spring 2026 graduation and commencement reminder
During spring quarter we see the largest volume of degree requests. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the degree request process in MyGrad. You’re also encouraged to share the Grad School graduation requirements details with your students. Also, please keep in mind that commencement ceremony participation is different than graduation/degree requests with different deadlines.