WAGS is a regional organization that believes in the power of education for the advancement of people and a global society. Many of our members share a similar political and cultural climate and seem to be impacted in the same way by the changing physical climate. These and other components constitute a community of educators and administrators who support each other in the training of experts who can go out into the world and change it for the better.

Graduate Education has the unique opportunity and obligation to help students to deepen their knowledge in the specific subject area that they have chosen. Students are expected to extend the basic understanding and skills that they have acquired through their undergraduate majors and specialize in a field that suits their interests and strengths. Along this line, we hold strongly that the humanities and the social sciences are just as important as STEM disciplines. We owe it to our graduate students to teach all disciplines in the state of the art and prepare them for starting a career as responsible citizens.

In our monthly WAGS Wednesday meetings with our members, as well as at the annual WAGS Conference, we invite and value open and respectful discussions of controversial topics and use these communications as occasions to educate each other on important current issues in education, best practices and opportunities for change – where change would be a true improvement.

One issue that is very important to us is paying a heightened attention to systemic changes to increase the enrollment and also the success (!) of underrepresented diversity students. We are committed to encouraging all members to carefully review documents, admissions decisions, and support related to student progress, and to make sure that all students of all races, ethnicities, genders, gender expressions, and religions, to name just a few identities, feel welcome and are cared for according to their needs.