COGS DESIGN BRIEF

The Council of Graduate Students (COGS) represents the interests of all graduate students at the
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. It is our mission to work with the all components of the University
community - most specifically the Graduate School and central administration - to make sure the
needs of graduate students are known and addressed.

COGS is an open and democratic organization comprised of graduate students from across the
University. COGS provides opportunities for graduate students to participate actively in University
administrative and policy-making decisions, as well as social and cultural programming and job
training. The backbone of the organization are Department Representatives, composed of students
selected by all degree-granting programs at the University. COGS also elects representatives to serve
on University-wide committees, on Policy and Review Councils, and in the University Senate. Together,
we represent over 10,000 students.

As graduate students, we share common characteristics and experiences. We have to deal with
demanding professors and advisers, we dread our examinations and dissertations, we are constantly
looking for funding and free food, and we punish ourselves with our procrastinating ways. (For a good
taste of the graduate student experience, see PhDComics.com written by Jorge Cham - we brought
him to campus last year.)

This past February, the news of the restructuring of the Graduate School and subsequent response by
faculty, staff, and students made it clear to us that we must be more visible on campus and strengthen
our network among students, faculty, and administration. We have begun to work towards this goal by
giving presentations at graduate student orientations, at both the University and department level. We
hope to continue this campaign throughout the coming year and beyond.

Our current identity highlights our role as "cogs" in the University "machine." We conduct the research
that gives the University recognition by gathering data, conducting analysis, and writing papers. We
also educate students by teaching and TAing classes for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Without graduate students, the University would grind to a halt. One challenge we face is creating a
strong identity that distinguishes us from GAPSA, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly.
While GAPSA represents graduate and professional students (MD, DDS, JD, MBA), the focus of COGS is
to specifically meet the needs of graduate students. COGS is the largest secondary organization within
GAPSA, similar to a state government within a federal government system.

The audiences for COGS are graduate students, faculty, and administration. For graduate students, we
want to make it clear that we share their interests and are responsive to their needs. Ideally, we can
create a stronger community identity among graduate students that have varying research interest by
connecting to their common experiences. For faculty, we want to have a strong identity that we can
attach to the work that we do on campus (including graduate student surveys and travel grants). For
administration, we want to make it clear that graduate students are an integral part of the University
that are essential to meeting the University's goal to be at top 3 research institution.