It is no secret that American graduate education is in disarray. Graduate students take too long to complete their studies and face a dismal academic job market if they succeed. Chronicle of Higher Education columnist **Leonard Cassuto** argues that the heavy emphasis universities place on research comes at the expense of teaching, and that graduate education must recover its mission of preparation and public service.
Leonard Cassuto is a professor of English at Fordham University, teaching and writing about American literature and culture. Cassuto writes a monthly column for the Chronicle of Higher Education titled “The Graduate Adviser” and has authored or edited eight books. Cassuto is also an award-winning journalist, covering subjects ranging from science to sports in publications from the New York Times to Salon.