Concern about the future of higher education in the humanities motivated the Modern Language Association (MLA) Executive Council to charge a distinguished task force of members with recommending changes to doctoral education. Funded in part by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the work of the Task Force on Doctoral Study in Modern Language and Literature involved conversations with directors of graduate studies, department chairs, and other administrators; graduate students; employers outside the academy; and the membership at large. The Executive Council approved the report of the task force in February 2014, and the report was published online in May 2014. It is available on the MLA Web site as a PDF.

This Web site is composed of a number of elements:

• The task force report
• A growing appendix of innovative programs that exemplify the report’s recommendations
• Reflections on the report
• Resources for students, faculty, administrators, and more
• A mentorship section where graduate students will be able to connect with humanities scholars working in varied careers

We invite discussion about the task force’s report, as well as new ideas about reforming doctoral education in the humanities; to add your voice, please comment directly on any section of the report. We also invite you to submit by e-mail descriptions of innovative programs or reflections posted on other blogs or Web sites.

Thank you for contributing to this important conversation.