Social Work program seems to impress re-accreditation team

Dr. Dennis Long of Xavier University in Cincinnati and Dr. Maryland Spearman of Albany State University in Georgia were on campus two days to determine if the program should be re-accredited. They thoroughly examined the program to verify the self-study report that had been prepared.

“They seemed to be favorably impressed by the program,” said Deborah Stewart, who worked with Dr. Wesley Stevens on the re-accreditation process the past two years. “They had a few suggestions on areas they believe need to be strengthened, but overall they had many good things to say about the program.”

Stewart said accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education is crucial for social work programs because it affects the ability of graduates to be licensed in most states and impacts their admission to graduate school.

The CSC program, which has 27 majors according to the college’s Institutional Research Office, has been accredited since 1994. Every eight years it must be re-evaluated by leaders in the field such as Long and Spearman, who prepare a report that is forwarded to the CSWE commissioners for a final decision.

Stewart said to be accredited a program has to demonstrate that it is meeting the multiple standards established by CSWE to address social needs. She added that the program must show that it is instructing students on eliminating oppression and enhancing the lives of individuals, families and communities.

In addition, Stewart said social work strives to attain social and economic justice, the value of each individual and the importance of human relationships and human behavior within a social environment. Diversity is another major focus, she said.

“The core of a social work program is to try to address and eliminate social injustices and improve the social conditions of people. The site visit team looked at how our curriculum emphasizes these issues.”

Stewart said the exit interview indicated that Long and Spearman were impressed by the students’ commitment to the program and their ability to articulate what they are learning.

“It made a big impression on them that our students believe in the program and were eager to talk about it,” said Stewart. “They felt the students had access to the faculty and that our interaction with them is a strength.”

Another positive, Stewart said, was the interaction between the CSC program and the community agencies that it serves. She said representatives from approximately 10 agencies met with Long and Spearman.

“They were impressed by the support and involvement we receive from these agencies,” Stewart noted. “They thought we are doing a good job of using information and advice from our advisory board and integrating it into the curriculum.”

The program’s facilities in the Miller Building, including a research laboratory, and the technology available to the students also pleased the team members, according to Stewart.

The next step for Stewart and Stevens is to write a response to the team’s preliminary findings. The Council on Social Work Education commissioners will review the self-study and findings of the site visit team when they meet in October.