School of Social Work

Committees of the School of Social Work

Each year, social work professionals and Salem State social work students are invited to become members of the various committees of the School of Social Work. For your information, descriptions and responsibilities of each committee are listed below. These committees typically meet once a month throughout the academic year on Tuesdays during the day. If you are interested in serving on any of these committees, please contact the Chairperson (BSW) Barbara Nicholson or the MSW Program Coordinator, Cheryl Springer for further information.

B.S.W. Curriculum Committee

The Committee has, at a minimum, the following members: the BSW Program Coordinator, the BSW Field Coordinator, the Chairperson., and one other member of the faculty primarily associated with the BSW Program, and a student representative.
The duties of this Committee are as follows:

1. Reviews, develops and recommends educational policies to the faculty and the appropriate College committees.
2. Develops and reviews the curriculum, including evaluating the relevance of existing courses and requirements and developing new courses and requirements, including field education and field seminar.
3. Recommends academic and degree requirements and procedures for evaluation of student performance.
4. Works collaboratively with the Research, Service and Development Committee to assess the BSW educational and program objectives and outcomes.
5. Maintains and improves scholastic and professional standards.
6. Reviews and monitors administrative processes, practices, and decisions for their impact on education policy.
7. Recommends policies concerning class scheduling.
8. Performs such other functions as may appropriately be assigned by the Director, Chairperson or faculty.

M.S.W. Curriculum Committee

It has the following members: the MSW Program Coordinator; representatives from each of the sequences, the MSW Field Coordinator; and at least one MSW student. The Committee will make every effort to include at least one practitioner from the professional community. Each concentration is to be represented on this committee; in order to fulfill this requirement, the Director will appoint a representative in situations where representatives from the sequences do not include at least one member from each concentration.

The functions of this Committee are to:

1. Review, develop and recommend educational policies to the faculty and the appropriate College committees.
2. Develop and review the curriculum, including evaluating the relevance of existing courses and requirements and developing new courses and requirements, including field education. Assure the articulation and coordination of the MSW curriculum with specific regard to the foundation and advanced years, the sequences and the concentrations.
3. Recommend academic and degree requirements and procedures for evaluation of student performance.
4. Work collaboratively with the Research, Service and Development Committee to assess the MSW educational and program objectives and outcomes.
5. Maintain and improve scholastic and professional standards.
6. Review and monitor administrative processes, practices, and decisions for their impact on education policy.
7. Elicits consultation and input from the community for [consultation on] trends and developmentsin the field.
8. Perform such other functions as may appropriately be assigned by the Director, Chairperson or faculty.

Cultural Diversity Committee

1. Assists all other Committees of the School of Social Work in giving attention to Diversity issues in their deliberations.
2. Recommends and develops strategies in the area of recruitment and retention of administrators, faculty, staff and students for the purpose of ensuring diversity.
3. Contributes to increased awareness of and sensitivity to diversity among the various constituencies of the School of Social Work and the College.
4. Facilitates interaction or activities among administrators, faculty, staff, and students that contribute to an appreciation of each others' diverse characteristics.
5. Cultivates skills and activities that overcome discrimination and oppression.
6. Monitors, advises, and assists in the development of diversity content in the School of Social Work curricula.
7. Performs such other functions as may appropriately be assigned by the Director, Chairperson or faculty.
8. A variety of methods, including, but not limited to, the following: educational forums, media, one-to-one contact, seminars, symposia, workshops are used to accomplish the above responsibilities.

Faculty Affairs Committee

The committee is composed of at least three members, including one member from the BSW Program and one from the MSW Program and no more than one non-tenured member with at least one year's full-time experience in the School of Social Work. It has the following functions:

1. Monitors faculty workload and the deployment of full- and part-time faculty.
2. Advocates for additional faculty in both programs as needed in accordance with the needs of the faculty.
3. With consultation from full faculty, contributes to the development of criteria for faculty searches in accordance with the overall needs of the School.
4. In accordance with the College screening and hiring policies, conducts searches for open full-time teaching positions within the School of Social Work and, with consultation from the full faculty, makes recommendations for faculty hires.
5. Oversees the currency of the Governance Document and makes recommendations for new provisions and amendments, in keeping with changes in the School's activities and operations.
6. Recommends other policies relevant to the welfare of the teaching faculty not covered under collective bargaining.
7. Performs such other functions as may appropriately be assigned by the Director, Chairperson or faculty.
8. Provides linkage to the MSCA, the faculty union.

Research, Service and Development Committee

1. Recommends and review policies for the support and coordination of research in the School
2. Collaborates with the Director on the development of research projects
3. Oversees needs assessments and outcome studies for the School
4. Provides input to and works collaboratively with the Director of the Institute for Human Services Training
5. Recommends and reviews School policies for faculty and program development
6. Coordinates research activities within the School with those in the Center for Applied Research and Development in the College's Schools of Human Services and with those in other parts of the College, as appropriate
7. Performs such other functions as may appropriately be assigned by the Director, Chairperson or faculty

The Student Services Committee

This committee is composed of at least three members, including the faculty advisors of and chosen by the two student organizations, who serve as Co-Chairs. The Committee:

1. Recommends policies and procedures for advising of students
2. Reviews and recommends policies to resolve general student grievances and concerns within the approved grievance procedure of the School
3. Develops and assists the student organizations, including engaging representatives of those organizations on standing committees of the School
4. Recommends and reviews policies and programs for the involvement of the alumni in the growth and improvement of the school and serves as liaison to the Friends of the School of Social Work, the alumni association
5. Recommends policies/procedures for a sound and effective retention program
6. Develops and implements policies for selection of recipients of awards and honoraria, including membership in Alpha Delta Mu, the social work honor society
7. Performs such other functions as may appropriately be assigned by the Director, Chairperson or faculty

The International Study Committee

This committee is composed of at least three faculty members. The Committee:

1. Recommends ways for enhancing the BSW and MSW curricula in the area of international study
2. Explores opportunities for students and faculty members to travel to foreign countries for the purpose of study and/or social work practice experience
3. Assists faculty members and students with the practical tasks of preparation and planning that are necessary for a successful trip abroad
4. Researches and makes recommendations concerning the financing of study/practice abroad
5. Makes recommendations to the faculty concerning course objectives and requirements in international study and/or practice experience
6. Makes recommendations to the faculty concerning the inclusion of cross-national and global studies perspectives in existing courses, and makes recommendations concerning possible new courses in this area
7. Explores opportunities for visiting scholars and practitioners from abroad and provides guidance and support to visitors to maximize their interactions with the campus community.