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9. BSW program directors also feel that secretarial support, office space, and other resources are
specified in the academic standards. With limited resources those areas will be severely cut back
if the
language is not written in the document. Specificity must be retained, as most BSW programs
are not
housed in combined programs with deans of social work. Most BSW programs exist in autonomous
interdisciplinary and combined programs with a director. A dean who is not a social worker will not
fund
those areas without specificity and guidelines from the accrediting body. These deans must be
responsive to the other departments and disciplines. We found that deans in autonomous,
interdisciplinary, combined with directors also desired the specificity. This allows the deans who have
social work programs to develop a strong case with the fiscal vice president and/or provost when vying
for budget dollars in the institution. Many programs of social work also have budgetary autonomy
due to
specificity; This fiscal responsibility has created very astute BSW program directors that
have become
financial entrepreneurs; not only for the department, but also for the institution they
represent.
BPD recommends that specificity on budget autonomy, secretarial support, office supplies, and
equipment
be retained in the educational standards.
10. The baccalaureate faculties feel that the undergraduate curriculum should retain the 12 guidelines
rather than the proposed 36 that are identified in the proposed document. Human biology was required
in the previous document. Programs struggled to put this requirement in place. To add anthropology and
delete human biology is very perplexing to the membership. Many directors stated that "Administrators
may get the idea that social work does not know what they want and start to ignore the curriculum
guidelines all together." The human behavior and social environment sequence is already packed
with
many guidelines. The bio/psycho/social/cultural guidelines are already comprehensive and thorough.
Requiring anthropology is not practical or realistic due to time constraints in this sequence. There
is
also concern that specialization in programs may move baccalaureate programs from the generalist
foundation. Some programs argue that they would enjoy the flexibility that specializations may be
offered. All members stated however, that the generalist is the necessary required foundation. In
addition, those specialization areas should be delivered as a minor requirement or an advised elective.
BPD recommends that CSWE establish a social work curriculum that has 12 guidelines,
requiring human
biology and deleting anthropology. It also recommends specialization for
undergraduate programs as
a minor or as an elective offering only. The generalist must be the
established model for all baccalaureate
programs. BPD also requests that CSWE appoint
members from each organization (BPD, NADD, CSWE) to
develop guidelines and principles to
determine the differences between BSW education and MSW education.
The goal of this work
would be to define educational outcomes for BSW and MSW practitioners. The
next time the
curriculum policy is reviewed, this information could guide the framing of the document.
In summary, within the limited period that was outlined, we firmly believe that BPD established a strong
rationale with authentic documentation to guide the proposed recommendations from the BPD board of
directors.
Sincerely,
Mildred C. Joyner, President
Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors
Spencer Zeiger, President-Elect
Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors
Douglas Burnham, Vice-President
Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors
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