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Social Work

The School of Social Work engaged in a variety of important activities during the 2006-2007 academic years.  Historically significant is the merging of the Division of Labor Studies into the School of Social Work.  This and other accomplishments are presented below.

Teaching and Learning

  1. Significant planning took place during the 2006-2007 academic year to merge the Division of Labor Studies into the School of Social Work.  For the first time in its history the School will offer degrees in a discipline other than social work.  Like the School of Social Work, the Division of Labor Studies is a system wide program, offering academic programs on six of Indiana University’s campuses, and has a social justice mission that is compatible with Social Work. 
  2. The School of Social Work continues to be a national leader in assessing program and student learning outcomes in social work.  The School provides consultation and assessment services to other social work programs throughout the nation.
  3. Two joint degrees were established—the MSW/JD with the IU School of Law and the MSW/MPH with the IU School of Public Health.
  4. The School has reinstated a Diversity Committee that was originally created in the early 1980s. The committee’s role includes oversight of curriculum, climate, admissions, and faculty, staff, and student recruitment.
  5. The BSW program implemented the second year of the Child Welfare Service Learning Initiative, a project funded through Commitment to Excellence funds.  The project goals are to increase student knowledge, skills, awareness and service in child welfare through course-based service-learning experiences at selected community agencies.  The initiative involved the development of a new gateway course, “Exploring Child Welfare in Indiana” and the development of multiple course-based service-learning opportunities.  Professor Erika Galyean developed this service learning program and is coordinating the activities. Approximately 1200 hours of service were completed by students enrolled in these selected sections.
  6. BSW and MSW students participated in the Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD) where they learned advocacy skills and met with legislators.  In all, over 600 students and faculty from across the state came to the School of Social Work.
  7. The School’s Alumni Association sponsored a conference titled “Vulnerable Persons in a Global Society: Human Trafficking and the Exploitation of Persons in the Heartland” in March 2007.

Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

  1. During the 2006 calendar year, faculty published or had accepted for publication 170 journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, and other scholarly works. Two books were published and several others are being completed.  Faculty also made 178 presentations at international, national, regional, and local conferences and meetings.  Among these, were 19 keynote or plenary session presentations.
  2. The School hosted its 11th Annual Spring Ph.D. Symposium.  Dr. Alice Johnson Butterfield from the University of Illinois at Chicago was the keynote speaker.  Doctoral students presented poster sessions and teaching portfolios at this Symposium.
  3. Dr. Gail Folaron received a highly competitive federal research grant from the Department of Justice.  Her research will evaluate a new Child Welfare Practice Model that will be implemented in several counties by the Indiana Department of Child Services.

Civic Engagement

  1. The School of Social Work and Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program in the Department of Psychology and Sociology. 
  2. BSW students completed nearly 28,560 practica hours in various nonprofit and human service agencies.  Currently, there are 62 social service agencies partnering with the BSW Program.  MSW students completed 184,080 hours of practica in 164 agencies with 260 volunteer field instructors.
  3. Every faculty member is involved with the community and/or a professional organization.
  4. We are expanding our strong partnership with the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS).  In 2001 the School of Social Work began working with the DCS initially by identifying existing child welfare staff with leadership potential and supporting them in obtaining MSWs.  In January of 2006 this partnership expanded to include support for BSW students in their senior year. In exchange for financial support from DCS, these students take specialized child welfare courses and complete their senior practicum in county DCS offices. They graduate with a commitment to work in child welfare for two years.  The first group of students graduated in May 2007 and these graduates are now working in a variety of counties throughout the state. 
  5. Erika Galyean, LCSW, School BSW Field Coordinator implemented the new IUSSW web-based system, www.socialworktalet.net to connect social work students, alumni, and social services agencies for internships, employment, volunteer opportunities, and service learning.

Diversity

  1. A Diversity Curriculum Assessment Project has been undertaken to measure how and whether diversity content is incorporated in BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. courses.
  2. International/global content has been incorporated throughout the curricula of the BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. programs. Through the International Curriculum Assessment Project the School is measuring how and whether international issues have been adopted into each BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. course.
  3. The School has partnered with international social work schools, community agencies, and organizations to offer field placement and independent study opportunities to students.  These partners include the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa; Trinity College in Dublin Ireland; AMPATH Project, Kenya; National University of Lanus, Argentina; Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile; and Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mexico.  Currently, the School is exploring placements in the Philippines and India. One of our sophomore students completed service learning in Cuernavaca, Mexico during Summer Section I, 2007. Another student will go to Costa Rica in Summer II to participate in a Spanish program. One of our MSW students is currently completing her MSW foundation practicum in Eldoret, Kenya.  Her blog address is: http://www.peteyscott.blogspot.com/. A second year MSW student accompanied one of our faculty to Curtin University in Perth, Australia on April 2007.  These are just some examples of our international partnerships and student activities.
  4. The School participates in the Diversity Scholars Research Program.  The School has sponsored an African American BSW student for four years.  She graduated in May 2007.
  5. The Chancellor Gerald Bepko Annual Diversity Dinner sponsored by the BSW Student Association was held in March 2007.
  6. The MSW Student Association offered Spanish classes to all MSW Students.
  7. Faculty hold positions on agency boards as well as on campus committees related to diversity and international matters.  Some of the agencies and committees include:  Exodus Refugee and Immigration Center Indianapolis which deals with international refugee placement in Indiana; Soroptomist International Women’s Association, which is helps women around the global world to ensure equity and social justice; Indiana Latino Institute, Inc. is a state-wide organization to strengthen agencies and organizations which serve Latino communities in Indiana; Multicultural Community of Practice for IUPUI; Chancellor’s Diversity Cabinet; and the Study Abroad Committee.
  1. Several faculty do research and engage in scholarly activities focused on diverse populations.  For example, Dr. Khaja made several presentations at Curtin University, Edith Cohen University and University of Western Australia, as well as at the Department of Health in Perth, Australia in April 2007.  The presentations focused on global human rights, on the practice of female circumcision around the world, the use of technology to teach global issues, and cultural competency skills. Dr. Queiro-Tajalli presented a paper, Organizing the digital natives at the 2007 Community Development Society/National Rural Development Association Conference, June 17-20 held in Appleton, WI.  Dr. Khaja, presented a paper, Why multicultural teaching and learning should matter to you: Food for thought and a plan for action at the 2007 Annual Moore Symposium.  Drs. McGuire and Lay presented “Reflection: A life-long learning process for practice and practitioner balance” at the International Federation of Social Workers Conference in Munich Germany.  Dr. Queiro-Tajalli presented a paper, “Community responses to global oppression: The Piquetero movement in Argentina” at the 2006 Seventh Symposium, “A Village of Researchers Changing Our Community.” 
  2. Many BSW and MSW students are doing field placements in agencies that serve diverse populations.
  3. The School participates in an IUPUI project funded through the U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant. The IUPUI Office of International Affairs was awarded a grant to internationalize the undergraduate curriculum in the schools of Engineering, Education, and Social Work in collaboration with the Gajah Mada University, Indonesia.  As part of this project, the team members participate in extensive trainings, travel to Indonesia, and work on the development of international curriculum modules. Also, the faculty are experimenting with different technologies to simultaneously teach between the two universities.
  4. The School participates in the language immersion program “To Mexico with Love” sponsored by the Office of Campus and Community Life. 
  5. The School participated in the Second Annual IUPUI International Festival.


Best Practices

  1. The BSW Program successfully completed a pilot project allowing a full academic year practicum experience in one agency.  Previously the practicum had been one semester in one agency and then a second semester in a different agency.  Results indicate a greater depth of experience in practice results in greater skill development for students and greater “give-back” to agencies.
     
  2. In an effort to better equip staff with key skills when engaging families and assessing safety of children the School is working with the Indiana Department of Child Services to provide a comprehensive training system for workers. The research supports that well trained family case managers are key to positive outcomes for children and families in the child welfare system.  The partnership in Indiana will utilize the leadership, talents, and expertise of the two organizations to combine research-based practices and practical applications in a way that will help improve the services to families dealing with child abuse and neglect. 
  3. All but two classroom BSW courses are offered online and the School is beginning to develop online MSW courses as well.  Faculty are assessing these courses and doing research and presenting papers nationally that evaluate pedagogy for online instruction and student learning.

External Awards and Appointments

    • The Delta Omega National Public Health Honor Society recognized Drs. Theresa Roberts and Carolyn Black with the Award for Innovative Public Health Curriculum for “Interdisciplinary Applied Community Health Promotions Studies.”
    • The National Association of Black Social Workers, Central Indiana Chapter presented Dr. Theresa Roberts the Leadership Appreciation Award.
    • Many of our students distinguish themselves.  To better understand homelessness Kyle Evan Walke spent Spring Break being homeless in Indianapolis and is now in the process of doing a documentary film on his experiences.  Polly Lay, Christy Meyer, and Justine Sherwood were selected for the IUPUI Top 100 Outstanding Students and Polly Lay was chosen as one of the Top 10 Female Students.  Kendol Enzinger and Polly Lay received the William Plater Civic Engagement Medallion.  Students in social work are engaged in numerous projects to benefit their communities, such as supporting food pantries, walking for HIV/AIDS and homelessness, assisting victims of domestic violence, and doing health screenings, to name a few.
    • A Social Work PhD student, Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, was elected Vice-President of UpNGo, a graduate student organization for underrepresented professional and graduate students.