Charge, Structure and Procedures

Charge

The School of Social Work Student Review Committee (SRC) is charged with reviewing concerns related to student academic performance (including field/practicum) and professional conduct.  This committee is responsible for making decisions about dismissal of students from the School of Social Work. 

The Committee is responsible for students in the BASW and MSW programs. (Doctoral students may be referred to the SRC at the discretion of the Ph.D. Steering Committee.)  Students in the School of Social Work must adhere to the University Student Conduct Code as well as the following codes of conduct particular to social work:  1) Essential Skills, Values and Standards of Professional Conduct Important to Admission and Continuance in the School of Social Work; 2) Academic Performance and Conduct Which May Result in a Review and Possible Dismissal from the School of Social Work; and 3) the NASW Code of Ethics.  The Committee is also charged with keeping these policies and procedures current and recommending to the faculty any changes which may become necessary. 

Structure

The SRC comprises voting and ex-officio members. The voting members are three faculty, preferably one from each rank, and two field/practicum instructors.  The voting members are appointed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and serve two-year terms. Ex-officio members are the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Director of Student Services, the Program Director from the student’s program, the Director of Field Education, and potentially other people deemed appropriate by the Director of Field Education. The chair is appointed by the Dean or her designee in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and BASW, MSW and PhD Program Directors.

Procedures

At the beginning of the academic year, the Director of Student Services will call an organizational meeting of the Committee.  At that meeting members will receive copies of all relevant policies and procedures and will review the procedures for handling cases referred to the SRC.

 

  1. When a case is referred to the SRC, the Chair, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Director of Student Services will review the materials provided by the Director of Student Services and/or Program Director and  identify what, if any, additional information should be collected.  The SRC Chair or Director of Student Services will notify sources in writing to request their written statements and potentially request their presence at the meeting. The student will be provided copies of any written statements at least 7 business days prior to the SRC meeting and may share these with his or her faculty advocate (see number 3 below).  The student, his or her advocate, and the referring faculty member (if applicable) will be invited to attend the SRC meeting.
  2. The student will be asked to provide a written statement for the SRC at least 3 business days prior to the SRC meeting.
  3. The student may select an SSW faculty member or field instructor to act as his or her advocate for the review and to provide information and submit a written statement. The student will notify the SRC Chair of such selection at least 3 business days prior to the SRC meeting.
  4. All written statements and materials pertaining to the matter will be provided to SRC members at least 3 business days prior to the SRC Review.
  5. All parties will arrive at the meeting having read all materials submitted.  Members of the SRC will be able to ask questions of any relevant party present.  The faculty member and student will be able to present final statements of reasonable duration.
  6. After the above has been completed, all persons who are not members of the SRC will be asked to leave the room.  Only members of the SRC may be present during the Committee’s deliberations.
  7. If the student does not attend (or refuses to attend) the SRC meeting, the Committee may discuss the case in the student’s absence and will make a decision concerning sanctions up to and including dismissal from the Program.
  8. During deliberation, the SRC will review details of the allegation, magnitude of the allegations and mitigating circumstances that the student requests be considered.
  9. The Committee will determine if there is cause to dismiss the student from the Program or if further sanctions or remediation are merited.  Should the Committee require further remediation, the committee will work with the Program Director and/or Director of Field to jointly develop a remediation plan.
  10. After the SRC decision is determined, the SRC Chair will communicate the decision to the student and others involved within 7 business days.
  11. The student may appeal the decision of the SRC in writing to the Dean of the School of Social Work within 10 business days.

Potential Outcomes

1.  The committee decides that the student is to be dismissed from the School of Social Work

2.  The committee decides that the student may remain in the program and no further action is necessary. 

3. The committee decides that the student may continue in the program conditional upon a plan of remediation.

The remediation plan may include placing the student on probation and setting a plan of action for correcting the issues, which will include specific timelines and the criteria that the student must meet to get off probationary status. The Program Director is responsible for implementing this plan of action.  If the conditions of probation are not met, the Program Director communicates this to the Chair of the SRC.  The Chair of the SRC will make a decision regarding dismissal of the student from the Program.

The remediation plan may include the requirement that the student take some time off from the program.  Required time off from the program through Committee action is expected to be for a minimum of one quarter. The Committee will decide whether readmission will be automatic or whether it will require special approval and, potentially, another hearing with the SRC. 

The Committee’s decision will be based on the following principles:

  1. An assessment of the student’s educational readiness to meet and maintain the academic grade point and course completion requirements of the UW and the SSW.
  2. An assessment of the student’s capacity to meet the comply with the expectations contained in the following documents: (1)“Essential Skills, Values and Standards of Professional Conduct Important to Admission and Continuance in the School of Social Work”, (2) the “Academic Performance and Conduct which may result in a Review and Possible Dismissal from the School of Social Work”, and (3) the UW Conduct Code.
  3. An assessment of the student’s potential to acquire the essential level of professional competence.

Values and Standards for SRC committee procedures:

  • Complete confidentiality of information about all parties to the deliberations and about all parties affected by the deliberations.
  • Maintenance of the highest possible standards of objectivity.
  • Questions of conflict of interest may be raised by any parties to the work of the SRC.
  • Remedies related to concerns about a student’s conduct should be sought at the lowest possible level.
  • Legal counsel is not permitted at the SRC Review meeting.

 

Approved by Executive Committee 1/27/04; revised by Faculty Council, 11/2009; Revised by Associate Deans Program Directors, Director of Student Services, 2010- 2012, with input from AG. Approved by the FC 4/10/12.