Academic and Professional Standards of Performance Policy
Policy Rationale
As the primary role of the SIUE Department of Social Work is to prepare students to engage in professional social work practice, a major element of this training involves ensuring that students understand the values that undergird the profession and display behaviors that are consistent with these values. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics serves as the cornerstone of both our profession as well as the guidelines outlined in this policy. Please note that all students are also bound by SIUE’s Student Rights and Conduct Policy, which can be found at: https://www.siue.edu/policies/3c1.shtml
All students are expected to uphold and adhere to the Academic and Professional Standards of Performance Policy in and outside of class, including but not limited to on SIUE property, in the wider community, at practicum placements, volunteer sites, and online. With respect to social media postings and other online communications, in particular, students should adhere to the Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice published by NASW, which states that “social workers should apply principles of honesty, respect, and social justice, whether their electronic communications are for personal or work-related purposes” (p. 25).
Failure to meet the Academic and Professional Standards of Performance Policy result in plans for ameliorative action(s) and/or dismissal from the Department of Social Work, as delineated below. In particular, the Department has zero tolerance for the denigration of any person based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or any other dimension of human identity. Any violation of this fundamental value of the social work profession and the SIUE Department of Social Work that comes to our attention is addressed with all due seriousness and swiftness, in accordance with the Policy Guidelines delineated below.
Learning about historical and contemporary structural influences on marginalized and oppressed populations may challenge previously held attitudes and require significant personal
change. This process may be anxiety producing and the department strongly encourages students to develop a support system in which all attitudes may be examined and challenged toward the goal of greater empathy and social action.
Policy Dissemination
Students receive information regarding the Academic and Professional Performance Standards Policy prior to entering the program. Information dissemination occurs through:
- The policy is placed on the SIUE Department of Social Work website so that prospective students have the opportunity to review the policy early in their process of considering our programs of
- This policy is reviewed during program orientation sessions that prospective students attend prior to applying to the BSW program as well as at MSW program
- Students must address their commitment to the Policy Guidelines (delineated below) in their personal statements submitted with their applications.
- Both the BSW and MSW application forms require that students sign off that they have read and understand the
- For undergraduate students, the SOCW 202 course reviews and reinforces the Academic and Professional Performance Standards Policy set forth by the Department of Social Work. It is strongly recommended that students take this course prior to being declared a social work major. For graduate students, this information is covered very early in their course of
It is the goal for students to know and understand the Academic and Professional Standards of Performance Policy for the SIUE Department of Social Work as early as possible in their process of considering and applying for the BSW or MSW program. If students do not feel as though they can uphold these standards, it is recommended that they consider pursuing other majors that may be a better fit.
Policy Guidelines
The table below outlines the major values and ethical principles of the social work profession as found in the NASW Code of Ethics. In addition, it outlines some of the behavioral expectations of students that demonstrate a sound understanding of and adherence to these values and ethical principles. Please note that the behavioral expectations identified below are not exhaustive, but should be interpreted as a foundation for broader considerations of how behaviors may or may not align with the values and ethical principles identified in the left-hand column.
| Social Work - Values and Ethical Principles | Academic and Professional Expectations |
|---|---|
|
Service Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems |
Social workers should: Familiarize and commit themselves to the NASW Code of Ethics and this policy, both in and outside of educational and practice settings (i.e., in their personal lives) |
|
Social Justice
Social workers challenge social injustice |
Social workers should:
Not practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any form of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical ability (Code of Ethics, Section 4.02)
Commit to learning about issues of oppression and social justice, particularly from the perspectives of those most impacted
Show a willingness to examine, question, and/or change attitudes, beliefs, and/or behaviors in light of new information
Commit to addressing issues of oppression and social justice as a future social work practitioner |
|
Dignity and Worth of the Person Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person |
Social workers should:
Show respect for the self-determination of clients, regardless of personal feelings and/or values, within practicum and/or agency settings
Demonstrate a sound understanding of the above values and ethical principles in all course and program assignments and/or requirements |
|
Importance of Human Relationships Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships |
Social workers should:
Demonstrate respectful communication with fellow students, faculty, practicum sites, employers, clients, and others
Communicate effectively in a variety of settings with people from a wide variety of backgrounds |
|
Integrity Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner |
Social workers should:
Show honesty in communication with fellow students, faculty, practicum sites, employers, clients, and others
Understand and practice academic honesty and the proper standards of academic citation
Understand and practice professional honesty and give credit to others’ work whenever appropriate Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with fellow students, faculty, and others |
|
Competence Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional experience |
Social workers should:
Not allow their own personal problems, psychological distress, legal problems, substance abuse, physical or mental health difficulties to interfere with their professional judgment and performance or to jeopardize the best interests of people for whom they have a professional responsibility (Code of Ethics, Section 4.05)
Demonstrate responsibility and dependability by fully adhering to the academic and professional standards articulated through course syllabi and departmental policy and standards, by meeting deadlines on assignments and projects, keeping appointments, and being responsive in communications.
Maintain the cumulative GPA in accordance with department requirements
Maintain confidentiality of clients in all manners in accordance with practicum site or agency policy
Properly use practicum and/or agency resources Be open and responsive to academic and professional evaluation, feedback, and constructive criticism
Demonstrate a commitment to self-care and self-evaluation of academic and practice performance
Follow all policies and protocols of the practicum site or agencies to which you are assigned or visit |
Policy Implementation
There are two kinds of opportunities for faculty to evaluate students using the Policy Guidelines. The forms will be completed for the entire cohort, either by a faculty teaching key classes or by a group of faculty. Additionally, Faculty and Field Directors will fill out disposition forms when a violation occurs.
All dispositions forms are placed inside the file of the students. However, students who receive a “some concerns” and “does not meet” designation on one of the Policy Guidelines criteria receive a written remediation and follow-up discussion outlined more fully below.
If the person filling out the Disposition Form deems the violation of the Policy Guideline to be egregious s/he writes a detailed description and meets with the Chair and Program Director. At this point, the Chair also meets with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences to determine whether termination of the student from the program is justified.
Otherwise, remediation proceeds as follows.
Remediation Steps
Step 1: Filling Out Disposition Forms
Disposition forms may be completed for all students enrolled in certain courses during matriculation through the BSW and MSW programs as a means of socializing students to the profession and providing feedback toward that end. Faculty members may also collaborate in completing such forms for all enrolled students periodically for this purpose. Copies of disposition forms will be emailed to student, placed in the student’s file and kept in the program directors office.
In addition, Faculty and Field Directors who notice a violation of the Policy Guidelines will fill out a disposition form after a violation takes place.
Step 2: Remediation
When a student receives a “some concerns” and/or “does not meet” for any category on the disposition form, the student meets with the person who filled out the remediation form (if the Field Director opts out, the Chair of the department takes her/his place), the student’s mentor and the student. Together, the three develop a plan of action to consider the behavior and how best the student can proceed in the future to work with the feedback. The plan of action is placed in the student’s file. Copies of the plan of action will be emailed to student and their mentor, placed in the student’s file and kept in the program director’s office.
Step 3: Filling out Second Disposition Form
If the student receives a “some concern” and/or “does not meet” for any category (including one different than the first), the Program Director solicits feedback from departmental faculty to receive a more comprehensive view of the student. After soliciting feedback, the Director sets up a meeting with the student, the Program Director, Chair of the department and possibly the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences to discuss remediation. A remediation plan is created and shared with the student and placed in the student’s file.
Step 4: If the student receives a “some concern” and/or “does not meet” for any category (including one different than the first or second) in a third Disposition Form, the student is terminated from the program.
