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CSWE Expands Access to Membership

By Kianna Mckenzie posted Jun 06, 2022 16:00

  

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) welcomed the decision from members and the Board of Directors to modernize the structure of the association’s membership and leadership.


Members voted to ratify revisions from the CSWE Board of Directors that ensure that all faculty, staff, and students of accredited and candidacy social work programs have access to member benefits through the program’s membership, essentially eliminating the need for individual memberships with CSWE. Individual memberships will remain available for retired faculty and administrators. Each program will receive two votes in future CSWE elections and decisions.

Students will also have a voice among CSWE’s leadership as one representative from a baccalaureate program and one representative from a master’s program will hold positions on the Board of Directors. 

“We are so grateful that members of CSWE voted to improve inclusivity in our membership and leadership with these bylaw revisions. This vote creates a network of over 50,000 individuals who can come together to advance excellence in social work education and research, access resources, and advocate for our programs and communities,” said Dr. Saundra Starks, LCSW, chair of the CSWE Board of Directors. 

Members also voted on a clearer articulation between CSWE and its accrediting function with respect to all accreditation activities, reviews, actions, and decisions as part of the bylaw revisions.

“This change was initiated by the Board several years ago as part of creating a sustainable model of membership for CSWE that also improves engagement among members, and we are so glad that our members chose to support this change,” said CSWE President and CEO Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW. 

A vote was held in May for members of CSWE to review, approve, or reject proposed revisions to the organization’s bylaws. Detailed summaries of the changes are available online(Opens in a new window).
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