Faculty Rewards for Community Service Activities: An Update

Abstract

The authors of this article report the findings from a replication of their research on the importance placed on various faculty activities by graduate deans and directors. In particular, community service activities were assessed as to their perceived significance. Similarities and changes since the earlier research are discussed in relation to current trends and issues within higher education.     

You Can't Recover From Suicide: Perspectives on Suicide Education in MSW Programs

Suicide is a profound worldwide public health problem that has received increased attention in recent years. The major federal response, the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, calls for more suicide education for mental health professionals, including social workers. Little is known about the amount of suicide education in MSW curricula nationwide. This study presents quantitative findings from 2 national surveys of MSW deans and directors and of MSW faculty on suicide education and qualitative findings from a series of faculty focus groups. Results suggest that MSW students receive 4 or fewer hours of suicide education in graduate school, and most deans and faculty do not have plans to increase suicide content. Barriers include lack of faculty expertise, crowded curricula, and other educational priorities. Implications are discussed.     

Solutions to Faculty Work Overload: A Study of Job Sharing

This study investigated the opinions of a national sample of counselor education chairs and college of education deans regarding the advantages and disadvantages of faculty job sharing. Results showed favorable responses toward faculty job sharing from approximately half the sample, despite limited experience with job sharing. The study found few differences in perspectives between deans and counselor education chairs.     

University-Community Partnership Centers

Abstract

In academic settings, community research, and the service that goes along with it, is often not valued as much as other methods of research. The more qualitative and labor intensive nature of applied research often raises concerns about whether pre-tenured faculty can publish the sufficient quantity and quality of work necessary to achieve tenure. This paper describes successful collaborations through a university-based Community Partnership Center with members of community-based organizations in low-income inner-city neighborhoods, social work students, and faculty. Two case examples illustrate the co-authors' involvement with the Center as pre-tenured faculty. The article outlines the challenges and benefits of involvement with an established center for university-community partnerships. With careful planning and coordination, such centers can be excellent vehicles through which to achieve important mutual benefits for community-based organizations, student learning, and faculty responsibilities in research, teaching and service.     

Using Student Course Evaluations: Findings,Issues, and Recommendations

Abstract

Although university administrators widely use student course evaluations (SCEs) in evaluating faculty performance, faculty members are skeptical about what SCEs actually measure. Faculty lack information about SCE reliability and validity and whether administrators use them fairly in making personnel decisions. This article reports research findings on factors that threaten the reliability and validity of SCEs. It provides recommendations for minimizing these threats. It reports findings of a recent survey of social work deans on their opinions about and use of SCEs. The article also presents recommendations to enhance the use of SCEs.     

Response to “Developing Specialized Programs in Social Work Administration in the Master's Degree Program: Field Practice Component”

Past research on social work faculty workload has relied on deans and directors as respondents. This is the first study to use a national sample of tenured and tenure-track social work faculty whose primary responsibility is classroom teaching. Findings reveal that these faculty tend to teach 4 classes per academic year, which is generally less than prescribed by their workload policies. The difference is made up with funded research and other projects, field and liaison duties, and part-time administrative duties. Faculty average about 50 hours per week on their overall responsibilities and tend to be satisfied with their workload, with the major exception of wanting more time to devote to scholarship.     

The Use of Adjunct Faculty: An Exploratory Study of Eight Social Work Programs

This pilot study of the practice of employing social work practitioners as adjunct faculty analyzes the results of questionnaires returned from 6 deans/directors, 43 adjunct faculty, and 175 students at 8 U.S. institutions offering BSW and/or MSW programs. The responses covered the teaching effectiveness of adjunct faculty (in 1992–93), their reasons for teaching, the support received from and expectations of the programs, and various pros and cons surrounding their employment. Among the findings: students regard adjunct faculty as somewhat less effective teachers than full-time faculty, but appreciate their expertise on contemporary or specialized practices; administrators appreciate the financial benefits and flexibility associated with adjunct instruction; and the adjuncts themselves appreciate affiliation with academic programs.     

Professional development for university faculty through service

The purpose of this article is to identify the contexts for service that are useful for the professional development of university faculty as well as to suggest a model for delivering the work that is part of this type of professional development. The article accomplishes this goal by examining contexts for service, related activities and transformable skills. The model suggested for developing and implementing service activities consists of three components: 1) an initiating force, 2) ways for testing and sharing ideas, and 3) proposed solutions.     

Liability Issues in Social Work Education

This article reports on a spring 1995 national survey of program deans and directors on liability issues in social work education. Areas explored included programs' use of field training agreements, legal actions involving students in field placements, and formal procedures for and litigation resulting from termination of students and faculty. Court decisions and accreditation standards are linked to the findings, and comparisons are drawn to a 1988 study. Program size, rather than level or location, was found to be the key factor in the formality and use of established procedures.     

Editorial

Abstract

This comprehensive research study examined how schools of social work in Canada have responded to disability issues. The study focused upon specific policies and practices ofthe Canadian schools of social work which have been developed to create a more inclusive environment for students, staff, and faculty members with disabilities and to prepare students for practice in dealing with individuals who are disabled. A ten page survey consisting of closed and opened-ended questions was sent to the deans and directors of the thirty-five schools of social work in Canada. This study found that although there have been significant changes in these schools over the last ten years, there are many barriers to disability inclusion from recruitment and admissions; accommodations; retention, graduation, and employment; curriculum; hiring faculty and staff with disabilities; and university relations/resources. It concludes with recommendations for schools of social work.     

Behavioral Outcomes for Administration Majors

Social service agencies and schools of social work have cooperated very little in defining the anticipated outcomes for students who study administration. This study identifies seven basic activities that administrators perform: planning, controlling, coordinating, directing, representing, staffing, and negotiating. Specific behavorial outcomes and objectives that serve as a model for graduate student education and training are systematically developed. Finally, recommendations are provided for curriculum design that will strengthen the coordination of social service agency and school policies, as well as provide a, basis for an evaluation system of student performance by field instructors and faculty.     

Social Work Students as Market Consumers: Faculty Perceptions of Customer Service Expectations

Social work education has become a consumers market, and social work faculty are increasingly expected to fill certain customer service roles in order to retain students as customers. Using the Academic Entitlement Questionnaire, this study sought to examine social work faculty in the USA (N = 57) who are members of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors listserv perceptions of student customer service expectations. Findings were that these social work faculty are under increased pressure to fill certain customer service roles, and that they feel conflict about doing so. Implications for the delivery of social work education and practice are explored.     

The Implicit Curriculum in an Urban University Setting: Pathways to Students’ Empowerment

Professional schools are developing conceptual frameworks that can be used to assess and improve implicit curricula. Students’ professional empowerment, defined to include perceived professional competence and identity, may be considered a vital outcome of these efforts. Our study evaluated measures and tested a path model that included perceptions of characteristics of implicit curricula (i.e., faculty and staff diversity, supportive faculty, opportunity role structure, and access to information) and mediating variables (i.e., participation, sense of community, and feeling valued by the school) as predictors of professional empowerment. Respondents were students (N = 423) of a school of social work in the northeast. Results supported the validity of the scales and fit of the hypothesized model. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

The Status of Sociology within the Academy: Where We Are, Why We’re There, and How to Change It

We present data from a survey of deans at colleges and universities throughout the USA on the relative status of disciplines. Findings indicate that the relative status of Sociology within the academy is low, although there are several specific areas of high status—namely, concerning community involvement and engagement. Our analyses also investigate which areas of activity are most closely associated with the overall prestige of disciplines. Findings indicate that research-oriented activities are the most influential, while student-oriented activities have a more ambivalent association with status. Based on those findings, we offer suggestions for raising the status of the discipline, based on the cultivation of natural synergies linking research, community engagement, student training, and focusing on the benefits of establishing social science research centers associated with Sociology departments.     

Faculty mentoring: Applying ecological theory to practice at historically Black colleges or universities

ABSTRACT

This article examines student mentoring at historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs) through the lens of ecological theory. By examining the person’s human behavior on a micro level and the HBCU on a macro level, the researchers will examine faculty mentoring as a positive influence that assists students in advancing their educational pursuits. Specifically, this article examines how the faculty mentor assists students with navigating the various outer and inner forces that may impede more functional behaviors as they transition to graduate school. This information is important in helping to codify and promote the unique role that HBCU faculty and administrators play in the lives of their students from a student perspective. This article will help to demonstrate why the HBCU experience is not only valued, but necessary in higher education.     

What Can I Do? Applying Classroom Knowledge to Service Work, or Doing Practice Sociology

Faculty members are frequently asked by students and parents, “what can I do with a Sociology degree?” This paper suggests ways to address the question and take action to insure that majors have the knowledge and skills to be successful in the job search and the work world. In addition, the paper indicates ways that combining service learning and applied sociology serves goals of students, faculty, universities, and communities. Approaches to teaching applied (practice) sociology in departments and to integrating service learning and course content show the “natural synergy” between the two types of learning. Finally, the article discusses practical issues related to service learning in applied settings: getting the support of faculty and administrators; convincing students of the benefits of service learning; revising curricula; and setting up the service learning experiences. The conclusion is that combining service learning and applied sociology courses has positive results for all involved.     

University Service Work in STEM Departments: Gender,Perceived Injustice,and Consequences for Faculty

Using expectancy theory as a framework, we use focus group and climate survey (N = 114) data from a midsize university to explore the gendered nature of university service work among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty. Focus group data highlighted the divergent perceptions of STEM faculty women and department chairs about the importance of service work and its outcomes. Climate survey data indicated that STEM women faculty were more likely than men to perceive injustice in service loads, and perceived injustice was associated with reduced job satisfaction, and increased scholarly isolation, interpersonal workplace conflict, and job stress, regardless of gender.     

Community College Health Service Programs: A Progress Report

Abstract

What progress has been made in improving the health service programs available to the millions of students attending the nation's public community colleges? This question was investigated by sending a follow-up survey to deans of students in 1977; the original study was done five years earlier and resulted in a national profile of health service programs at public two-year institutions.

Some of the significant findings were: the percent of colleges offering health service programs has increased from 41.5% to 51.3%; the campus nurse continues to be the most common health professionals available to students; facilities are considered to be adequate and accessible; and a broad range of student health needs are met. New elements in the survey covered health education and mental health services, and these were positively evaluated.

On the basis of survey results it was concluded that community colleges have made considerable progress in improving student health services, but there is still much to be done.     

From Engagement to Co-production: The Contribution of Users and Communities to Outcomes and Public Value

User and community co-production has always been important, but rarely noticed. However, there has recently been a movement towards seeing co-production as a key driver for improving publicly valued outcomes, e.g. through triggering behaviour change and preventing future problems. However, citizens are only willing to co-produce in a relatively narrow range of activities that are genuinely important to them and are keen that their co-production effort is not wasted by public agencies. Moreover, there are concerns that co-production may involve greater risks than professionalised service provision, although services may be quality assured more successfully through involving users and embedding them in the community. While offering potential significant improvements in outcomes, and cost savings, co-production is not resource-free. Co-production may be ??value for money??, but it usually cannot produce value without money.     

Gender,Work Time,and Care Responsibilities Among Faculty1

This study explores how faculty at one research‐intensive university spend their time on research, teaching, mentoring, and service, as well as housework, childcare, care for elders, and other long‐term care. Drawing on surveys and focus group interviews with faculty, the article examines how gender is related to time spent on the different components of faculty work, as well as on housework and care. Findings show that many faculty report working more than 60 hours a week, with substantial time on weekends devoted to work. Finding balance between different kinds of work (research, teaching, mentoring, and service) is as difficult as finding balance between work and personal life. The study further explores how gendered care giving, in particular being a mother to young children, is related to time spent on faculty work, controlling for partner employment and other factors. Men and women devote significantly different amounts of time to housework and care giving. While men and women faculty devote the same overall time to their employment each week, mothers of young children spend less time on research, the activity that counts most toward career advancement.