MSW OrientationPolicies, Resources, and a Little Advice

Kathleen A. Bolland, PhDAssistant Dean for Educational Programs and Student Services

August 2013

Overview

1. Emergency Situations2. School and University Policies3. Resources4. Advice

Academic and Professional Context

School of Social Work MissionMSW Program Goals and ObjectivesCurricular ThemesEPAS Competencies and Practice BehaviorsCourse Objectives and Content AreasThe NASW Code of Ethics

Emergency Situations•Weather sirens while you are on campus

•Go to the first floor when the basement is inaccessible

•Fire sirens•Go outside. Immediately!

•Other emergencies•If instructions are provided, please follow them•Call 348-5454 for assistance (= 911)

Additional emergency information• Emergency resource people

– The executive secretary– The assistant dean– The MSW/PhD secretary (Farrah Hall)

• Sign up for email or cell phone alerts– http://prepare.ua.edu/?page_id=1938

School and University Policies• Harassment• Academic Integrity• Professional Preparedness• Diversity, not Discrimination• Disabilities• Academic Grievance• See Graduate Catalog and MSW

Student Handbook

Harassment• Zero tolerance for harassment• Report harassment or suspected harassment

immediately– Student harassment of students: Dean of Students (Dr.

Tim Hebson)– Faculty/staff harassment of students: Harassment

Resource Person (Dr. Celia Lo)

• Resources are available• Those who report harassment are protected

from retaliation• Tutorial:

http://training.newmedialearning.com/psh/ua/

Academic Integrity• Code of Student Conduct

– http://policies.ua.edu/studentcode.html

• Capstone Creed– "As a member of the University of Alabama

community, I will pursue knowledge; act with fairness, honesty, and respect; foster individual and civic responsibility; and strive for excellence."

• NASW Code of Ethics– http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/default.asp

• Academic Misconduct Policy– http://facultyhandbook.ua.edu/?page_id=209

Excerpts re proscribed conduct• Acts of dishonesty• Disruption or obstruction of teaching• Violation of published University policies,

rules or regulations• Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, stalking,

intimidation, harassment, sexual misconduct, coercion, and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person.

• Use, possession, or distribution of narcotic or other controlled substances

Academic Misconduct includes• Cheating

• Plagiarism

• Fabrication

• Misrepresentation

Obligation

• A course instructor, or any other person(s), who has reasonable cause to believe a student has engaged in an act of academic misconduct shall report, immediately upon discovery, the matter to the divisional academic misconduct monitor of the division within which the alleged misconduct occurred. 

Academic Integrity Resources• Academic Honor Council• Academic Misconduct Monitor• Resources for avoiding plagiarism

– Turnit-in.com– Purdue OWL website– Writing Center

Brief quiz---True or False?• When you quote a short sentence and you

put the author’s name in parentheses at the end of the paragraph, you do not need to use quotation marks. True or False?

• When you express another person’s thoughts in your own words, you do not need to provide a citation. True or False?

Quiz continued

• In several sources you read that many of the prominent early social workers were women. You note in a paper that many prominent early social workers were women. You must cite all your sources. True or False?

• You paste a photograph from a news story into your paper. You need to acknowledge the source. True or False?

Professional Preparedness• Students must be prepared for practice• Problems could arise from

– Personal problems, psychosocial distress– Substance abuse

• The professional preparedness review policy is based on the NASW Code of Ethics

• The policy is intended to be helpful, not punitive

Diversity not Discrimination• UA wants a hospitable environment for all• We do not tolerate discrimination• For questions/issues

– http://eop.ua.edu/– http://hr.ua.edu/train_develop/legal.html– http://bama.ua.edu/~safezone/– http://wrc.ua.edu/harbor.cfm – The assistant dean– The SSW diversity committee (Charlotte Herrin,

chair)– Faculty/staff offices with SafeZone/Safe Harbor logos

Disabilities

• Office of Disability Services http://ods.ua.edu/

• Accommodations and services to help meet University demands, while promoting student responsibility and self-advocacy.

• Students must register with ODS.

Academic Grievance• Examples of academic grievances

include, but are not limited to, alleged– unfairness in grading, – violation of a written or oral agreement

with a student (e.g. course requirements for graduation),

– inconsistent applications of existing policies.

Policy Documentation

• Graduate Catalog– http://graduate.ua.edu/catalog/

• MSW Student Handbook– http://socialwork.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2

011/11/2012-2013-MSW-Student-Handbook-FINAL.pdf

Resources for academic policy issues• Your instructor• Your advisor• Field education liaison and coordinator• The program chair• The assistant dean• The dean• Dean of the Graduate School or the Vice

Provost

Resources within the school

• All those already discussed• Barbara Nicol, for registration matters

– Use DegreeWorks!!– Read email from her (and from Don Lancaster)

• Casey Barnes, when you can’t reach your advisor

• Mary Sella, when you can’t reach your advisor

• Lynn Tobola, for help with library resources

University resources, a selection

• myBama www.myBama.ua.edu • SSW Homepage: http://socialwork.ua.edu/ • Center for Academic Success (formerly CTL)

– http://www.ctl.ua.edu/default.asp

• Writing Center http://www.writingcenter.ua.edu/

• Computer Center/Office of Information Tech.– http://oit.ua.edu/

• Career Center http://www.uacc.ua.edu/

Financial Assistance• Scholarships• SSW Stipends• Title IV-E

Stipends• Agency Field

Stipends• Federal Financial

Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov)

• Assistantships

(www.jobs.ua.edu)

• Outside Sources

Advice

• When there is an issue or there might be, use good judgment– Call 348-5454 if it is an urgent health or safety

issue– Seek advice from your instructor, advisor, field

education liaison and so on as appropriate• When in doubt, seek help• Follow appropriate channels• Maintain appropriate confidentiality

Communication advice• Email

– Forward your Crimson mail to your preferred email account

– Check your email at least daily– Use your crimson account when emailing faculty

• In email and other communications: be professional (e.g., voicemail greeting)

• Keep your contact information up-to-date

Finally• The MSW program is a professional

program• The MSW program is a graduate

education program• Be serious about your education and

your profession– “Students are expected to attend classes as

scheduled” (Faculty Handbook, chpt.5, IIIC)

ROLL TIDE!