The U-M School of Social Work has an illustrious past with achievements that carry well into the present day. The School is currently planning for its future by developing a five year forward-thinking strategic plan. Groundwork was laid for the plan in early fall 2016, through consultation with the U-M SSW Dean's Advisory Council, the School's Executive Committee and faculty.
The Executive Committee took a strong data-based leadership role in the winter term, gathering input and information from alumni and students through a variety of approaches, including analysis of existing survey data, crowdsourcing community input, and focus groups with students and the Alumni Board of Governors. In addition, documents were collected to inform an environmental scan of the School's relevant environments. These were comprised of the School's internal environment, the University of Michigan, higher education globally and nationally, the profession of social work and major social trends. The purpose of the environmental scan is to inform the vision and resulting plan.
Alumni engagement occurred in the form of crowdsourcing and focus groups. This work began with providing data and forecasting information to offer up-to-date information about the School, the profession of social work, higher education and the University.
The faculty held a retreat on April 25, 2017. The purpose of this meeting was to articulate the School's mission and values and to identify areas of consensus for the School's strategic vision for the future. Preliminary consensus at the retreat suggests the following outcomes:
- A statement of the School's core values: (1) Positive work climate (2) Diversity in people and ideas (3) Acting with integrity and (4) Inclusive learning environment
- Affirmation of the School's mission: Advancing the social work profession’s vision and values, the University of Michigan School of Social Work seeks to develop a more equitable, caring, and socially just society.
- A “Grand Vision” which is: The University of Michigan School of Social work will lead the social work profession -- including education, knowledge development and practice -- as it moves into the next generation.
Strategic goal areas were identified and include:
- Delivering education that is original, creative, and prepares graduates for leadership of the profession and promotes collaboration with other professionals
- Improving access to a U-M SSW affordable education
- Leading the profession in advancing the scientific basis of the profession and interprofessional efforts
- Engaging with the regional, state, national and global communities to advance social justice and create progressive change
- Building and sustaining a school environment that is based on respect for all and dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion
We will continue to formulate the plan over the summer, with a second retreat in the fall to finalize strategies. We look forward to engaging alumni, students, field partners and the university with this work in the coming months.