Christopher Cotten, Ruth Neddleman receive IUN Trustees Teaching Awards

April 28, 2009  - Ruth Needleman, a Professor of Labor Studies and Christopher Cotten, an Assistant Professor of Social Work have been awarded the 2009 School of Social Work Trustees Teaching Awards at IUN.

Christopher Cotten       Ruth Needleman

The 2009 winter edition of The Network magazine is now available online

March 17, 2009 - The 2009 winter online edition of the Indiana University School of Social Work magazine, the Network, is now available. To read the Network, click here. The magazine features stories about students, faculty and alumni of the School of Social Work.

IUN's Assistant Professor Denise Travis and two social work students take part in child abuse forum

April 6, 2009 - Among those who spoke at the 19th Annual Forum on Child Abuse on April 3rd were IU Northwest Assistant Professor of Social Work Denise Travis and two IUN social work students, Bobbie Jo Hayes and Syretta Rouser.  Dr. Travis told the audience  that, after counseling more than 1,000 abused children, she's only ever met two who didn't want to return home despite the abuse. To read a story about the forum, click here: http://www.iun.edu/~newsnw/pg/2009/090403_speaforum09.shtml

Dr. William Barton receives national award for juvenile detetion reform efforts

     Sept. 24, 2008 -  Indiana University School of Social Work Professor William Barton was given a national award Wednesday for his outstanding contributions to juvenile detention reform. The award was presented at the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative National Inter-Site Conference at the Marriott Hotel in Indianapolis. Click here for complete story.

Dr. William Barton accepting the Natalie S. Bimel Award for Outstanding Contributions to Juvenile Detention Reform by a Community Leader

Dr. Darlene Lynch, IU Northwest's new director of social work

      Sept. 19, 2008 -  Dr. Darlene Lynch sees lots of opportunities with a program known for its academic excellence and community engagement. For more information about Dr. Lynch and her thoughts about program considered the the most challenging graduate program at IU's Gary campus, click here.

Dr. Darlene Lynch

Government report shows employment prospects for for social workers is favorable through 2016

      Aug. 4, 2008 - Employment for social workers is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

     The number of employed social workers is expected to increase from 595,000 in 2006 to 727,000 by 2016, the bureau's Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts.

     The growing elderly population and the aging baby boom generation will result in rapid job growth among gerontology social workers, while mental health and substance abuse social workers will grow at a fast rate as well as more people are being placed into treatment programs instead of being sentenced to prison.

     To read the occupational handbook report on social workers, click http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm#earnings

Virginia Majewski will join School of Social Work as Associate Dean

July 23, 2008 - Indiana University School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner has announced Dr. Virginia Majewski will become the Associate Dean of the School this academic year. Dr. Majewski has been at West Virginia University where she served as Chairperson of the Division of Social Work for the past six years.  In her new duties as Associate Dean, Dr. Majewski will provide oversight and administrative support to the School’s BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. programs in social work and the AS and BS programs in Labor Studies. Click here for complete story.

Associate Dean Virginia Majewski

Dr. Katharine Byers leads effort to ensure the future of ISP

Dr. Katharine Byers

      July 22, 2008 - Dr. Katharine Byers, one of the original supporters of Influencing State Policy (ISP) is now working to ensure the organization continues for years to come following the retirement of its long-time leader, Professor Robert Schneider of Virginia Commonwealth University. Click here for complete story.

Dr. Frank Caucci is selecteds to serve on a CSWE Council

Dr. Frank Caucci

  May 30, 2008 -  Dr. Frank Caucci has been appointed to the Council on Social Work Education's Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression.

Dr. Caucci, an associate professor at IU Northwest, will serve a three year starting July 1. The council will help advise the CSWE board of directors on policy and programmatic issue on gender expression and sexual orientation.

News of the appointment lead School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner to commnent that Caucci will "represent the School well and will contribute to our national reputation."

IU School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner is co-chair of the commission

Gary to be one of locations for state disproportionality commission public forums

May 14, 2008 - Are young people treated differently in Indiana depending on the color of their skin? That will be the central question for the Commission on Disproportionality in Youth Services when it holds one of its public forums in Gary. Click here for complete story.

IU School of Social Work's Dr. Cathy Pike is elected to the CSWE National Nominating Committee

Dr. Cathy Pike

May 8, 2008 – Dr. Cathy Pike, whose academic career spans 20 years of teaching at all levels, has been elected to the Council on Social Work Education National Nominating Committee. Click here for complete story.

Son's deployment to Iraq leads MSW student to create a foundation to assist soldeirs returning from the war

Sondra Julian with her son Travis, who is now serving in Iraq

     April 25, 2008 - Like any mother, Sondra Julian worried when she learned her 22-year-old son was heading to Iraq last December. But Julian, who lives in Chesterton and was studying to earn a Master’s of Social Work degree at IU Northwest, decided to do more than just worry. She created the Military Heros Foundation. Click here for complete story.

Dr. M. Thandabantu Iverson reports on review of U.S compliance to eliminate all forms of racial disrimination.

    On April 3rd from 11:30-2:00 in Savannah Auditiorium, IUN campus, Dr. M. Thandabantu Iverson provided a report on the recent UN country review of U.S. compliance with the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). This talk was based on his actual attendance of the international meeting in Geneva during which the UN’s review was addressed. According to Dr. Iverson, “ The efforts to compile the shadow report(s) from U.S. civil society, the country review process in Geneva, and the publication of the CERD Committee's Concluding Observations and Recommendations provide some very important lessons regarding our challenges to recommit to the unfinished tasks of ending racial discrimination in our country.”

Two IU School of Social Work Faculty Members to join FACET

March 17, 2008 - The Indiana University School of Social Work will have two faculty members inducted into FACET this spring. Click here for complete story.

Katharine Byers election to the BPD board comes as the organization faces key issues

March 17, 2008 -  Dr. Katharine V. Byers, a long-time member of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, has been elected to the organization’s board for a two-year term. Click here for complete story.

Ruth Needleman wins second Mesa Refuge fellowship

     While busy teaching in Brazil, Professor Ruth Needleman of the Indiana University-Northwest Campus has received another honor. Click here for complete story.

Labor Studies Program seeks candidates for 2 tenure-track positions

Feb. 12, 2008 - The Labor Studies Program at Indiana University is seeking candidates for two tenure-track positions.  One position is located on the Bloomington (IUB) campus and the other on the Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. Click here for the complete story.

Governor appoints Dean Patchner to lead state commission

Dean Michael Patchner

     Jan. 25, 2008 – Indiana University School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner will help launch a year-long investigation Monday into why there is a disproportionate number of minorities in the juvenile justice, child welfare, mental health and educational services. Click here for full story.

Message to social workes from Indiana legislators:

   Feb. 6, 2008 – “Thank you,” was the resounding message Indiana legislators presented to hundreds of social work students, faculty and other professionals during the annual advocacy day at the Indiana State House. Click here for complete story.

Social workers fill atrium at the State House for LEAD

Web site assists borrowers with student loan debt questions

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) and the Project on Student Debt have developed the Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project that can help loan saddled social workers and other borrowers to find out more information about the recently passed College Cost Reduction and Access Act, among other student loan related issues.

Indiana University has a long history of formal education to persons interested in social work practice. Courses in this area were offered in 1911 through the Department of Economics and Sociology. Between 1911 and 1944, various administrative and curricular changes occurred. Social Work degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels were offered. In 1944, the Indiana University Division of Social Service was established by action of the Trustees of Indiana University. The organizational status was changed in 1966 when the Graduate School of Social Service was created. In 1973 the name was changed to School of Social Service in recognition of the extent and professional nature of the school’s graduate and undergraduate offerings. The name School of Social Work was adopted in 1977 in order to reflect more clearly its identification with the profession.

The school provides opportunities for study leading to the associate, baccalaureate, master’s , and Ph.D. degrees. The Associate of Science (A.S.) program prepares students for preprofessional practice. The Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) program prepares students for entry level, generalist practice. The Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program prepares skilled practitioners with basic professional knowledge and selected areas of specialization. The Ph.D. program prepares professional social workers for leadership roles in research, education, and policy development.

The general intent of the MSW program is preparation for advanced social work practice. Graduates of the school pursue careers in a variety of social service settings, including those concerned with aging, families, child welfare, corrections, mental and physical health. In anticipation of such professional activities, the school provides field instruction placements throughout the state, where students engage in services to individuals, groups, and families or function in planning and management, policy analysis, or community organization roles.

Work continues on strategic plan

Jan. 17, 2008 –  Coordinators of the Indiana University's School of Social Work's strategic plan hope to get additional comments from faculty, staff and students on a new strategic plan. Click here for full story.