ITEM 110-1003-R0301 ATTACHMENT������������������������������������������������������������������� March 22-23, 2001

The University of Montana

Department of Social Work

Master�s of Social Work (MSW)

Level II Proposal

1. � Briefly describe the proposed new program.� Please indicate if it is an expansion of an existing program; a new program; a cooperative effort with another institution, business, or industry; or an on-campus or off campus program.� Attach any formal agreements established for cooperative efforts.

The University of Montana Department of Social Work proposes to develop a two-year program of graduate study leading to a Master�s of Social Work (MSW) degree.� The program will be designed to meet national accreditation standards issued by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) for MSW programs. Graduation from a CSWE accredited program is a prerequisite for an individual to secure a social work license in the state of Montana.

The proposed MSW program will be designed around an integrated model of direct social work practice by offering a broad-based or �generalist� focus during its first year and specific concentration areas (i.e., families and children, community development) in the second.� The applied focus will prepare students to utilize a range of interventions, assume a variety of practice roles, and work within a variety of organizational or practice settings.� This is in contrast to a MSW program designed around a specialization and one that prepares practitioners to work with certain types of clients and concerns using specific, and primarily clinical interventions.� 

The integrated direct practice model parallels the state�s need for diversified practitioners who are able to work collaboratively in Montana�s rural and semi-rural communities and with individuals and families who may be negatively impacted by a wide array of social, economic, or personal concerns.� Program graduates will be prepared to assume positions in direct community-based practice with individuals and families, and in positions of leadership including, but not limited to, program development, community revitalization, social planning, and social service administration.

The program will implement an intensive two-day course schedule to accommodate the needs of students across the state who prefer to: 1) maintain their current residence and full-time career; 2) minimize travel and lodging expenses required of a full-time Missoula resident; and 3) avoid family disruption caused by relocating to Missoula. 

The department plans to adopt a super tuition fee schedule ($4,000 annually per student) to ensure that the program is revenue generating, and thereby independent of UM�s state appropriated general funds.� 

2.� Summarize a needs assessment conducted to justify the proposal.� Please include how the assessment plan was developed or executed and the data derived from this effort.

In October 1999, Mary A. Trankel, Ph.D., research director of Trankel Research and Analysis compiled the results of a survey developed and conducted by the Department of Social Work to examine the need for a MSW program. An estimated 580 surveys were mailed to graduates (1992-1999) of The University of Montana Department of Social Work, and additional interested parties. An above average response rate of 34% (197 completed surveys) was achieved for the mailed surveys with no active follow-up procedures.

Demographically, the typical respondent was white, female, approximately 45 years old, and living in Montana. She was currently employed in the human service field and belonged to NASW, social work�s professional organization. Two-thirds of the respondents had completed a graduate degree and of these, over one-half had completed a MSW degree. Typically, respondents were employed in mental health, private practice, a formal social services program, or the health care field. The majority of respondents performed direct service, administrative, or supervisory functions. Respondents engaged in a wide diversity of professional areas such as: mental health, child and family services, youth and delinquency services, advocacy, marriage and family counseling, violence/victim services, substance abuse, and grief/bereavement. 

Ninety-three percent of respondents were supportive of developing a MSW program at The University of Montana. The reasons most commonly cited include:

- A growing need among employers for graduate level social workers to assume positions as supervisors, case managers, and program developers;

- An in-state program would be less expensive than the available out-of-��� state options and far less expensive than Walla Walla College�s satellite MSW program located in Missoula ($15,960 annually; $31,920 total);

- An in-state program would not require as much travel or time spent away from families and current work settings;

- The focus of the curriculum could be community centered rather than purely clinical as is the Walla Walla program;

- The program would be a natural extension of the existing undergraduate program in social work offered at The University of Montana; and

- The program would address specific needs of Montana individuals, families and communities, especially rural issues and the unique needs of the Native American population in the state.

When respondents were asked if they would enroll in a UM program, 81 people responded and of these, 53 said yes, despite the fact that more than half already had a MSW degree. 

Respondents were primarily interested in a program structured to limit the need for travel while being sensitive to the demands of family life. They were less interested in a full-time regular program and more interested in alternative programming with courses on evenings, weekends or intensively concentrated in a weekly, two-day time period.� 

There was a common need for an integrated direct practice model given the large population in the state residing in frontier and rural counties with limited access to service options. Respondents wanted a program that would address a number of interests that included: mental health; direct practice with individuals and families; community action; policy analysis, development, and implementation; rural service delivery; and social change/activism. 

Nine program features or characteristics recommended by respondents for consideration in the development of an MSW program were:

1.                Flexible class schedules, with the option of evening and weekend classes;

2.                Well rounded academic program with a broad scope;

3.                 Affordable;

4.                 Quality and variety of practicum settings;

5.                 Quality teaching faculty, job placement services, and strong partnerships with potential employers;

6.                  Accelerated or advanced standing program;

7.                  Courses offered using Internet or teleconferencing (distance education);

8.                  Rural needs addressed; and

9.                  Multi-site classes or satellite centers based in a variety of locations around the state.

Respondents viewed lack of finances, current employment, and geographic location of the program as barriers to participation. It is important to note, however, that respondents presented almost twice as many motivations as barriers for participating in the program. When asked what type of MSW program would be most relevant to the needs and concerns of Montana people, 54.3% of respondents indicated a focus on direct services, while 32.9% indicated a focus on community action, policy formation, advocacy, program development and social change. One-fourth of all respondents suggested a program focus on rural service delivery because of the unique geographical nature of Montana. In order of importance respondents rank-ordered their expected field of interest in a graduate program as follows:

1.              Child and family services

2.              Mental health

3.              Marriage and family

4.              Administration and social planning

5.              Services to the elderly

6.             Social services in schools 

7.               Problems of youth and delinquency

8.               Social and environmental justice 

Anecdotally, UM�s Graduate Dean, David Strobel, has indicated that a MSW degree has been, and continues to be, one of the most requested areas of study from students interested in pursuing a graduate education at UM.

A survey recently conducted by U.S. News and World Report also indicated that by the year 2005, the field of social work would grow by a substantially larger percentage than any other profession.� Furthermore, Montana�s human service field is currently the state�s largest employer with more new jobs than any other industry (Maney, 2000).� This, coupled with the fact that the MSW is one of the most marketable degrees nationwide (CSWE, 2000), makes the program attractive to both in-state and out-of-state residents.

3.� Explain how the program relates to the Role and Scope of the institution as established by the Board of Regents. 

The proposed program parallels UM�s mission statement by assisting �the people of Montana to reach their full cultural, professional, and personal potential� and is consistent with UM�s recently drafted August 2000 strategic plan by increasing the number of graduate students and by offering an accessible and affordable education to Montana�s citizens.

4.� Please state what effect, if any, the proposed program will have on the administrative structure of the institution.� Also indicate the potential involvement of other departments, divisions, colleges, or schools.

The proposed program would have no effect on the College of Arts and Sciences but require a slight administrative adjustment in the Department of Social Work. The department chair presently divides her time between teaching and managing the undergraduate program.� The CSWE requires that graduate programs have a half-time director.� As a result, the department�s chair may need to assume an administrative role with responsibilities divided between teaching and overseeing the undergraduate and graduate programs. 

The program will require graduates to complete a total of 60 credits to graduate.� Fifty-seven credits are required within the social work department while the remaining three credits can be completed in alternative disciplines within the College of Arts and Sciences.

5.� Describe the extent to which similar programs are offered in Montana, the Pacific Northwest and the states bordering Montana.� How similar are these programs to the one herein proposed?

There is no MSW program within the Montana University system or at any of Montana�s private colleges. There are seven universities in the northwest and adjoining states that offer MSW programs. The State of Washington has three:� the University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, and Walla Walla College; Oregon has one MSW program located at Portland State University; Idaho has one located at Boise State University; Wyoming has a program at the University of Wyoming � Laramie; and North Dakota has one located at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.

Prior to 1997, Montana residents typically attended Eastern Washington University to obtain a MSW because of its proximity to Missoula, and its allowance of in-state tuition though the WICHE program.� This changed in 1997 when Walla Walla College, a private Seventh Day Adventist College based in Washington, established a satellite campus in Missoula and began offering the MSW.� Walla Walla�s inaugural class size was 25 students. Twenty-one students from this class were graduates of UM�s baccalaureate social work program. Walla Walla�s enrollment tripled in two years once it offered a two-year course of study in fall 1998 for students who did not possess an undergraduate degree in social work.� In fall 2000, Walla Walla-Missoula admitted 80 students to its program, 28 of which are enrolled in the two-year program.� Eleven of the 28 students are UM graduates with degrees in Anthropology (3), Psychology (3), Law (1), Communications (1), Sociology (1), and Art (1).� Ten students graduated from other in-state schools (Carroll (3), WMC (2), UGF (2), MSU (2), & SKC (1)) and hold similar degrees.� The remaining seven students are not residents of Montana and have either relocated to Missoula or commute from Idaho. In spite of its high tuition costs, Walla Walla projects an enrollment of 100 students beginning fall 2001.

The University of Montana�s MSW program differs from Walla Walla�s in four primary areas: 1) cost; 2) number of students accepted; 3) curricular focus; and 4) access to educational resources.� Walla Walla currently charges $399 per credit hour ($15,960 annually) and students entering the two-year program are required to complete 80 credits (quarters) to obtain their MSW. The cost of tuition is prohibitive for many Montana residents who want to pursue an MSW and of those who do attend, many are forced to move out-of-state to pay the debt they have incurred. Table one outlines Walla Walla College�s enrollment growth and revenue, both current and projected, since 1997.

Table One � Enrollment and Revenue

^a Title IV-E funds obtained from Montana�s Department of Public Health and Human Services for�educating child protection service workers

^bTuition cost based on 1997-1998 figures ($365 per credit hour or $14,600 annually)

^cTuition cost based on anticipated enrollment of 100 students ($399 per credit hour or $15,960 annually)

UM�s tuition cost will be more affordable than Walla Walla�s, thereby affording greater access for Montana residents to receive a MSW degree.� The Department of Social Work plans to implement an annual super tuition fee of $4,000 per student on top of UM�s tuition cost ($3,458 in�state; $9,300 out-of-state) to offset projected program costs. With an anticipated enrollment of 25 full-time students in its first year and 50 in its second, the department will generate $100,000 and $200,000 respectively, bringing the cost for an in-state resident to $7,500, and to $13,300 for an out-of-state student.� There are two reasons that the annual $4,000 super tuition fee must be adopted.� First, in order for a professional graduate program to be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) it must adhere to a stringent set of standards.� The CSWE requires graduate programs to maintain at least a half-time program director (.5 FTE) and a half-time practicum coordinator (.5 FTE).� Due to the need for individualized instruction, especially in laboratory settings designed to improve each student�s counseling skills, the CSWE also requires graduate programs to maintain a faculty to student ratio of 1 to 12.� To meet these guidelines, UM must shift 1.0 FTE from its undergraduate program and hire the equivalent of 2.5 additional faculty (which includes the program director and practicum coordinator).�� The CSWE also requires that each faculty member possess a minimum of a MSW and two years post-masters practice experience and a Ph.D., which will cost the program approximately $45,000 for each full-time equivalent faculty member, not including benefits. The program must also hire a half-time administrative assistant and be required to pay approximately $5,000 annually to move from candidacy to full accreditation through mandatory site visits from the CSWE and by hiring curricular consultants (recommended by CSWE).� Once the UM-MSW program becomes fully accredited, it will be required to pay $3,000 in annual dues.� 

The second reason for the super tuition fee is based on the cost of providing individualized instruction to students completing their practicum (required both years) in communities throughout Montana, and in Idaho, Washington, Canada, and Wyoming.� Each student is required to complete a practicum both years, and given the two-day intensive schedule that will be adopted, will be able to return to their place of residence to complete the requirement. Faculty members are required to serve as field advisers, and meet with students and the practicum-site supervisor on a continuous basis throughout the academic year, and often, during the summer months.� To address the needs of students throughout Montana and those located in neighboring states, it will be necessary for faculty to travel considerable distances and spend time off-campus to meet with students and their supervisors.� Additional travel and time spent supervising students off-campus will cost the program an estimated $10,000 annually.

The UM program has designed a curriculum that is tailored to the professional demands of the state�s social service organizations and the unique problems faced by Montana�s rural and semi-rural communities. Walla Walla�s curricular focus is primarily clinical and fails to address fully the multi-faceted demands of today�s professional social worker and the need for a more diversified social work practitioner in Montana. 

Finally, Walla Walla�s satellite campus is currently located at Fort Missoula, which lacks the resources a campus-based program can offer (e.g., library, technical assistance, interdisciplinary course offerings, computer labs). Regrettably, since Walla Walla does not provide a campus-based infrastructure, many of its students rely on UM for library and computer-related services, further taxing an already understaffed, and state subsidized, resource. This, and the program�s dependence on master�s level and adjunct instructors to teach its core courses, appears to limit the quality of the Walla Walla program.� 

As outlined in Table One, Walla Walla will receive $281,400 and $283,900 (FY�s 2001 & 2002 respectively) in federally appropriated Title IV-e funds from Montana�s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to train students in the field of child welfare (UM�s baccalaureate program receives $155,000).� Although the DPHHS has expressed their desire to allocate the Title IV-e funds to a UM-MSW program, Walla Walla is exploring the possibility of expanding its Missoula-based program to Billings by offering a compressed video link and developing other opportunities for distance education.� Similar to Walla Walla�s plan to expand distance education opportunities, once the CSWE accredits the proposed MSW program, UM�s Department of Social Work will be in position to develop distance learning opportunities for citizens residing in central and eastern Montana, including tribal residents, through UM�s existing network of compressed video and online course possibilities.

6.� Please name any accrediting agenc(ies) or learned society(ies) that would be concerned with the particular program herein proposed.� How has this program been developed in accordance with the criteria developed by said accrediting body(ies) or learned society(ies)?

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the discipline�s accrediting body and will continue to provide guidance in developing the program�s organizational and curricular structure to ensure that the program adheres to accreditation standards. The Department of Social Work will file a formal, written application for initial accreditation prior to the program�s first year. A series of site visits will follow during the program�s two-year candidacy review period before being awarded candidacy status. Students admitted prior to the program�s acquisition of full candidacy will retroactively benefit from the program�s accreditation.

7.� Prepare an outline of the proposed curriculum showing course titles and credits.� Please indicate any plans for expansion of the program during its first three years.

All core courses will be new and offered at the 500 (first year) and 600 level (second year).� The MSW students will not be allowed to take a 400 level course and have it count toward the master�s degree.� The Department believes, and the Council on Social Work Education concurs, that each graduate course should be a separate and more substantive course than what is offered at the undergraduate level.� This is especially true for the BSW graduate who has taken courses in Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE), policy, and research as an undergraduate.� The first year, or foundation sequence, must be more academically challenging and rigorous with a set of expectations that exceed the undergraduate requirements.

FISCAL IMPACT AND BUDGET INFORMATION

On this form, indicate the planed FTE enrollment, estimated expenditures, and projected revenues for the first three years of the program.� Include both the reallocation of existing resources and anticipated or required new resources.� Second and third year estimates should be in constant dollars.

����������������������� 

*� ����� .5 FTE practicum coordinator, (hire - 10/02);

**������ .5 graduate program director (reconfigure from current FTE - 10/02)

*** ��� a request will be made to UM�s Graduate School to provide two Graduate Assistants ($33,000) in the program�s first year and four in its second ($66,000). (UM is not obligated to fund the positions) 

�

����������� 

* The proposed budget is based on revenue acquired from super tuition fees paid by full-time students only, and does not include part-time students or grant funds anticipated from the DPHHS Title Iv-e program.

Note:� It is anticipated that approximately $200,000 in federally appropriated Title IV-e funds will be available to students who are accepted in the Child Welfare Training Program in cooperation with DPHHS.� Financial support includes student stipends, salary for a DPHHS field instructor, travel, & supplies.� 

FACULTY AND STAFF REQUIREMENTS

1.       Please indicate, by name and rank, current faculty who will be involved with the program proposed herein.

Cindy Garthwait, Professor

Charles Horejsi, Professor

Maxine Jacobson, Assistant Professor

Mark Lusk, Professor (Director, International Programs)

John Spores, Professor 

David Schantz, Assistant Professor

Ryan Tolleson Knee, Assistant Professor 

1.0 FTE Vacant Line (currently recruiting)

2.       Please project the need for new faculty over the first five-year program.� Include special qualifications for training.� If present faculty are to conduct the new program, please explain how they will be relieved from present duties.

The program�s start-up year (AY 2001-2002) will center on organizing and developing: 1) the program�s curriculum; 2) the program admission criteria; 3) the self-study required for CSWE accreditation; and 4) marketing and promotional materials (e.g., brochures, web site). A half-time administrative assistant will be hired to provide the support necessary.� 

To adequately staff the MSW program once students have been admitted (fall 2002) the department will shift 1.0 FTE from the undergraduate program and, in accordance with the CSWE accreditation standards, will have hired a practicum coordinator (.5 FTE) and a program director (.5 FTE). In spring 2003, a 1.0 and .5 FTE will be hired to assume the responsibilities of Assistant Professor beginning fall 2003.�

By fall 2003 the department will consist of 9.5 FTE.� In compliance with CSWE standards, each of the new faculty members will possess a minimum of a MSW and two years post-graduate practice experience and a Ph.D.

First year students will be required to complete a total of 30 credits.� The following chart depicts course offerings and how the responsibilities will be divided among existing, and newly hired faculty members in both programs.

Workload Distribution -- Year One

Year 1 (2002-03) (Undergraduate program; 25 first year MSW students)

Based on 1.0 FTE new hires (.5FTE Admin; .5 FTE Practicum) & maintaining currently open� retirement line (1.0 FTE)

Workload Distribution � Year Two

Year 2 (2003-04) (Undergraduate program; 25 first year and 25 second year MSW students)

Based on 1.5 FTE new hires (1.0 FTE Asst Prof.; .5 FTE instructor)

3.       Please explain the need and cost for support personnel or other required personnel expenditures.

A half-time administrative assistant will be hired in fall 2001 to help plan and develop: 1) admission guidelines and application packets; 2) a policy and procedures manual; 3) a practicum placement guide; and 4) program promotion and marketing materials.� 

CAPITAL OUTLAY, OPERATING EXPENDITURES, AND PHYSICAL FACILITIES

1.       Please summarize operating expenditure needs.

Materials and supplies will be purchased beginning July 2001 to establish programmatic protocol (e.g., application guidelines & materials), marketing and promotional materials, and any necessary computer software.�� 

Travel funds have been allocated for current UM faculty members to announce the program to faculty and students in undergraduate social science programs in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington. Professional services, which will include air travel, lodging, and meal costs, will be needed to accommodate members of the CSWE Commission on Accreditation during the two-year candidacy review period.

Communication costs will include mailing, fax, and local and long distance phone services for the program�s administrative assistant (beginning July 2001) and faculty members (beginning mid-fall 2002).

2.       Please evaluate library resources.� Are they adequate for operation of the proposed program?� If not, how will the library need to be strengthened during the next three years?

The Social Work faculty believes that UM�s library resources are adequate for a graduate program.�

3.       Please indicate special clinical, laboratory, and/or computer equipment that will be needed.� List those pieces of equipment or computer hardware presently available in the department.

Funds have been budgeted for newly hired faculty to receive a computer and printer.

Equipment and computers currently available in the department include:

4.       Please describe facilities and space required for the proposed program.� Are current facilities adequate for the program?� If not, how does the institution propose to provide new facilities?

The Department of Social Work�s administrative offices are located in the basement of Jeanette Rankin Hall (JRH). Also located in the basement, are the student lounge/library, a small conference room, and five offices (two offices house the department�s Child Welfare Training Program, one office is for a professor emeritus).� The department also has five offices in the eastern portion of the first floor (three for current faculty, one for a professor emeritus, and one for visiting faculty). The University of Montana�s Environmental Studies program occupies the other half of JRH�s first floor and has three offices in the basement.

Current facilities will be adequate for the program by utilizing available space in JRH and other options campus-wide.

EVALUATION OF PROPOSED PROGRAM

1.       Please name faculty committees or councils that have reviewed and approved the program herein proposed.

The Department of Social Work submitted a Notice of Intent on September 21, 2000 which was approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Dean, Vice President for Administration and Finance, Provost, and President.� On the same date a preliminary proposal was submitted and approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Science, Dean of Library Services, and the Director of Information Technology.

The University of Montana�s Graduate Council reviewed and approved the MSW program on November 29, 2000. And, on December 7, 2000, The University of Montana�s Faculty Senate reviewed and approved the MSW program.

2.       If outside consultants have been employed, please list the names of these consultants, their current positions, and titles.� Append copies of their written reports (this is required for new doctoral programs).

The Department of Social Work has sought guidance from Scott Wilson, Ph.D. who is a senior educational specialist for the Council on Social Work Education.