Governance of the UNO Grace Abbott School of Social Work 2012 ...

Governance of the UNO Grace Abbott School of Social Work
2013-2014
There are 12 total standing and ad hoc committees that make up the school’s governance. Committees are
comprised of social work faculty, staff, students, and community representatives. Committee members are
responsible for initiating, monitoring, and evaluating all Grace Abbott School of Social Work policies and
procedures. The committee structure within the School facilitates democratic faculty participation in
program planning and governance, goal setting and decision-making, and the fulfillment of the mission,
goals and objectives of the School. Ad hoc committees of the School are appointed by the director as
needed. Planning and decision-making with regard to policies are initiated from within the various
committees and moved through appropriate channels before final presentation to the Executive Body.
Executive Body
Curriculum Committee
Admissions Committee
Distance Education Committee
Advanced Generalist Task Force
Personnel Committee
School Advisory Committee
Practicum Committee
Assessment Committee
Program Committee
Clinical Task Force Committee
GASSW Scholarship Committee
Executive Body – Chair: Amanda Randall
Members: All School faculty and staff
The Executive Body of the GASSW has the responsibility and authority for final decisions
of School policies. It consists of full and part-time faculty, staff, graduate assistants, student workers, and
representatives from the Student Social Work Organization (SSWO). The Executive Body meets once a
month during the academic year for comprehensive communication and decision-making with regard to
all program-related issues. Recommendations from all committees of the School are brought to the
Executive Body and decisions are made in a democratic way.
Admissions Committee – Chair: Jacque Reiser
Members: Peter Szto (PDL-Fall 2013), Konnie Kirchner, Michelle Nelsen, Kerry Beldin, Ida Marie
Hebrank, Sandy Cook-Fong
Ex-officio members: Amanda Randall, Nancy Kelley-Gillespie, Karen Rolf
By delegation from the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the School’s Program Committee, and
subject to the approval of its Dean, the Admissions Committee has responsibility for the selection of
graduate students. It has similar selection responsibility for undergraduate majors, under delegation from
the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS). The Committee recommends admission
policies, procedures and standards to the Executive Body.
Advanced Generalist Task Force – Chair: Henry D’Souza
Members: Patty Carlson (LOA-Fall 2013), Ann Coyne, Jeanette Harder, Konnie Kirchner, Peter Szto
(PDL-Fall 2013)
Ex-officio members: Amanda Randall, Nancy Kelley-Gillespie
The role of the Advanced Generalist Task Force is to address any issues involving the Advanced
Generalist Practice Concentration. These include assurance that the curriculum meets the community’s
needs for highly trained specialists in both direct and indirect practice, that practicum placements provide
a rich integrated learning experience and that students learn to integrate academic course work with the
broad range of integrated practice issues in various types of communities. The Advanced Generalist Task
Force is also charged with developing materials needed for the Advanced Generalist comprehensive
examination. The committee selects its chair annually.

Advisory Committee – Chair: Amanda Randall, Brian Travis-Staffs (Graduate Assistant to Director)
The GASSW Advisory Committee is comprised of alumni, representatives of social work
agencies and other social work leaders in the community. The role of the Advisory
Committee is to support and advise the School on long-range goals and general program planning, and
initiatives.
Committee members:
A’Jamal Rashad Byndon, Nebraska Families Collaborative, Omaha, Nebraska
Alberto Cervantes, Boys and Girls Town, Omaha, Nebraska
Rushton Gunter, MSW, Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, Nebraska
Carol Gutchewsky, ACSW, LISW, Iowa Department of Human Services, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Mel Harrington, CSW-PIP, Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Morgan Keen Hecht, CMSW, LMHP, Family Enrichment, Omaha, Nebraska
El Siebert, MSW, LISW, Institute for Therapy and Psych Solutions, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Jackie Simmons, MSW, Nebraska Health & Human Services System, Omaha, Nebraska
Assessment Committee – Chair: Henry D’Souza
Members: Karen Rolf, Claudette Lee, Jeanette Harder, Jane Woody, Konnie Kirchner
Ex-officio members: Amanda Randall, Nancy Kelley-Gillespie, Allison Lauritsen (MSW)
The Assessment Committee is primarily responsible for linking the GASSW Mission
Statement to the Program Goals and linking these goals to elements within the curriculum structure that
can be assessed. The Committee devises strategies for assessment at the classroom level, community
level and the statewide level for the MSW and the BSSW program.
Clinical Task Force – Chair: Jane Woody
Members: Karen Rolf, Amanda Randall, Jacque Reiser Peter Szto (PDL-Fall 2013), Claudette Lee, Kerry
Beldin, Christiana Bratiotis, Sandy Cook-Fong
Student representative: TBD
Ex-officio member: Interim Director, Nancy Kelley-Gillespie
The role of the Clinical Task Force is to address any issues involving the Clinical Practice Concentration.
These include assurance that the curriculum meets the community’s needs for highly trained clinical
specialists, those practicum placements provide a rich clinical learning experience that students learn to
integrate academic course work with practice issue such as assessment, treatment planning, ethical/legal
issues and evaluating practice. The Clinical Task Force is also charged with developing materials needed
for the Clinical comprehensive examination. The committee selects its chair annually.
Curriculum Committee – Chair: Ann Coyne
Members: Nancy Kelley-Gillespie, Ida Marie Hebrank, Konnie Kirchner
Student representatives: TBD (BSSW), Brian Travis-Staffs (MSW)
Ex-officio members: Amanda Randall, Karen Rolf
The Curriculum Committee works closely with the School’s Program Committee and is responsible for
all curriculum-related activities, including syllabus development and approval, monitoring curriculum
policy and compliance with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and periodic review and
revision of curriculum. The Committee brings curriculum recommendations to the Executive Body.

Distance Education Task Force – Chair: Jane Woody
Members: Ann Coyne, Jeanette Harder, Peter Szto (PDL-Fall 2013), Henry D’Souza, Sandy Cook-Fong
Ex-officio member: Amanda Randall
The role of the Distance Education Task Force is to consider the School’s distance education needs,
promote the School’s goals for developing online courses, encourage and assist faculty in developing
plans for implementing and consider setting a uniform protocol for such courses, and recommend
marketing/methods of communicating distance education opportunities in the GASSW. The
chair is appointed by the Director.
Personnel Committee – Chair of both committees: Ann Coyne
Expanded committee members: Claudette Lee, Jane Woody, Jacque Reiser,
Jeanette Harder, Peter Szto (PDL Fall 2013), Ann Coyne
RPT committee members: Claudette Lee, Jane Woody, Jeanette Harder, Peter Szto, Nancy Kelley-
Gillespie, Ann Coyne, Karen Rolf, Henry D’Souza, Sandy Cook-Fong
Ex-officio member of both committees: Amanda Randall
The GASSW has a Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee (RPT) and a
Personnel Committee. The RPT Committee, which consists of tenured faculty members, has
the singular task to annually review and make recommendations on all faculty applications for
reappointment, promotion, and tenure. The Personnel Committee considers general personnel issues and
policies, makes recommendations to the GASSW Executive Body, and also serves in an advisory role to
the Director on personnel issues. The Committee consists of tenured faculty members from
the RPT Committee plus two elected faculty members—one from the non-tenured level and from the
instructor level. The Personnel Committee makes recommendations on the procedures for merit salary
increases and serves as the selection and screening committee for new faculty members. It also
recommends policy and procedures to the Executive Body on matters pertaining to personnel.
Practicum Committee – Chair: Claudette Lee (Fall 2013); Konnie Kirchner (Spring 2014)
Members: Nancy Kelley-Gillespie, Christiana Bratiotis, Ida Marie Hebrank
Community members:
Barbara Jessing, MS, LMHP, Family Service, Omaha, Nebraska
Robert Phaiah, LCSW, VA Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Sue Rabb, LCSW, Alegent Residential Treatment Center, Omaha, NE
Wendy Patterson, MSW, Building Bright Futures, Omaha, NE
Lorie Thomas, LCSW, Immanuel Pathways Program, Omaha, NE
Teri Hruska, AseraCare, MSW, Council Bluffs, IA
Student representatives: Orlesha Fairgood (MSW), TBD (BSSW)
Ex-officio member: Amanda Randall, Karen Rolf
The Practicum Committee consists of the Practicum Coordinator, the Senior Practicum Associate, the
Practicum Associate and two student representatives (undergraduate and graduate), two faculty
members (appointed by the Director of the School), and four to six community members who generally
have experience as practicum instructors (also appointed by the Director of the School). The Practicum
Committee has the responsibility for both graduate and undergraduate practicum program-related policies.
Policy issues are presented to the Program Committee and the Executive Body of the School of Social
Work for their endorsement. The Practicum Committee reviews practicum procedures and considers
decisions based on student requests for practica in place of employment, practica outside of our region,
and other special requests. The Committee meets once monthly from September through May.

Program Committee – Chair: Kerry Beldin
Members: Jane Woody, Claudette Lee, Jeanette Harder
Community representatives: Jean Hartwell, Linda Shadoin
Student representatives: Erika Jacobson (MSW), Allison Lauritsen (MSW-Staffs), TBD (BSSW)
Ex-officio members: Amanda Randall, Karen Rolf, Nancy Kelley-Gillespie
The Program Committee has major responsibility for all undergraduate and graduate program-related
policies. Comprised of elected faculty members, including an elected faculty chair, and two student
representatives (BSSW and MSW), this committee makes decisions on student requests for exceptions, as
well as appeals on admissions and grades, and is responsible for the operation of the School of Social
Work Education Standards. While program committees at the graduate level are given authority for
graduate program decisions within each unit by the College of Graduate Studies, the School’s Program
Committee also presents all policy issues to the Executive Body for its endorsement. The Program
Committee meets once a month and on an as-needed basis. The Program Committee chair and the director
of the School review and sign off on all graduate study plans.
Scholarship Committee – Chair: Amanda Randall
Members: Ann Coyne, Jean Beda, Jacque Reiser
Ex-officio members: Karen Rolf, Nancy Kelley-Gillespie
The role of the Scholarship Committee is to communicate annually the availability of scholarships to
social work students, receive and evaluate applications, and make and announce decisions on awards. The
Committee is chaired by the Director, and typical members include the BSSW Coordinator, MSW
Coordinator, faculty assigned by the Director, and the School’s Administrative staff or others named by
the Director.
Updated October 9, 2013