CSWE Strategic Plan: Letter of Gratitude From Dr. Vakalahi
On behalf of CSWE, we thank everyone who played a role in the creation and development of our new 5-year strategic plan. We especially thank the Board of Directors, our expert facilitator Greg Fine, the more than 20 champions from membership who joined us in-person, and CSWE staff who will be carrying out the strategies contained within this plan.
This journey was an embodiment of the strength of unity, collaboration, respect, and competence. This incredible work reminds me of the Tongan proverb “Takanga ‘enau fohe” meaning to paddle in unison and unity. It references the Kalia (a double-hulled canoe) that Pacific navigators perfected in traversing the Pacific Ocean, affirming that unified and coordinated paddling is imperative to propel forward the Kalia efficiently and effectively towards its destination. The essence of strength in unity. That is the vision and the invitation—to join us on this new 5-year journey. Cheers!
I also want to take time to acknowledge and answer questions we received during the Strategic Plan town hall meetings. You will find them below.
Again, thank you for your commitment to CSWE’s past, present, and future. We are honored that you have invested your time, talent, and treasure in this organization and in the future of social work education.
- Dr. Halaevalu Vakalahi, President and CEO, CSWE
CSWE Strategic Plan Town Hall Q&A:
Can CSWE establish core competencies for students around AI?
This is a fantastic recommendation. Knowing the abundance of ingenuity and innovation among social work faculty and students, we have no doubt that this has already been discussed and created in social work programs. Likewise, the first goal of the new CSWE Strategic Plan focuses specifically on AI and other disruptive technology, and the third goal focuses on engaging and cultivating students’ knowledge and skills. Furthermore, we have shared this recommendation in multiple spaces within CSWE including the Board of Accreditation. Specifically, CSWE will soon publish a report from the Commission on Educational Policy (COEP) Task Force on Technology and Social Work Education that includes recommendations in this particular area for the next EPAS. Essentially, the work has started, and CSWE is working on resources around AI that can be created for our use as members.
Is CSWE considering programming/creating core competency around Simulation?
This is another strong recommendation. We imagine social work programs already engaging in the development of competencies as well as in simulation activities given the platform offered in the current EPAS. Furthermore, we have shared this recommendation in multiple spaces within CSWE including the Board of Accreditation. Moreover, we are in conversations with our interprofessional partners regarding competencies. In essence, social work programs are already engaged in team science simulation, and the hope is that a set of competencies can be created for our benefits in social work education.
How will the goals described today filter into the 2029 EPAS?
The aim is for the organizational level Strategic Plan Goals (AI and other disruptive technology; transformative leadership; focus on students) to inform all that we do at CSWE, including the work of CSWE’s two pillars of Accreditation and Education. Moreover, the environmental scan that COEP conducts gathers literature and information that also informs the development of the social work competencies and accreditation standards.
How does CSWE envision the last objective on anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (ADEIB) intersecting with so many of us in social work education who are trying to balance CSWE values with state and institutional mandates?
Social work embodied the spirit and principles of ADEIB long before that phraseology and that acronym found its way into the zeitgeist—and it will continue to do so. CSWE requires accredited programs to demonstrate how they are meeting the standards given their unique context whether educational, legal, or political contexts. The Accreditation division has committed to working with programs since the beginning of these policy changes over 2 years ago to support them in meeting the standards within their context. We continue that commitment today.
Several DEI resources are now behind the member firewall. Does this represent a major shift for CSWE and/or a change in the approach of how CSWE will address these issues?
Increasing the connection between CSWE and the Membership is a priority. Placing information, opportunities, and resources in the Membership portal is both a business and education decision. Membership benefits are tailored to members, thus access to those benefits should be reserved for members. During these times of uncertainty, we also wisely engage in strategic advocacy to ensure that members receive the information they need.
How does CSWE envision moving forward with this design considering how much has changed from 2024 to 2025?
Our strategic plan is future-aligned. There can be no doubt that AI is currently and will become an even more disruptive force for virtually all industry sectors; therefore, it is the first goal in our strategic plan. AI places an even greater premium on leadership development and student prioritization, the second and third goals of our plan. These needs and priorities live outside of and above the day-to-day news cycle. We are therefore confidently moving forward with this Strategic Plan, which has been launched as per approval of the Board of Directors. Should there be changes, adaptations, or emerging innovations, those will be assessed and accounted for within our strategy.
Are there any discussions about collaborating with NASW and ASWB?
The Social Work Leadership Roundtable affords us all an opportunity to collaborate––from CSWE at the beginning of the social work continuum, to NASW at the end of that continuum. CSWE’s Strategic Plan was crafted with the expectation of intra and inter-professional strategies requiring collaboration.