Toward a More Just Future: A Five-Year Strategic Plan

TOWARD A MORE JUST FUTURE A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 120 Albany Street, Tower One, Suite 200 New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Photography Sheribel Aguilar | Douglas Behan | Grad Images | John o'Boyle | Alexis Tarrazi/Patch

OUR MISSION Our mission is to develop and disseminate knowledge through social work research, education, and training that promotes social and economic justice and strengthens individual, family, and community well-being in this diverse and increasingly global environment of New Jersey and beyond.

OUR INITIATIVES INCLUSION, INTERSECTIONALITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ADVANCEMENT (IIDEA) A CURRICULUM FOR THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL WORK SUPPORTING THE 21STCENTURY STUDENT RESEARCH FOR A JUST FUTURE INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS

A NOTE FROM DEAN POTTER DURING ITS 65TH YEAR AND RANKED 17TH AMONG OVER 250 SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK BY U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, THE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK (RU-SSW) IS EMBARKING ON AN EXCITING STRATEGIC PLAN. WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ALUMNI TO JOIN WITH US AS WE BUILD OUR LEADERSHIP IN KEY STRATEGIC AREAS, TO EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS FOR OUR WORLD AND TO BUILD THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SUPPORTS SOCIAL CHANGE. WE ENVISION A FUTURE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND OUR WORLD THAT IS GROUNDED IN JUSTICE. WE COMMIT TO LEADING FOR JUSTICE, THROUGH A FOCUS ON INNOVATION, EXCELLENCE, COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY. DEEPLY GROUNDED IN INCLUSION, INTERSECTIONALITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ADVANCEMENT (IIDEA), OUR PLAN FOCUSES ON CORE ELEMENTS OF OUR MISSION AS A LEADING SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK. WE WILL PREPARE AND SUPPORT THE NATION'S BEST STUDENTS FOR LEADERSHIP IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, FOR INNOVATIVE SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE THAT ADDRESSES OUR MOST PRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS. WE WILL EXPAND OUR RESEARCH AND RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS TO FOCUS ON INDISPENSABLE SOCIAL ISSUES. WE WILL BUILD A REPUTATION FOR INNOVATION IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THE THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND SUPPORTS TO SUSTAIN OUR WORK. THE PLAN OUTLINES CRITICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO CONSIDER HOW YOU MIGHT ENGAGE WITH US, AND TO THINK INNOVATIVELY ABOUT THE WAYS WE CAN EXPAND OUR COLLECTIVE REACH. IN MARCH OF 2020, WE WERE POISED TO LAUNCH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, DURING SOCIAL WORK MONTH AT A CELEBRATION TO SHOW OFF OUR NEW SCHOOL SPACES IN DOWNTOWN NEW BRUNSWICK. THEN COVID-19 SENT

US INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY, AS WE MOVED TO REMOTE WORK AND EDUCATION, REIMAGINED MANY ASPECTS OF OUR WORK AND COMMUNITY, AND RESPONDED DAILY TO THE NEW DEMANDS OF TWO PANDEMICS, THAT OF COVID-19 AND THAT OF THE NATION’S GRAPPLING WITH THE LONG, INTERNATIONAL PANDEMIC OF SYSTEMIC RACISM. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THAT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK BECAME IRRELEVANT, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. OUR GOALS RING TRUE IN OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, FROM INCLUSION, INTERSECTIONALITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ADVANCEMENT, TO THE FOCI ON TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIAL WORK, CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM, AND HEALTH DISPARITIES, TO SUPPORTING THE 21ST-CENTURY STUDENT, AND HEIGHTENING OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE SEE THIS AS MEETING THE FIRST TEST OF THE RELEVANCE OF OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. AS WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER THESE PAST SIX MONTHS, THIS FRAMEWORK HAS GUIDED OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ACTIONS. IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR THE COMING YEARS. OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM HAS MY ENDURING THANKS FOR LEADING THE SCHOOL THROUGH A RIGOROUS, DATA-RICH PROCESS. ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, WE EMBARKED ON AN EXCITING STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS TO IDENTIFY A SET OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT WILL GUIDE THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THE EFFORT WAS LED BY TWO OF OUR ASSOCIATE DEANS, SHARON FORTIN, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, AND DR. JUDY POSTMUS, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT. WE BEGAN WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN PROCESS THAT ENGAGED MANY CONSTITUENCIES, INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS AND ALUMNI, FIELD INSTRUCTORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, FACULTY AND STAFF, ALONG WITH CONSIDERATION OF NATIONAL TRENDS AND COMPARISONS TO TOP SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK. THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN WAS COMPREHENSIVE AND PROVIDED RICH DATA FOR CONSIDERATION BY OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE (THE DEAN’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND KEY STAFF LEADERS), THE STRATEGIC PLANNING STEERING COMMITTEE, AND BY OUR FACULTY AND STAFF. PLEASE SEE THE APPENDIX FOR A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. JOIN US AS WE MOVE OUR SCHOOL, OUR PROFESSION AND OUR COMMUNITY “TOWARD A MORE JUST FUTURE.”

CATHRYN C. POTTER DEAN AND DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

1.

INCLUSION, INTERSECTIONALITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ADVANCEMENT (IIDEA)

Rutgers School of Social Work embraces inclusion, intersectionality, diversity, equity and advancement as core principles for our curriculum, our community engagement, our research portfolios and our faculty, student and staff community.

GOAL 1

GOAL 2

GOAL 3

Develop a shared definition of IIDEA.

Create mechanisms to infuse strong IIDEA practices across the curriculum and our community life.

Ensure recruitment and retention of faculty and staff that advance IIDEA goals.

2.

A CURRICULUM FOR THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL WORK The BASW, MSW, Ph.D. and DSW curricula will prepare graduates for leadership and innovation in community organizations to redress social, racial, economic, and environmental disparities.

GOAL 1

GOAL 2

GOAL 3

GOAL 4

GOAL 5

Prepare students for exemplary work with diverse populations and to lead in diverse and inclusive settings.

Prepare students to lead and drive innovation in the non-profit, public, private and academic sectors.

Prepare students to lead and practice in a technologydriven environment.

Prepare students to work in complex health care environments.

Enhance innovative methods of curriculum delivery.

3.

SUPPORTING THE 21ST-CENTURY STUDENT 21ST CENTURY STUDENT

Rutgers School of Social Work will maximize success for 21st-century students by providing access to necessary tools and support to prospective and current students, and to alumni.

GOAL 1

GOAL 2

GOAL 3

GOAL 4

Develop a framework and multi-year plan for responding to the needs of 21st-century students in the BASW, MSW, Ph.D. and DSW program options.

Continue the strong focus on raising dollars for student scholarships and additional student supports.

Partner more effectively with Rutgers Career Services.

Build stronger community among students at the School.

4.

RESEARCH FOR FOR A JUST FUTURE ARESEARCH JUST FUTURE Rutgers School of Social Work will serve as an exemplar, top 20-ranked program by identifying emerging social work research priorities, building research clusters/ centers, and by enhancing support for our current research initiatives.

GOAL 1

GOAL 2

Continue current focus on increasing T/TT faculty size, to better approximate ratios with key competitor programs (R1, Big Ten, NYC-specific) and to better align faculty representation with student diversity.

Increase faculty research productivity.

5.

INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Rutgers School of Social Work will actively support New Jersey social work practice communities through its research and community engagement efforts.

GOAL 1

GOAL 2

GOAL 3

Identify, develop, and leverage new and existing strategic partnerships between the School and communities.

Increase faculty, staff and student engagement in social policy advocacy.

Create faculty promotion supports for community engagement activities.

GOAL 4 Develop a robust community engagement communication plan.

6.

ORGANIZATIONAL FOUNDATIONS ORGANIZATIONAL FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS FOR SUCCESS Rutgers School of Social Work will invest to ensure strength in organizational foundations that support the development of faculty, staff, and students to achieve the mission of the School. Organizational foundations elements will ensure achievability of goals, objectives and measures for the other five initiatives and also will include goals, objectives and measures of its own.

GOAL 1

GOAL 2

GOAL 3

GOAL 4

Creating a cohesive culture and climate.

Investments in infrastructure and other operational instruments.

Improving branding and communications.

External development and fundraising.

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