Module 1: Introduction
Welcome to UH GCSW!
The University of Houston Graduate College of Social work is among the top 25 nationally ranked social work programs in the country. We are very proud of our reputation, and excited you are returning to your alma mater or joining the family!
UH GCSW Vision
Our vision is to achieve social, racial, economic, and political justice, local to global.
UH GCSW Mission
The University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) prepares diverse leaders in practice and research to address complex challenges and achieve sustainable social, racial, economic, and political justice, locally and globally, through exceptional education, innovative research, and meaningful community engagement.
UH GCSW Racial Justice Principles
Since adopting our strategic vision to achieve social, racial, economic, and political justice in 2016, the GCSW has been engaged in integrating our commitment to racial justice across our work. Through this work, we have realized the importance not only of expanding and formalizing this racial justice work but also of seeking out essential input from our community around what a racially just college of social work would look like.
In May 2022, the GCSW formally adopted seven racial justice principles which were developed in community with our Students, Faculty, Staff, Adjunct Faculty, Alumni, and Practicum Instructors.
We are excited to share that the GCSW will spend the 2022-2023 academic year exploring these principles with in-depth community conversations that grapple with the implications of these principles in our work as we strategize ways to integrate the principles throughout our College and core community.
GCSW Racial Justice Principles
Racial Justice Journey
We believe that racial justice is an active journey; therefore, we commit to continuously working on ourselves and with our community to act both individually and collectively to achieve the systemic fair treatment of all people.
Intentional Centering
We believe that racial justice requires intentionally centering the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; therefore, we commit to centering these voices, histories, and contributions in our research, our classes, our curriculum and our community engagement.
Acknowledging Harms
We believe that structural, systemic, interpersonal, and internalized racism, colonization, and White supremacy create and sustain harm; therefore, we commit to acknowledging and being answerable to harms within our community through justice-oriented processes that promote healing, change, and accountability.
Being in Community
We believe that being in community with one another and recognizing our shared humanity are foundational to our racial justice journey; therefore, we commit to creating spaces, policies and practices that build meaningful and mutually respectful relationships across our community and hold us accountable to one another.
Shared Understanding
We believe that racial justice requires a shared understanding of structural, systemic, interpersonal, and internalized racism; therefore, we commit to learning, individually and together, about the ways in which all forms of racism manifest in order to transform how we participate in research, education, and community engagement.
Equitable Access
We believe that racial justice requires equitable access to opportunities and information; therefore, we commit to working towards policies, practices, and processes that share decision making, build capacity, expand racial, ethnic, and gender representation, and increase transparency and access to resources.
TOWARD Solidarity
We believe that achieving racial justice requires striving toward solidarity in the pursuit of liberation; therefore, we commit to acknowledging that our complex and intersectional histories are shaped by White supremacy and to honoring the strengths and resilience of all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Language Shift
The Social Work Practicum Team believes language is important and has made an intentional decision to use the term "practicum" rather than "field" due to the racist and historical context of the word. This shift is inspired by statements made by activist Joyce McMillan during a presentation titled From Complicity to Resistance: Demanding an Abolitionist Model of Social Work in Reproductive Justice and other racial justice advocates.
UH GCSW Culture, History, and Vision
View the below video (9 minutes) to better understand the UH-GCSW culture, history, and vision
https://youtu.be/P_PojQJHIhw?si=0ZTxA4jP8dGNifmp
**This video was created for incoming MSW students by Amber Mollhagen, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs. Disclaimer: Videos are being updated and may not have all up to date information.
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