The construction on the corner of South and East University avenues will eventually house the School of Social Work, currently located in the Frieze Building. The new facility symbolizes the changes and new outlook social work will take on in the next millennium.
"Society is changing. We have a need to respond to what the world might look like in five to 10 years," said Srinika Jayaratne, associate dean of Social Work.
The University's School of Social Work was ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report in 1994. That survey was the first of its kind and will be conducted every two years.
The National Association of Deans and Directors conference has found that in the year 2005, 104,000 additional human service workers and 150,000 additional social workers will be needed.
Social workers will need to focus on health care services for poor families, elderly and persons with mental illness and retardation.
"With all the various reform initiatives - health care reform, welfare reform - clients are being linked with the resources in the communities. The consequences will be some new opportunities for some social workers," said Paula Allen-Meares, Social Work dean.
In response to changes in society, the University's curriculum is being reformed. Taken into consideration are the resources available to the school, student interests and the job market after graduation, Jayaratne said.
"We are undergoing curriculum renewal efforts, including gathering points of view and opinions from faculty, persons who are supervisors in the field, both current students and graduates, and key agency personnel leaders in social work," Meares said. "It's a very inclusive process to get multiple points of view to see where the field is and where it might be going."
The curriculum has not been updated in eight years.
The School of Social Work conducts both master's and doctoral programs. To earn a master's degree, students go through a two-year program. There are approximately 600 students each year.
The doctoral program currently has 86 students.
"We look for individuals who are committed and have experience in voluntary work in human services," Jayaratne said.
First-year master's student Marci Bloch said she has always been interested in human services. "Everything I've ever done has been related to helping people," Bloch said.
To prepare for the real world, students work in agencies with clients or doing administrative tasks. Master's students put in about 900 hours of field work while pursuing their degrees.
The field work covers a large range of projects. Project Star gets students involved with Jewish Communal Services.
Marsha Armstrong, a second-year master's student, works at a Community Health Agency in Detroit. Armstrong conducts therapy sessions for families and their children, performs case-management services and gives discussions on stress reduction.
"Seeing that the majority want the help and are willing to work at making changes on their lives keeps me going," Armstrong said. "I get satisfaction seeing individuals get the help that they need and deserve."
DAMIAN PETRESCU/Daily
Michael Spencer, University post-doctorate researcher, and Mary Collins, a research associate, stand in front of the School of Social Work Poverty and Research Training Center at the corner of Maynard and Liberty streets yesterday.