School of Social Work Values Statement

At the School of Social Work we take social justice and equity very serious at all levels.

The Values Statement used today by the school was created by administrative staff who wanted to make sure that the school was a place that was safe and welcoming for all people. The values document was later adopted by the faculty of SSW in 2009 as an official statement of values for the school.

School of Social Work Values Statement

• We treat each other with kindness, respect, consideration, thoughtfulness and dignity.
• We will not tolerate behavior that makes any person feel unsafe, including any discrimination against race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender expression or any oppression. We will gently and respectfully interrupt any form of discrimination. We will listen, grow, change and stay committed to one another and the process of learning.
• We will make mistakes, but we stay committed to not making the same mistakes over.  We will be accountable for our actions, saying we are sorry when it is needed, and finding the tools to be good supports and allies to each other. We will communicate the work we are doing to be good allies when needed.
• We will take time with one another and listen to understand. We will support the voices and leadership of others.
• We remain committed to the ongoing work and self awareness necessary to advocate for equity, social justice, and the right for all people to have an opportunity to thrive. We realize this work never really ends and we are all always learning.
• We will bring solutions to the table, not just problems. We will be part of the solutions.
• We will treat each team member as an individual with their own valuable skill set. We will honor individual and new ways of doing things. We will support learning of new skills and new leadership development. We will not participate in degradation based on rank, role or affiliations.
• We will act with honesty, integrity and commitment to the School of Social Work and each other; including staff, faculty, and students.
• Active listening and personal accountability resolves conflict. We will make sure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute by both taking space (finding our voices and speaking when we have something to share) and making space (creating an environment for others to share).
• We will remember and seek out the goodness and humanity in others. We will use the “human goodness” model – everyone is good, it’s our behaviors that are not always good.
• We actively work to resolve conflict peaceably. We will practice tools for resolving conflict. This will be a part of our professional responsibilities and our work together.
• We proactively strive to create a supportive and collaborative work environment that encourages teamwork. We will not humiliate anyone. We will do intentional, healthy venting, ask for what we need from one another in a respectful way, listen and stay committed to work out conflict with each other.