The study of social work practice places students in a position of special trust with professional social workers and their clients. The Faculty recognizes that social work education occurs both inside and outside the classroom and has the responsibility to ensure that its graduates are competent and ethical. A student's impaired judgment or non-academic misconduct may be grounds for determining whether the student should continue in the program, with or without conditions, or be dismissed from the Faculty of Social Work.
Criteria
The following examples illustrate situations in which, in particular circumstances, a student may be assessed as being unsuitable for professional social work education at this time. The list is not exclusive of other forms of misconduct:
- Concealment or distortion of the truth on the Application for Admission to the Faculty of Social Work or the University of Calgary.
- Persistent and/or serious conduct that contravenes the University of Calgary Statement on Principles of Conduct.
- Persistent and/or serious unethical behaviour as defined by the Canadian Association For Social Work Education Code of Ethics, 2005 and the Standards of Ethical Practice for Social Workers in Alberta, 2001. Such unethical behaviour includes (but is not limited to):
(a) Persistent and/or serious medical condition that affects the student's ability to perform as a social worker if that condition negatively affects judgement and interferes with the ability to function within a professional context;
(b) Persistent substance abuse (e.g., alcoholism, drug addiction, use of illegal drugs) that interferes with the ability to function within a professional context;
(c) Criminal behaviour (i.e., arrests and convictions for such crimes as physical assault, sexual assault, drug trafficking) that interferes with the ability to function within a professional context;
(d) Persistent and or/serious conduct that contravenes the policies of the practicum setting (applies to students in practicum);
(e) Imposing stereotypes on a client, including behaviour, values, or roles related to race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, income source or amount, political affiliation, disability or diagnosis, or national origin, that would interfere with the provision of professional services to the client; and
(f) Persistent and/or serious inability to form a professional, helping relationship.
Procedures following an allegation of misconduct can be obtained from the Faculty of Social Work Student Services Office.
Faculty of Social Work