Next Meeting of the Board of Accreditation: October 7-10, 2026

 

CSWE's Board of Accreditation (BOA) is responsible for both formulating accreditation standards and determining the criteria and process for evaluating these standards.

About the BOA

CSWE’s BOA, formerly called the Commission on Accreditation (COA), is a Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)-recognized programmatic accrediting body that accredits baccalaureate, master's, and practice doctorate social work education degree programs within the United States and its territories.

Since its inception in July 1952, CSWE has accredited master's programs. CSWE began accrediting baccalaureate programs in 1974 and practice doctorate programs in 2025. BOA also accredits post-master's social work fellowship programs, which are non-degree granting programs that are not recognized by CHEA.

 

The BOA is responsible for both formulating accreditation standards and determining the criteria and process for evaluating these standards. The BOA's accreditation decisions are accompanied by a reasoned opinion, and the accreditation process is conducted in a manner that ensures the continuation of the BOA's role as the accrediting body for social work education.

In January 2023, the CSWE Board of Directors and the CSWE accrediting body updated the MOA with respect to delegation of accreditation authorities of the CSWE accrediting body, as established in the CSWE bylaws Article 3, Section 5.

 

The completion of the MOA comes from a years-long collaborative process between the CSWE Board of Directors and the CSWE Board of Accreditation to update the previous memorandum of understanding, adopted in 2010.

 

View the MOA revision and process timeline here.

BOA Members

Octavio Ramirez, PhD, LSCSW

Octavio Ramirez, PhD, LSCSW

Professor and MSW Program Director, Fort Hays State University

Chair

George Ashley, PhD, LMSW

George Ashley, PhD, LMSW

Associate Professor, Eastern Kentucky University

Vice Chair

Antoinette Y. Farmer, PhD

Antoinette Y. Farmer, PhD

Professor; Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Becky Thomas, PhD, LISW-S, ACSW

Becky Thomas, PhD, LISW-S, ACSW

Associate Director, University of Akron

Carol Hurst, PhD, LCSW

Carol Hurst, PhD, LCSW

Associate Professor & Field Director, Eastern Mennonite University

Christian Itin, BSW, MSW, PhD

Christian Itin, BSW, MSW, PhD

Tenured Full Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Diane R. Bessel, PhD, LMSW, CNM

Diane R. Bessel, PhD, LMSW, CNM

Chair, Social Work & Sociology; MSW Program Director; Associate Faculty, Daemen University

Dorothea Ivey, PhD, MSW, MPA

Dorothea Ivey, PhD, MSW, MPA

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Research, University of Southern Maine

Emarely Rosa-Dávila, PhD, MSW, LMSW

Emarely Rosa-Dávila, PhD, MSW, LMSW

Associate Professor, Texas State University

Emmerentie Oliphant, PhD

Emmerentie Oliphant, PhD

Director, Doctorate in Social Work; Buddy Zeagler Endowed Professor of Community-Based Research, Stephen F Austin University

Fran Franklin BA, MSW, PhD, LCSW

Fran Franklin BA, MSW, PhD, LCSW

BSW Program Director, Delaware State University

Janet Holter, DSW, MSSW

Janet Holter, DSW, MSSW

Social Work Program Director, Associate Professor, & Chair of Social Work, Sociology, Criminal and Community Justice

Joan Groessl, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Joan Groessl, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Professor and Director of Social Work Professional Programs, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Jodi Hall, BSW, MSW, EdD

Jodi Hall, BSW, MSW, EdD

Department Head and Social Work Director, Shaw University

Karen Halfhide, PhD, LSW, ACSW

Karen Halfhide, PhD, LSW, ACSW

Professor, Millersville University

Katherine Perone, DSW, MSW, LSW

Katherine Perone, DSW, MSW, LSW

Professor and Director of Field Education, Western Illinois University

Kelly Bass, DSW, LCSW-PIP, QMHP

Kelly Bass, DSW, LCSW-PIP, QMHP

Department Chair & Associate Professor, University of South Dakota

Laura Racovita, PhD, MSW

Laura Racovita, PhD, MSW

Professor, Southern Adventist University

Lisa Clifton, MSW, JD

Lisa Clifton, MSW, JD

MSW Program Director, Mount St. Joseph University

M. Sebrena Jackson, PhD, LCSW

M. Sebrena Jackson, PhD, LCSW

Dean of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work & Professor, Clark Atlanta University

Mark Giesler PhD, LMSW

Mark Giesler PhD, LMSW

Professor, Saginaw Valley State University

Mary Rawlings, PhD, LCSW

Mary Rawlings, PhD, LCSW

Professor, Azusa Pacific University

Megan Callahan Sherman, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Megan Callahan Sherman, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Professor, Director of the Center for Child and Human Development; MSW Program Director, Saint Peter's University

Mini Datta, MSW

Mini Datta, MSW

Director of Internships & Career Services, Loyola University Chicago

Randy Magen, PhD, MSSW

Randy Magen, PhD, MSSW

Dorothy & David Schachne Dean of the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University

Robert Ortega, LMSW, MA, PhD

Robert Ortega, LMSW, MA, PhD

Associate Dean for Educational Programs, University of Michigan

Sarah Hessenauer, PhD, MSW, LSCW, MBA

Sarah Hessenauer, PhD, MSW, LSCW, MBA

MSW Program Director, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Selena T. Rodgers, PhD, MSW, LCSW-R

Selena T. Rodgers, PhD, MSW, LCSW-R

Professor and Chairperson, Department of Social Work & Founding Director, MSW Program, York College of the City University of New York

Sheri Hamamoto Boyle, MSW, PhD

Sheri Hamamoto Boyle, MSW, PhD

Professor, Pennsylvania Western University

Terry Cluse-Tolar, PhD, MSW

Terry Cluse-Tolar, PhD, MSW

Professor, Director of Studies for the Social Work Honors Tutorial Program, Ohio University

BOA Decisions