CSWE is governed by a member-driven, multi-layered system designed to guide our mission and ensure quality, innovation, and accountability in social work education.

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Governance

Learn more about our Board of Directors, commissions & councils, and other governance groups.

Bylaws & Policies

Review CSWE's governing documents and important policies.

Financials & Reporting

Review the latest financial and annual reports from CSWE leadership.

Elections

Learn more about the process of electing Board members and leaders.

How is CSWE governed?


Our governance is characterized by volunteer and member input, strategic leadership, and specialized expertise. Together, these structures help form policy, strengthen standards, order priorities, and provide direction.

The direct vote of member program delegates and an elected Board of Directors govern CSWE. The Board is composed of members from across the country and represents educational programs, faculty, practitioners, ethnic minority groups, and private citizens. CSWE's membership includes individuals from the entire field of social work: graduate and undergraduate educational programs, public agencies, voluntary agencies, social work educators, field instructors, and other interested persons.

Members volunteer their knowledge and time by serving on the CSWE Board of Accreditation and various commissions, councils, and task forces. All volunteers must maintain current CSWE membership.
 

CSWE Board of Directors Annual Conference

CSWE Board of Directors

Learn more about our Board, and meet the dedicated volunteers who serve as its members.

Governing Documents

Bylaws

CSWE provides national leadership and collective action designed to ensure the preparation and continued growth of competent and committed social work professionals. 

This includes promoting and maintaining the quality of social work educational programs and stimulating the development of knowledge, practice, and service effectiveness designed to promote social justice and further community and individual well-being. 

Review our bylaws at the link below (updated in June 2026).

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy

CSWE is committed to valuing and reflecting the diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences of our members throughout the organization and its programming. 

This policy provides guidance on including diverse voices and perspectives and to keep diversity, equity, and inclusion in focus as we hire staff, appoint volunteers, elect individuals, and select vendors. This includes, but is not limited to, culture, race, religion, age, sex/gender, sexual orientation, disability, and country of origin of people. 

As our understanding deepens about the intersectional, complex, and nuanced nature of diversity, this document will evolve to help the organization be responsive, innovative, and forward-thinking. 

Memorandum of Agreement: CSWE and Board of Accreditation

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

Financials & Reports

CSWE annual reporting informs members and the public regarding our financial management, important initiatives, program updates, and other news of the completed fiscal year.

Governance Groups

Board of Directors

CSWE’s Board of Directors (BOD) governs the affairs of the Council and exercises all the powers, rights, and privileges of CSWE, subject to the provisions of law and the organization’s bylaws. 

Commissions & Councils

CSWE's 5 commissions and 12 councils are volunteer bodies that work to advance CSWE's mission of promoting quality in social work education.

Board of Accreditation

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

National Nominating Committee

The National Nominating Committee (NNC) prepares slates of nominees for the election of officers, members of the Board of Directors, and members of the NNC.

Elections

At the beginning of each calendar year, CSWE's National Nominating Committee (NNC) assembles slates of candidates for open positions on the organizations' Board of Directors and NNC. 

The finalized slates are voted on by the voting delegates from CSWE's member programs. Voting occurs in April and May, with the results tallied and posted in June. All positions are 3-year terms, beginning on July 1 of a given year, and ending three years late on June 30.

For questions about the election process or to find out who your voting representative is, please contact election@cswe.org.