Learn About the Departmental Name Change and New Terminology
Dear Community Partner,
The NYU Silver School of Social Work is grateful for your ongoing contributions to the education of our students. We are reaching out to let you know about a change in the terminology we will use to describe their experiential learning.
Over the past year, NYU Silver has engaged in a number of thoughtful conversations with students, faculty, staff, alums, and community members that center commitment to social justice, antiracism, and inclusion. Because of the insights we’ve gained, as well as developments within social work education nationally, we have decided to update the name of the NYU Silver Department of Field Learning & Community Partnerships to the Department of Practicum Education & Community Partnerships. The replacement of the term “field” with “practicum” in the context of experiential learning has also affected the titles of Silver courses, positions, and all related items.
Language can be powerful, and we realize the term “field” may have harmful and negative connotations for descendants of enslaved people, immigrant workers and others. Continuing to use the terminology is not in keeping with the NASW Code of Ethics Value “Dignity and Worth of the Person,” nor with our abovementioned commitment to antiracist education and the use of inclusive language. Other schools of social work have already made this change, such as Columbia, University of Houston and University of Southern California.
You may have noticed that we have begun to roll these changes out in Practicum Education communications. We also have a new alias for the department: silver.practicum@nyu.edu.
There will be additional terminology/areas that will need to shift as well, including our website. This is a large undertaking, so we ask for your patience as we make these updates over the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please reach out to silver.practicum@nyu.edu.
The departmental name may be changing, but what remains the same at Silver is our commitment to ensuring that our students receive the best education and are prepared to practice with excellence, passion and an innovative spirit within their practicum placements and after they graduate. Thank you for your continuing partnership with us and our students.
Sincerely,
Department of Practicum Education & Community Partnerships
