Patty Alvarez

The University of Maryland School of Social Work has introduced a new vision statement, developed through extensive stakeholder discussions and surveys, to solidify its strategic direction. This vision aims to integrate social work research, practice, and policy to drive social justice and equity, strengthen communities, and improve lives locally, nationally, and globally. It serves as a guiding 'north star' for the institution, ensuring that all efforts are aligned with these core social work values and fostering a collaborative, accountable community.

The board approved a 99-year ground lease requested by the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The project involves a private developer constructing market-based rental residential buildings, intended to revitalize the downtown west side of Baltimore, increase the city's tax base, and create an inclusive and economically productive district.

The document details the 2022 Alumni Awards Ceremony, which served as a conclusion to the annual homecoming event. Key discussions involved recognizing the achievements of alumni serving as leaders and advocates in the social work profession. Awards presented included the Outstanding Recent Graduate Award (winners were Dr. Elizabeth Liz Aparicia and Seema Nelson), the Innovation in Social Work Award (recipient Lee Westgate), the Field Instructor of the Year Award (recipient Shonda Brown), the Emeritus Award (recipient Deborah Linzenmeier), and the Alumni of the Year Award (recipient Ezra Buchdall, along with his facility dog Carmen). The event also included accepting nominations for the 2023 alumni awards.

The event, a Spring Symposium titled "Uneasy Alignments: The Mental Health Turn in the American Legal System," was a collaboration between the University of Maryland School of Law Journal of Healthcare Law and Policy and the School of Social Work Daniel Thurz Social Justice Lecture Series. Key discussion topics centered on the intersection of law and mental health across juvenile justice, child welfare, intimate partner violence, criminal legal systems, and public health and welfare. The opening remarks established a theoretical framework focusing on how social problems are conceptualized and the cyclical relationship between problem definitions and remedial interventions, particularly noting concerns regarding neoliberal reforms and the tension between rehabilitation and social control. The first panel addressed foundational concepts challenging the integration of mental health considerations within potentially coercive legal systems, featuring scholars discussing topics related to penology, gender-based violence, and the interplay between criminal law and mental health law.

The meeting addressed several items under New Business, including the expectation of a replacement US Government policy for Dual Use Research of Concern and scheduling the next meeting for February 6th. The SelectAgent Program Oversight committee received notification that the renewal inspection is scheduled for the week of March 1st, and there were no reportable incidents for the current month. The committee reviewed and approved one new IBC submission concerning a Phase 1b/2 Study involving lentiviral transduced cells, and granted RMSA status to a second submission requiring several modifications, including abstract rewrites, personnel additions, and clarification of classifications related to lentiviral vectors and AAV use in human cells. Several modification discussions were held, resulting in approval for one modification involving lentiviral vectors in murine cells and RMSA status for another adding new AAV constructs to a previously approved protocol. Additionally, several protocols underwent periodic reviews where no substantive changes were noted.