CONTINUING-EDUCATION PROGRAMS (CEP), AN IMAGE OF THE PROFESSIONS - THE CASE OF SOCIAL-WORK

Although most social work continuing education units operate within st able academic institutions, this stability does not extend to the oper ation of these units. The greatest impediment is the demand by univers ity administrators that the units operate on a pay as you go basis and turn any surplus revenues to the university for its discretionary use . In trying to meet university conditions while maintaining high stand ards of service, the units face several difficulties including competi tion from private providers, high costs, fewer sponsors, and indiffere nt faculty. In funding and budgeting the units for continuing educatio n, universities tend to ignore two key arguments. The first is that CE P provide public services with spill over effects that add indirect de mand to the demand expressed through registration. The second is that building quality into professional programs requires long term investm ents that forego immediate profits. Because continuing education progr ams are an image of their profession, social work programs need to cor respond to the profession they serve, a profession that produces publi c goods (and services) while seeking to assure quality within non-prof it environments. Unless universities assume a lead role in supporting these efforts through new approaches, continuing education programs wi ll only be partially successful in fulfilling their mission.