The direct vote of full members 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.

Board of Accreditation

Board of Accreditation members are appointed for 3-year terms by the CSWE Board Chair in July. 

• The Board of Accreditation confers accreditation status on social work education and fellowship programs.

Councils and Commissions

Council and commission members are appointed for 3-year terms by the CSWE Board Chair in July. 

• The Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice promotes in social work education inclusion, equity, social and economic justice, and the integration of knowledge of how the multiple aspects of human diversity intersect.
  • The Council on Disability and Persons with Disabilities develops social work education resources that are related to issues surrounding disability and the experiences of individuals with disabilities.
  • The Council on Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Diversity initiates new activities and programs related to historically underrepresented groups in social work education.
  • The Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education develops educational resources relevant to women's issues within social work education.
  • The Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression promotes the development of social work curriculum materials and faculty growth opportunities relevant to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and the experiences of individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or two-spirit.
• The Commission on Educational Policy identifies pedagogical concerns in social work education, reviews current CSWE programs related to educational policy and planning, and periodically writes a statement of social work curriculum policy that is used to formulate CSWE's accreditation standards.
  • The Council on Field Education collaborates with the professional community to improve the quality of field programs, provides support for field directors and educators, and produces and disseminates relevant knowledge.
  • The Council on Practice Methods and Specializations identifies and responds to issues relevant to the preparation of students in the context of current and emerging social work practice.
• The Commission on Global Social Work Education works with other international organizations to promote international programs and projects and to develop the international dimension of the social work curricula.
  • The Council on Global Social Issues provides international visibility for the social work profession and promotes collaborative activities with international organizations.
  • The Council on Global Learning and Practice promotes the development of social workers competent in international practice.
  • The Council on Environmental Justice and Human Rights is CSWE's newest council and will convene on July 1, 2024.
• The Commission on Membership and Professional Development seeks to maximize educational outcomes in the form of highly competent social work graduates through approaching professional development with a spirit of creative inquiry that promotes inclusion and unity among social work educators.
  • The Council on Conferences and Faculty Development is responsible for policy-setting and programming related to the Annual Program Meeting.
  • The Council on Leadership Development initiates programs and services related to the development of leaders in social work education.
  • The Council on Publications serves as the policy-making body with respect to publications and as an editorial board in acquiring publication ideas and assessing the viability of publication proposals.
• The Commission on Research engages in a range of initiatives that enrich the interface of social work education and research, including helping to: establish key research priorities for CSWE; build databases to support knowledge building around social work education; promote excellence in research curricula; and to advocate for research supported policies, practices, and programs with CSWE.

• The National Nominating Committee prepares the double slate of nominees for officers, members of the Board of Directors, and members of the National Nominating Committee.