The discovery of links between the concerns of individuals and environmental conditions will become increasingly important in the 21st century. Efforts to understand the creation, transmission, and reformulation of social arrangements define our purpose, guide our work and contribute to the betterment of the human condition. To this end, the Department of Sociology and Social Work strives to create a community of inquiry in which critical, reflective thought is valued and demonstrated and social action based on the principles of justice is encouraged. Service to the Discipline and the Profession Sociology and Social Work faculty and students are engaged in a number of research and service activities that benefit the discipline and profession. Service to Community Sociology and Social Work faculty consider service to the profession and community to be critical aspect of their professional lives.
Faculty serve the community in many diverse ways.
Faculty serve by volunteering and consulting for the Northwest Kansas Family Shelter, Ellis Community Partnership, Court Appointed Special Advocate, Hays City Government, and First Call for Help to name a few. A faculty member writes a weekly parenting column for Hays Daily News and Parsons Sun and speaks about parenting on a monthly radio program. Faculty incorporate their experience in research and service into their classrooms, providing students with direct exposure to the application of sociological and social work knowledge to the real world. In addition to fulfilling the responsibilities associated with teaching, research and service, the Department of Sociology and Social Work serves the university by supporting the educational and professional needs of other units, by expending a substantial amount of its resources to address diversity, by maintaining a leadership role in the delivery of off-campus classes, and by seeking and accepting assignments which contribute to the overall operation of the university. Service to Students The Department of Sociology and Social Work has a well-deserved reputation for delivering quality undergraduate education.