The Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee passed a bill on Wednesday to remove language in state statute requiring the University of Alabama (UA) School of Social Work to remain a standalone college under the authority of the Board of Trustees.
The bill was introduced by State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) following conversations with the University, as the state moves toward a program that will incentivize outcome-based initiatives.
House Bill 152 (HB 152) is a technical or structural bill that neither eliminates the program nor mandates major changes, instead leaving it up to university administrators to manage the program in the same way it manages all of its other programs. The social sciences program is currently required by state law to be a standalone program via Section 16-47-170.
Three members of the public who opposed the bill were given two minutes to speak.
One of those in opposition was Dr. Brian Bride, the Hill Crest Foundation endowed chair in Mental Health at the UA School of Social Work. Bride began his remarks with a disclaimer: he’s a faculty member but is not here in an official capacity. In his remarks, he defended staff-to-faculty ratios, noting that some were tied to accreditation requirements.
Bride also highlighted the current program's emphasis on research. He was called back to answer a question from State Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham), who asked how the change would affect the school.
"Moving from a standalone school will diminish the school’s ability to support specific research," Bride said.
Several Democrat law makers expressed concern that the school would remove the program altogether. Garrett read a statement from the university expressing its commitment to improving the school, but confirmed that future decisions would remain the university's.
The bill passed with 11 ayes, two nays and two abstentions.
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