Memorial lecture honors Jack Chapis

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A memorial lecture in honor of former CMU Professor Jack Chapis will bring a discussion on rural social reform to campus.

The event will take place at 1 p.m. Friday in Grawn Hall’s Pierpont Auditorium.

Richard Osburn, president of the National Institute of Human Services and Social Work in Rural Areas, will speak on rural social work in a presentation titled “Rural Social Work Practice: The Challenges and Opportunities,” said Joanne Riebschleger, sociology, anthropology and social work assistant professor.

The presentation will take place during the second annual Jack Chapis Memorial Lecture.

Chapis worked toward getting CMU’s social work program accredited until his death last year.

The department now is in the candidacy portion of the accreditation process for the bachelor’s degree of social work program.

Osburn’s presentation is to discuss the different aspects of practicing social work in rural areas, said Julie Baker, sociology, anthropology and social work administrative secretary.

“It is more difficult to make referrals to needed services in rural areas,” she said. “In Detroit, it is easy because there is a lot right there close, but it is harder in rural areas.

“A counselor in a rural area, of say 400 people, may have 20 clients,” she added. “The odds are pretty good they will see these people and will need to have dual relationships with them. The challenge is knowing how to deal with those.”

The Institute, also known as the National Rural Social Work Caucus, is a group of almost 300 people nationwide that have an annual conference in a rural part of the country for social work practitioners to address challenges in rural social work practices and to bring more attention at the policy level to rural social work, Riebschleger said.

“CMU has in its mission statement they will prepare students for work in rural areas,” she said. “A majority of our students are from rural areas and are more likely to practice in rural areas.”

Following Osburn’s presentation, members of CMU’s social work program advisory council and field supervisors will facilitate small groups.

There is no charge to attend the presentation but reservations are recommended, Riebschleger said.

A luncheon also will take place prior to the presentations. People can make reservations to both the speaker and the luncheon by calling Baker at 774-2690.

The event is sponsored by the College for Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences.