the actual size of the incoming class, is Unfortunately, there is yet no reliable Manpower Supply and Admissions Policy in Israeli Social determined and admission letters are sent out. research data that corroborate the hypotheti­ Work Education Acceptable candidacy for social work cal relationship between a good grade on the education at the Hebrew University requires a entrance exam and good grades in social work grade point average of 8 or higher on high courses.5 There is also some evidence that ELIEZEH D. JAFFE, D.S.W. school matriculation performance, or a personal interviews with candidates are not School of Social Work, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel weighted score based on a special admissions good predictors of their performance in social examination combined with matriculation work; this is due to the great subjectivity of In my view, it is essential to "loosen-up" traditional social work education methods, copied for grades.4 Those fulfilling the former require­ interviews and lack of consensus among them. the most part from American social work education models of the 1950's and early 1960's. Above ment are exempt from the latter. What has happened, therefore, is that the all, I believe that it is essential to undertake meaningful experimentation in Israeli social work more economical, impersonal method of education. We cannot afford, neither morally, professionally, or economically, to let social work In the final analysis, a list of applicants is drawn up by grade rank, and an arbitrary admissions testing has become the basic needs and daily practice develop in one corner of our society, and social work education in qualitative screening tool and the "incoming another. cutting point is selected which will provide the quota of students to be accepted, specifically class quota" the determinant of the quality of taking into account the expected "fall-out" or students to be accepted. Israel's current economic situation and the social work teaching content, and inadequate non-starters among those accepted. The In my opinion, the present admissions consequent search for areas where the nation's supply of social work manpower. arbitrary cutting-point varies from year to procedure is exceedingly inequitable, tends to budget can be trimmed has inevitably resulted This article will relate mainly to the related year, and from department to department, discriminate unfavourably against low-income in a closer look at the costs of university issues of admissions policy and manpower based on the quota of students to be accepted and minority groups, both Jewish and Arab, education. The recent decision by the Knesset supply and sorne suggestions for change and the number of applicants. For example, especially from rural areas, and perpetuates a Finance Committee to slice Israel university relevant to developments in the social work the cutting-point for admission to the Psycho­ situation in Israel where students from budgets was appealed by the Minister of Social field. logy Department in 1975 was 25.75, for Social advantaged classes of Western origin become Welfare, Mr. Zvulun Hammer, who insisted in Inequity in Admissions Work 20.0, and for the Social Sciences faculty social workers tending the needs of under­ January, 1976 that funding for social work 18.5. Often, slight variations in determining privileged, primarily middle-Eastern, clientele. education not be curtailed and that students The Hebrew University School of Social the cutting-point score could result in the Social work admission policy should look for from professions where employment was Work admits approximately 120 students each acceptance or rejection of tens or hundreds of active ways of recruiting and reaching out to unavailable, such as sociology, philosophy, year. In 1975 over 620 applicants applied for applicants. For example in 1976, by lowering potential social workers from underprivileged history, and political science, be channelled admission to the School. Of these, 226 the cutting-point in social work from 20.5 to backgrounds and provide special tutorial and towards social work where full employment received admission letters acknowledging that 20.0, approximately 30 more students would educational help after admission to help them was almost certain. 1 Although the issue has they had passed the "entrance requirements". have been guaranteed admission and lowering become professional social workers and been temporarily referred to the Inter-Minis­ Only 117 of the 226 accepted actually appeared the cutting-point from 20.5 to 19.25 would leaders of their communities. I would not, by terial Committee on Welfare, the academic for classes.3 This "fall-out" of 109 students have resulted in 68 more students. any means, want to see an "ethnic" quota community has been presented with a chal­ who were accepted but opted not to study system introduced into Israeli social work, but lenge that has far-reaching implications for social work at the Hebrew University is due to In social work, the determining factors rather more aggressive efforts to recruit and higher education, and social work educators a number of reasons: they may have been which decide the size of the quota and assist disadvantaged groups to take part in the have not been spared. accepted to other social work schools (multiple consequently the arbitrary cutting-point for profession, and I would expect this task to be applications), or were accepted to other admission are the availability of academic Schools of social work in Israel, including departments in the University; 81 in fact listed staff and sufficient field work apprenticeships. that of the Hebrew University, have come social work as their second departmental The entrance examination is based on a 5 Dina Vardi, op cit., p. 4. The U.S. experience under fire from many quarters during recent regarding admission criteria and predictions is choice. Some of the non-starters may have battery of intelligence tests, past educational years.2 These complaints fall into three major similar to the Israeli experience, see: decided to delay their vocational plans, many performance, general education, and knowl­ categories: admissions policy, the relevancy of Charles O'Reilly, "Issues in Student Recruit­ edge of English. The entrance examination has have remained in the army, moved, or gone ment and Selection" in Educationally Disadvan­ 1 Report of the Knesset Finance Committee abroad to study. From year to year over a been favoured over interviews because it is less taged Students in Social Work Education, Council deliberations reported by Menachem Barash in third of those admitted do not show up for subjective and because those who do well on it on Social Work Education, New York, 1968, pp. Yediot Acharonot, January 26, 1976. classes. This predictable phenomenon is taken theoretically will be able to cope with the 85-95. 2 Yitzchak Kadman, "Problems of Manpower in into consideration when the class quota, i.e. course requirements of the School. Dennis M. Dailey, "The Validity of Admissions Social Welfare" Saad, Vol. 17, No. 6, (November, 4 Predictions: Implications for Social Work Educa­ School of Social Work, The School Bulletin: 1973), pp. 12-13. See also: 3 Djna Vardi, Report on Admissions for the tion", Journal of Education for Social Work, Vol. 1975-1976, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Eliezer Jaffe, "The Social Work Establishment Academic Year 1975-1976, Paul Baerwald School of 10, No. 2 (Spring, 1974), pp. 12-19. (no date), pp. 11-12. and Social Change in Israel", Social Work, Vol. 15, Social Work of The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, No. 2, (April, 1970), pp. 103-109. December 12, 1975, p. 1, (mimeo). 243 242 undertaken as a declared policy of the schools incoming class at the Hebrew University of social work, along with well-defined, public School of Social Work was remarkably Services Committee of the Knesset, Mr. Aaron professional workers. Since only 2,157 work­ criteria for its implementation. The, Hebrew dissimilar to that of students enrolled at Tel Langerman, Director General of the Ministry ers are presently on the job, we need another University's pioneering Centre for Pre- Aviv University's School of Social Work. Only of Social Welfare, described Israel's present 3,085 social workers immediately.14 Academic Studies has done truly excellent 15 per cent of the fathers of the 123 first year and projected social work manpower needs. 11 If one projects present manpower standards work, but it has not "solved" the problem of Hebrew University social work students were As of April, 1976 there existed 1,723 onto expected growth of target populations in recruiting the disadvantaged into social work. born in Africa or Asia, while 64 per cent of the professional positions in social welfare offices. 1980, and expected social work manpower Perhaps we need another. Center for "Post- students' fathers were from western coun­ Only 1,077 of the professional positions were available then, we will need an additional Admission Academic Support". The "reach­ tries. 8 (The number of western-born parents filled, leaving 646 available positions. In other 1,464 social workers, assuming that we can fill ing out" concept that is a treasured principle of the Jerusalem students is probably much words, 38 per cent of the budgeted profession­ the new 3,085 positions now unfilled. Theo­ of modern social work practice is not yet higher, since records did not show fathers' al positions were unfilled. 12 Furthermore, retically, between 1976 and 1980 we will have enough in evidence in the admissions policy of birthplace for 9 per cent of the students and recent data from the Israel Social Workers to produce 4,549 professional social workers many Israeli schools of social work. Haifa another 11 per cent of the fathers were listed as Union shows that 20 per cent (approx. 500) of to fill the positions which will be needed at that University has made an imaginative start in Israeli born).