Frank R. Baskind, Ph.D.
Following the receipt of an undergraduate degree in 1967 from Fordham University, Baskind earned a master's degree in 1971 from the University of Connecticut's School of Social Work. There, he also received the Ph.D. degree -- with a specialization in curriculum development and supervision and higher education organization and administration -- in 1978. He also earned a diploma in professional education from the university's School of Education.

From 1980-85, Baskind served as the associate head of Human Services and Social Work Programs and director and associate professor of the Undergraduate Social Work Program at the University of Tennessee, College of Liberal Arts, in Knoxville.

Baskind served as dean of the School of Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University from 1985-88. In 1987, he also was acting dean of the university's School of Arts and Sciences. Following these posts, he was appointed dean of Social Work and Human Services from 1988-1991 at Southern Connecticut State University.

Since 1992, Baskind has served as dean and professor of Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Social Work, which is one of the largest schools of its kind in the nation. According to U.S. News & World Report's 2001 rankings of "America's Best Graduate Schools," VCU's School of Social Work ranked 13th -- up from an 18th place ranking in 1997.

The author of numerous journal articles, Baskind has lectured around the world on a variety issues including trends in social work practice, strengthening aging and gerontology education for social work and using partnerships to initiate institutional change for minority student retention. He is a consultant for the Christian Childrens Fund and a co-principal investigator for a John A. Hartford Foundation curriculum development project with the Council on Social Work Education.

He was recently elected president of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the nation's sole accrediting body for all baccalaureate and master's level social work education programs. He assumed the presidency July 2001.

The CSWE is a national professional organization that ensures the preparation of skilled and committed social work professionals through the promotion of high quality social work education programs. Founded 50 years ago, CSWE represents 3,000 social work educators and 600 professional schools and academic departments of social work.