Fourth social welfare dean candidate is a KU faculty member

The University of Kansas has announced the last of four finalists for dean of the School of Social Welfare scheduled to give a public presentation on campus.

KU faculty member Stephen Kapp, professor and interim dean of the school, will present at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Centennial Room at the Kansas Union.

Kapp’s research specialties include juvenile justice and agency-based program evaluation, including outcome-oriented program management and consumer-based input, according to KU.

Stephen Kapp

Kapp has been at KU since 1997, and served as the School of Social Welfare’s assistant dean for academic affairs from 2011 to 2016. In 2014, Kapp received KU’s Leading Light Award for principal investigators with external awards in excess of $1 million. Previously, he was an instructor at Michigan State University and a field liaison for its master’s of social work student practicum. He has consulted for the Johnson County Juvenile Court Systems and a number of agencies and organizations in Michigan.

Kapp received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin, a master’s in social work from the University of Michigan and his doctorate in social science and social work from Michigan State.

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Kapp has been at the helm of KU’s School of Social Welfare for more than a year, first as acting then interim dean.

Previous dean Paul Smokowski announced his resignation in March 2016, after less than a year in the position, following student diversity protests targeting him personally. Smokowski remains a professor at KU.

KU social welfare dean candidates are asked to present on the topic: “The Social Work Profession in 2027 and the Role of Schools of Social Work in Preparing For It.”

Michelle Mohr Carney, a professor and director of the School of Social Work at Arizona State University, gave a presentation April 14. Wesley Church, professor and director of the School of Social Work at Louisiana State University, presented April 17. Daphne Cain, associate professor and chair of the Department of Social Work at the University of Mississippi, presented Monday.