DuWayne Battle

V. DuWayne Battle (Ph.D., D.Min., MSW, M.Div.) is an Professor of Teaching, the Assistant Dean of Bachelor's Programs, Director of the BASW Program in New Brunswick, and Campus Coordinator of the Baccalaureate Child Welfare Education Program (BCWEP). Under his leadership the undergraduate social work program more than quadrupled, making it one of the largest and most diverse in New Jersey. Additionally, he has served as the faculty advisor for five student groups, including the Undergraduate Social Work Program (USWO); Nu Omicron Chapter of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, the nation's largest social work honor society; Project Sunshine, which focuses on the emotional needs of pediatric patients and their caregivers; Indian Student Christian Fellowship; and co-faculty advisor for the Rutgers SSW Black Lives Matter Student Caucus. Dr. Battle is the past President of the National Association of Social Workers – NJ Chapter (NASW-NJ); the Association of Baccalaureate Program Social Work Directors (BPD); and the Southwestern Social Work Association (SSWA). Currently, he is the campus coordinator of the Baccalaureate Child Welfare Education Program (BCWEP), a consortium of all of New Jersey’s schools and departments of social work; member of the NASW-NJ Continuing Education Program Committee; member PATH@1919 Community Hub Board; member of the Atlantic Cape Community College Human Services Advisory Board, and he serves on several other boards and committees. His international experience includes travel to six continents, where he has worked on academic and faith-based initiatives with a number of organizations. Dr. Battle worked to help establish international student exchange programs between the Rutgers School of Social Work and Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, as well as the Beijing University of Chemical Technology. Dr. Battle is the primary lead teacher for the Diversity and Oppression and Introduction to Social Work and Social Justice courses. He has also worked to develop three fully online courses in the areas of generalist social work practice, child welfare, and diversity and social justice. He is currently developing a “Confronting Anti-Black Racism” course. Dr. Battle worked on a project between Rutgers University and NASW-NJ to establish a Leadership Development Certificate Program, entitled, Leadership Through a New Lens: Institutionalizing Diversity and Social Justice. He has published in the area of diversity, racial and social justice, as well as religion and spirituality. His most recent work has utilized various methods of dissemination on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) topics, such as, Difficult conversations, honest assessments, and renewed commitments; William M. Ashby – New Jersey’s First Black Social Worker; Examining the social justice implications of physical distancing and the economic stimulus plans; COVID-19 and the death of Black Clergy; “I can’t breathe”; How do we keep the homeless safe during this crisis?; and The disproportionate impact of the Coronavirus on the African American community. His co-authored article, entitled, Measuring student learning in social justice courses: The Diversity and Oppression Scale, provides an important instrument to evaluate courses on diversity, oppression, and social justice in schools of social work. Dr. Battle has been an advocate for increasing accessibility for people with disabilities, and he has led an effort to raise awareness about domestic violence and more than $110k for the Krystal Skinner Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. He also helped to raise more than $70k and established the Rutgers Phi Alpha Honor Society Scholarship Endowment Fund.

• Confronting Anti-Black Racism
• Child Welfare Services and Practices
• Diversity and Oppression
• Groups at Risk
• Human Behavior in the Social Environment
• Introduction to Social Work and Social Justice
• Spirituality and Social Work

Battle, D. (2021, February 22). Difficult conversations, honest assessments, and renewed commitments. Rutgers SSW website.

Battle, D. (2021, February 12). Black History Month: William M. Ashby – New Jersey’s First Black Social Worker. Rutgers SSW website. (2021, Featured February 12). What’s Trending. Rutgers Today.

Konrady, D. & Battle, D. (2020). Partnering to improve child welfare in New Jersey. Children’s VOICE, 29:2, 33-35.

Battle, V. D. (Fall 2020). Examining the social justice implications of physical distancing and the economic stimulus plans. The New Social Worker Magazine, 27(3), 20-21.

Battle, V. D. (2020, Posted July 29; Printed August 2). COVID-19 and the death of Black Clergy. The Star Ledger.

Battle, V. D. (2020, Posted June 3). “I can’t breathe.” The Star Ledger. (2020, Featured June 4). Faculty Excellence. Rutgers Today.

Battle, V. D. (2020, Posted May 6; Printed May 9). How do we keep the homeless safe during this crisis? The Star Ledger. (2020Featured May 7). Rutgers Today.

Battle, D. Interview. (2020, Broadcasted April 12). The disproportionate impact of the Coronavirus on the African American community. BBC Radio 4.

Battle, D. (2018). BPD for the future: Social work educators, allied professionals, and students: BPD President’s Address to the 2017 Annual Conference. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 23:1, 117- 122.

Battle, D. (2018). Trafficking in hope: BPD President’s Address to the 2016 Annual Conference. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 23:1, 111-116.

Windsor, L C., Shorkey, C., & Battle, D. (2015). Measuring student learning in social justice courses: The Diversity and Oppression Scale. Journal of Social Work Education, 51:1, 58-71.

Krentzman, A. R., Pagano, M. E., Bradley, J. C., Johnson, S. M., Battle, D., Andrade, F. H., Delva, J., & Robinson, E. A. R. (2012). The role of religiousness on substance-use disorder treatment outcomes: A comparison of Black and White adolescents. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 3, 104-128. James, C., & Battle, D. (2011). Remembering African American social workers during social work month. NASW-NJ.

Battle, V. D. (2003). Just James: 12 Keys to Living the Good Life. Largo, MD: Christian Living Books, Inc. Battle, V. D. & Idler, E. L. (2003). Meaning and Effects of Congregational Religious Participation. In M. A. Kimble & S. H. McFadden (Eds.), Aging, Spirituality, and Religion: A Handbook, Volume 2, (pp. 121-33). Minneapolis, Fortress Press.

Battle, V. D. (2003). Four Windows and an Altar. Minister, 26(1), 3-5.

Battle, V. D. (January/February 1988). The influence of Al- Islam in America on the Black Community. The Black Scholar. Vol. 19, No. 1, Civil Rights in the Second Renaissance - 1954 - 1970), pp. 33-41. DOI: 10.1080/00064246.1988.11412798

Battle, V. D. (1987). The influence of Al-Islam in America on the Black Community. Lincoln Review, 8(1), 65-77.

Battle, V. D. (1986). The Seamless Garment. The Shaw Divinity School Journal, 1(1), 32-35.