Goal 1: Support and retain distinguished faculty (CAA Standard 2.0 Faculty)
Objective 1: Support faculty intra and inter-disciplinary collaboration.
Tactic: Faculty will participate in at least one - two research study/studies per year with other faculty inside and outside the school (within the university).
Schedule: Continuously assess.
Objective 2: Support faculty to achieve excellence in service, scholarship and teaching.
Tactic 1: Faculty obligations will be balanced for scholarship, teaching, service, advising, supervision and student mentoring of research projects in order to achieve this strategy.
Schedule: The chair will review each faculty member’s obligations annually.
Tactic 2: Faculty will obtain financial reimbursement for presenting their research at two conferences per year (regional, state, or national conferences).
Tactic 3: Faculty will obtain start-up funds to assist with the development of their scholarship plan.
Schedule: Each faculty member will obtain start-up funds based on his/her research agenda and is expected to write research grants yearly.
Objective 3: Provide mentorship to junior faculty in the areas of Scholarship, Teaching and Service.
Tactic: Faculty will meet with the chair to monitor and support their growth as teachers and researchers toward tenure. Prior to meetings, faculty will reflect on 3 different areas: Scholarship, Teaching and Service and provide one annual goal in each area. The chair will observe all faculty teaching and write a teaching evaluation.
Schedule: The chair will meet annually with each faculty member to discuss their career projector (including their goals in the areas of Scholarship, Teaching and Service).
Goal 2: Develop an accredited program which provides a commitment for academic excellence by incorporating evidence-based practice, critical thinking, scholarly activity, innovative clinical training methods, and interprofessional education and practice in order to meet CAA Standards, State Licensure, and teaching certification standards. (CAA Standard 3.0 Curriculum)
Objective 1: Develop and implement Interprofessional Practice experiences with faculty in other allied-health programs in the School of Health Professions, School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, and the School of Nursing.
Tactic: Faculty and students will engage in at least three clinical simulations/IPE events with faculty and students from the SHP, School of Nursing, School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine.
Schedule: Beginning Fall 2021 and continuing every fall semester.
Objective 2: Faculty will incorporate evidence-based practice, case studies, critical thinking, problem-solving and experiential learning activities during their pedagogical coursework.
Tactic 1: Faculty will incorporate these pedagogical strategies in at least two assignments in each course they teach.
Schedule: Beginning Fall 2020. The chair will review syllabi each semester and discuss the curriculum at a scheduled yearly retreat. The first retreat was in summer 2021. The next faculty retreat was in summer 2022.
Tactic 2: The chair will review the syllabi each semester and provide feedback.
Schedule: The chair will review syllabi each semester and discuss the curriculum at the scheduled yearly retreat.
Goal 3: Recruit and retain intellectually engaged, and ethical students (CAA Standard 4.0 Students).
Objective 1: Recruit well-prepared and motivated students of diverse ethnicity, cultures and linguistic backgrounds.
Tactic 1: Develop admission criteria which are consistent with the programs rigorous standards and mission. Review and revise the admission criteria for students who are admitted into the program.
Schedule: Spring 2020 admissions for entering cohort in Summer/Fall 2020 and annually review at faculty retreats.
Tactic 2: Maintain longitudinal data of student’s performance in the program.
Schedule: Ongoing maintainance of data. Reviewed data of first cohort after they graduate in 2022.
Tactic 3: Review and update the Essential Functions Document for the program.
Schedule: Fall 2020.
Objective 2: Create a peer mentoring program where more experienced (second year) graduate students mentor (first year) less experienced students.
Tactic: When students are admitted into the program they will be paired with a second year student.
Schedule: This cannot be completed with the first cohort of students. This was implemented with 2nd cohort of students- Fall 2021 and 3rd cohort of students-Fall 2022.
Objective 3: Promote student participation in scholarship activities.
Tactic 1: Students will complete a capstone project as a summative assessment for their graduate program.
Schedule : Students will complete a capstone project in their second year of the program. The first cohort completed their capstone in Spring 2022.
Tactic 2: Students will be encouraged to engage in research activities with full-time faculty members.
Schedule: Ongoing.
Objective 4: Develop and implement a plan to promote alumni involvement/engagement.
Tactic 1:
- Develop an exit survey for students graduating from the program. An exit survey was administered and reviewed at the faculty retreat. Tactic 2: Develop an alumni survey for students who graduated two years from the program. Tactic 3:Encourage alumni involvement: speaking in seminar classes, supervising students at externship sites, and providing mentorship of students in the program.
Schedule: 1. Exit survey administered in Spring 2022 when the first cohort of students graduated. 2. Begin Fall 2023 when 1st cohort completed the program and their CF experience- alumni survey administered.
Goal 4: Develop and implement a long-term plan for program assessment and student learning outcomes (CAA Standard 5.0 Assessment).
Objective 1: Develop and implement a 5-year strategic plan for the program during the candidacy period from CAA.
Tactic 1: The chair will develop and modify a strategic plan in consultation with the advisory committee of the graduate program in SLP.
Schedule: This was developed by Fall 2016. Reviewed in 2020. Will be reviewed and updated after every retreat. Next retreat in summer 2023.
Objective 2: Develop and implement a 10-year capital and infrastructure plan based on actual enrollments while in the 3rd year of Candidacy (in order to implement after accreditation is obtained) and Review the 5-year strategic plan.
Tactic 1: Faculty will meet with advisory committee yearly to discuss progress in developing the program. Yearly retreat (summer) with faculty to review the strategic plan.
Schedule: Will complete by Fall 2025.
Objective 3: Continuously evaluate the adequacy of student and faculty support through exit surveys for students and annual evaluation of resources by faculty and report results to Administration.
Tactic: Faculty will convene during an annual retreat to discuss programmatic issues and adequacy of support and results of surveys.
Schedule: Yearly beginning Summer 2021. Next retreat will be in the Summer 2022.
Goal 5: Design the space efficiently to ensure an environment that supports teaching, scholarship, learning, and community involvement (CAA Standard 6.0 Resources).
Objective 1: Develop and implement a plan for renovation of the space to include two smart classrooms, student workspace, faculty office space, faculty research laboratories, student multipurpose laboratory, and conference rooms with an audio-visual monitoring system.
Tactic: Meet with Dean of SHP.
Schedule: Ongoing.
Objective 2: Review the physical space plan and how it aligns with yearly goals of the program.
Tactic 1: The physical space was completed by spring 2021. The chair and program faculty will meet yearly to discuss how the physical space is aligned with the program goals.
Schedule: Yearly at retreats beginning in summer 2021. The next retreat is summer 2023.
Goal 6: Develop and retain a collaboration and partnership with different clinical facilities (Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centers, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Private Practices and School Districts) to diversify and increase student clinical experiences, support community outreach and promote clinical research (CAA Standard 3.0 Curriculum).
Objective 1: Develop collaborations with different types of facilities including schools, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, agencies, private practices, and rehabilitation centers.
Tactic 1: Obtain additional contracts each semester with different child and adult facilities.
Schedule: Obtained contracts with 20 – 25 facilities by Fall 2020 and continue establishing 3 new contracts every semester by Fall 2023. Established new contracts in 2021, 2022 and 3 at minimum to date in 2023.
