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Department of Speech-Language Pathology Strategic Plan 2023-2025

Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences
Health Professions Division
Nova Southeastern University
Strategic Plan Leader: Dr. Frederick (Fred) DiCarlo

Vision

Nova Southeastern University’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology is a recognized provider of academic excellence through interprofessional education, clinical best practices, scholarly activity, research, and service.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology is to foster academic excellence and intellectual inquiry of best practices within the profession. The department uses a variety of instructional delivery models to equip students with the essential skills to serve diverse communities and to provide the opportunity to both traditional and non-traditional students to succeed in a rigorous educational environment. 

Core Values

  • Academic Excellence
  • Student-Centered
  • Integrity
  • Innovation
  • Opportunity
  • Scholarship/Research
  • Diversity
  • Community 

Envisioned Future 2025

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Nova Southeastern University supports its vision to be a provider of academic excellence through inter-professional education, clinical best practices, scholarly activity, research, and service. The department is housed in a facility that supports experiential teaching and learning and enhances interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP).

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology is a leading provider of innovative educational opportunities offering a variety of instructional delivery models to ensure comparable educational and clinical experiences for traditional and non-traditional students. Graduates of the program are equipped with the essential skills necessary to serve a diverse community through the acquisition of academic excellence, scholarly inquiry, clinical best practices, and interprofessional education.

The department uses rigorous standards resulting in the selection of the most accomplished, diverse students who demonstrate the potential for academic and clinical excellence. The department offers a variety of instructional delivery models to maximize learning objectives as well as provide the ability to better meet the learning needs of the student. Interprofessional educational opportunities are emerging with programs in allied health, psychology, nutrition, sports medicine, and the medical school.

The clinical program employs best practices across all content areas of service delivery.  Students demonstrate the ability to develop evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic clinical care plans, infusing technology into care as appropriate and accessible. Supervisors both on and off-campus are trained in the use of best practices through continuing clinical education opportunities and resources.  Supervisors are equipped to assist students in the development of their care plans using best practices and technology. Supervisors effectively evaluate the students’ decision-making and clinical acumen. Interprofessional clinical practice opportunities are actively sought for clinical practicum placements.

The faculty participates in independent and collaborative research for publication. There are opportunities for students to participate in faculty-directed research, guided independent research, doctoral student-directed research and scholarly presentations within and outside the university. An environment of scholarly inquiry is fostered across all three levels of education (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral) both in the classroom and in the clinic.

Mentorship is a cornerstone of the program. The department mentors faculty into leadership roles to facilitate an effective plan of succession for program administration, teaching, and research.  Students are actively mentored in the development of leadership through participation in a variety of activities and service opportunities. Students serve on departmental committees to enhance engagement and to develop professional skills that assist their transition to successful early career professionals. Doctoral students are actively involved in the teaching curriculum through coursework development and teaching apprenticeships to mentor them into roles as academicians following graduation.

The program actively engages alumnae, current students, on-campus and off-campus supervisors, and others in order to develop, implement, and review academic and clinical programs. This insight from stakeholders assists the program in the training of students in current best practices.

Strategic Pathway (SP) 2023 (2023-2025)

  1. Strengthen the MS-SLP Admissions process.
  2. Advance the use of best practices in both the curriculum and student clinical practice.
  3. Enhance faculty and student engagement with scholarly pursuits
  4. Expand student use of technology for use in academics, self-management, and clinical practice.
  5. Expand student leadership opportunities for service, teaching, research, and clinical practice.
  6. Develop and implement opportunities that support Interprofessional Education (IPE) and Interprofessional Practice (IPP).
  7. Develop succession planning.

This is the final pathway in meeting our EF, 2025 (2023-2025)

Strategic Plan Objectives 2023

Objective #1: Strengthen MS-SLP admissions process

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

The Committee on Admissions (COA) continues to review and update the admissions process to make better decisions regarding which applicants will be successful in our program and represent well in the profession. 

Objective Owner: Mr. Steven Vertz

  1. By the end of AY 2025, 80% of all applicants who are admitted to the MS-SLP program will have CGPAs in all CSD courses of 3.40 or better.
  2. By the end of AY 2025, 80% of all applicants who are admitted to the MS-SLP program will have interview scores of 3.5/4.0 or better on the COA's rubric.


Objective #2: Advance the use of best practices in both the curriculum and student clinical practice

Objective Owner: Dr. Barbara O'Connor-Wells

KPIs

  1. Create a module of materials for new and current faculty (all ranks) in supporting students with mental health concerns. Share the module in Canvas "Commons." 
    1. Collect data on the number of faculty who add the module to their Canvas courses.
    2. Collect data from faculty on how comfortable they are in addressing student mental health concerns via a rating survey.
  2. Create a module of materials for new and current faculty (all ranks) to increase knowledge, skills, and infusion of diversity, equity, inclusion, gender, and orientation across the curriculum. Share the module in Canvas "Commons."
    1. Collect data on the number of faculty who add the module to their Canvas courses.
    2. Collect data from faculty on the number of DEI-infused activities they have in their coursework.
  3. Create a module of materials for new and current faculty (all ranks) to improve written communication, verbal communication, and critical thinking skills of students through explicit instruction and learning activities/assignments in the program. Share the module in Canvas “Commons."
    1. Collect data on the number of faculty who add the module to their Canvas courses.
    2. Collect data from faculty on the number of activities/assignments in their courses that address:
      1. Professional writing skills
      2. Professional verbal communication skills
      3. Critical thinking skills


Objective #3: Enhance faculty and student engagement with scholarly pursuits

Objective Owner: Dr. Jacqueline (Jackie) Hinckley

KPIs

  1. Encourage manuscript production and publication by adjunct and full-time faculty through periodic faculty meeting discussions, measured by the number of manuscripts submitted and/or accepted for publication.
  2. Encourage conference presentations by adjunct and full-time faculty through periodic faculty meeting discussions, measured by the number of submitted and/or accepted presentations at professional or scientific conferences (posters, oral presentations, invited presentations)
  3. Encourage the participation in other scholarly activities by adjunct and full-time faculty through periodic faculty meeting discussions, measured by the number of adjunct and full-time faculty who participate in other scholarly activities (from appended list).
  4. Encourage student participation in manuscripts, presentations, or other scholarly activities through the dissemination of research opportunities to students, measured by the number of students (UG, MS, or SLPD) who participate in manuscripts, presentations, or other scholarly activities (from appended list).


Objective #4: Expand students' use of technology for use in academics, self-management, and clinical practice.

Objective Owner: Dr. Raquel (Rokki) Garcia

KPIs

  1. Create an electronic infrastructure to support students and faculty in expanding their use of technology and enroll 75% of faculty in an online SLP technology portal.
    Data
    1. Presence of e-platform for SLP tech
    2. Number of faculty members enrolled in that by November 30
    3. Number of faculty members who participated in orientation to the SLP tech space.
    4. Number of Course Directors who have provided input on the integration of technology into their courses.
    Activities
    1. Develop Canvas space.
    2. Enroll faculty members in Canvas SLP Tech space.
    3. Provide faculty members with an orientation to the SLP Tech space.
    4. Develop a questionnaire for Course Directors to gather ideas for integrating additional technology into their courses.
    5. Deploy questionnaire to all Course Directors: Integration of Additional Technology into Classes.
    6. Gather baseline data on engagement in Canvas SLP Tech Space and related activities.
    7. Connect SLP Tech Space with the main faculty portal.

  2. Enroll 75% of the student body in an online SLP technology portal SLP, with 25% of students engaging at least once with content/resource.
    Data
    1. Number of students enrolled in the SLP Tech space.
    2. Number of students who have engaged with the content/resources.
    3. Percent of Course Directors adding a technology tool or activity into their classes.
    4. Number of faculty members attending an online tech tool event (e.g., webinar, open lab/playground)
    Activities
    1. Continue building out Canvas space.
    2. Analyze data from the Course Director questionnaire.
    3. Work with Course Directors to add one technology tool or activity to their courses (e.g., meet in small groups, follow-up meetings as needed)
    4. Host a tech tool webinar.
    5. Develop a mechanism for a technology playground in Canvas and host one event.
    6. Explore ways for interested faculty to integrate technology into classes and other student-facing activities.
  3.  Increase the percentage of students who use technology for SLP learning, self-management, and clinical practice.
    Data
    1. Number of students who use technology for SLP learning, self-management, and clinical practice.
    Activities
    1. Continue building out Canvas space.
    2. Host a tech tool webinar.

Objective #5: Expand student leadership opportunities for service, teaching, research, and clinical practice

Objective Owner: Dr. Tambi Braun

KPIs

  1. Percentage of online and local students who participate in community service activities (all program levels)
  2. Number of doctoral students who participate in teaching courses or guest lectures per academic year.
  3. Percentage of online and local students who participate in research activities.
  4. Percentage of online and local students who participate in student-led organizations and committees (all program levels)


Objective #6 Develop and implement opportunities that support Interprofessional Education (IPE) and Interprofessional Practice (IPP)

Objective Owner: Mrs. Erin Beasley

KPIs

  1. Develop and implement Canvas IPE/IPP module to house materials aligned with opportunities.
  2. Develop and implement educational video to increase knowledge and awareness of IPE/IPP.
  3. Develop an IPE/IPP speaker series.
  4. Integrate IPE/IPP reflective practices into clinical education. 
  5. Number of IPP events completed with faculty and/or student involvement


Objective #7 Develop succession planning

Objective Owner: Dr. Melissa Edrich

KPIs

  1. Enhance and or modify job descriptions for all members of the SLP Chair and Directors Team (department chair, director of the MS-SLP program, clinic director, associate director of MS-SLP program, director of BS in SLCD program, director of the SLP.D. program, and program manager). Due date: December 2023
  2. Identify and assess the individuals to fill key interim positions on the SLP Chair and Directors Team. Due date: September 2024
  3. Meet with those individuals identified to fill key interim positions on the SLP Chair and Directors Team to determine their interest in filling the position. Due date: December 2024
  4. Develop or find a universal mentorship process for an individual named Interim Department Chair or Director on the SLP Chair and Directors Team. Due date: July 2024
  5. Develop or find a universal mentorship process for an individual named Interim Department Chair or Director on the SLP Chair and Directors Team. Due date: July 2024
  6. Identify new committee chairs of key committees (i.e., strategic plan, curriculum, faculty evaluation committee, etc.) whom the current committee chair will mentor. Due date: December 2024

Next Steps:

  • Objective Owners baseline new data for exiting KPIs by 5/26/2023
  • Objective Owners and their Teams determine new targets for exiting KPIs by 5/26/2023
  • Objective Owners and their Teams determine new KPIs, as needed, by 5/26/2023
  • Objective Owners and their Teams determine initiatives to achieve objectives by 12/31/2025

Review cycle started 1/1/2023:

  • Objective Owners meet quarterly with their Objective Team
  • Objective Owners meet biannually with the Strategic Plan Leader
  • Department Chair meets biannually with the Department of Speech-Language Pathology Administrative Team to communicate information regarding the Strategic Plan.
  • Strategic Plan Leader meets annually with the Department in SLP faculty, administration, and other stakeholders regarding the status of the Strategic Plan.
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