Strategic Plan 2018-2021

Vision Statement

The CMSD program is envisioned to be a model training program for developing the highest quality professionals, and to be a model clinical facility, recognized throughout the California North state for high-quality speech-language and hearing services.

Envisioned Future

From our vision statement, the CMSD program foresees the following to result from strategic planning in the next 10 years:

• A complement of six full time, tenure/tenure track faculty, with at least two part-time clinical instructors, and full time ASC dedicated to the program
• Research opportunities for graduate students (joining faculty projects, theses, and conducing clinic-based single subject designs)
• State-of-the-art new clinical facility
• State-of-the-art clinical instrumentation, techniques, and specialty clinics/groups
• Clinical opportunities and K-12 connections through summer clinic and more varied internships
• Interdisciplinary clinical experiences at the university and through relationships with allied professionals
• Multicultural opportunities through participation with the International Student program and community outreach centers        
• Opportunities for B.S. recipients in CMSD through an SLPA program and other avenues
• Innovative sequenced curriculum
• CEU provider for speech-language pathologists in the North state

Mission Statement

The mission of the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CMSD) program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to enter the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology through an enriched, flexible, and innovative learning environment, both academically and clinically, that fosters quality of thought and creative, research-based problem-solving, life-long learning and consummate professionalism. To meet these ends, the program aims to employ expert, student-oriented faculty and staff. We are dedicated to program growth and improvement and to the procurement of the necessary supportive resources. We continue to enhance associations with the university and local communities to provide greater interdisciplinary and collaborative research and clinical opportunities for our students, clients, and faculty. The CMSD program is committed to being a model clinical facility, recognized throughout the California North state for both the advancement of student learning and for high quality, state-of-the-art services, outreach, and resources to the community.

Strategic Objectives

Based on the two primary goals of excellence in academic and clinical education and excellence in clinical service in speech-language pathology, the CMSD program is committed to the following strategic objectives.

Objective 1

Promote and maintain a student learning environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, creative problem-solving, and use of research and technology in teaching and learning through an innovative, flexible curriculum with service learning and community service opportunities.

Objective 2

Promote the Teacher-Scholar model that encourages faculty to infuse experiential learning, evidence-based practice and peer-reviewed research into the learning process; and to disseminate basic and applied research into the community via publications, presentations, and tutorials.

Objective 3

Employ a sufficient number of expert faculty and staff in order to meet mission goals.

Objective 4

Promote scholarly growth and achievement by supporting professional education and research opportunities for faculty and local SLP professionals

Objective 5

Prepare graduate students for professional licensure, certification, and credentialing, employment in any setting, and when appropriate, doctoral level training.

Objective 6

Promote the highest standards for academics and clinical training in order to meet standards for CFCC and maintain national accreditation through CAA- ASHA, regional accreditation through (WASC, NCATE), and state accreditation through CCTC.

Objective 7

Through the Center for Communication Disorders, provide quality service to the North state-at large, university, and K-12 communities, through the use of technology, research, and excellence in clinical teaching, including currency in clinical knowledge and interdisciplinary approaches, through continued training of faculty and supervisors.

Objective 8

Accommodate a growing program by improving, strategically managing, and systematically evaluating adequacy of resources for students, faculty, staff, and facilities.

Focus Areas/Issues (3-year plan: 2018-2021)

The following areas were identified as barriers to attaining our vision and mission and meeting our long-term goals and strategic objectives, and are based on CTC/NCATE site visit team observations, employer surveys, internship supervisor feedback, Advisory Board feedback, PRAXIS results, student and alumni report, exit interviews, and faculty report. Detailed below are strategies for attaining our objectives, the baselines for each strategy, indicators of success, and timelines. The corresponding Strategic Objective is listed next to the focus area.

(1)  Sufficiency of Resources (Objective 8)

Strategy (1.1): Increase faculty size by 1 over the next two years (to 6 FT T/TT faculty dedicated to the program)

• Baseline: 5 FT T/TT faculty, with appointments reflecting fewer than .5 commitment to the grad program. We are currently interviewing for one FT TT Assistant Professor.
• Indicators of Success: One new FT TT faculty
• Time schedule: Fall 2018-19
• Results:

Strategy (1.2): Add new full-time, master’s level Instructional Faculty position.

• Baseline: This position does not currently exist, however, we do have approval to search this position. It is imagined that this faculty member will assist with teaching courses, instruct in the clinic and perform administrative clinical functions, as well as provide service to the department. The job announcement for this position was developed and discussed at the spring 2017 Advisory Board meeting.
• Indicators of Success: Filled position for start date of January 2018 or fall 2018
• Time schedule: January 2018 or fall 2018
• Results:

Strategy (1.3) Provide travel stipends to students in internships at a distance during the AY and students presenting at conferences.

• Baseline: At this time we do have a travel stipend foundation account and have been providing some students with assistance. However, we do need a more organized plan for providing the stipends, and we need to determine how to maintain funds in that account.
• Indicators of Success: Ability to provide several travel stipends each semester to those students traveling to Redding, Red Bluff, Yuba City, Marysville, and other like distant sites. A goal would be to expand this to offer a small stipend to students presenting at research conferences.
• Time schedule: Fall 2019
• Results:

Strategy (1.4): Secure tuition support from school districts for students who will work in schools

• Baseline: At this time, there are a few school districts who select a few students to support through their graduate program. We would like to offer more of these opportunities with more school districts.
• Indicators of Success: Agreements with school districts to offer a particular number of stipend positions for our graduate students each year.
• Time schedule: Fall 2019
• Results:

Strategy (1.5): Re-evaluate CMSD 682: Diagnostic practicum to improve cost effectiveness and efficiency of training and service delivery.

• Baseline: The current configuration of 682 is not cost-effective and students could benefit from more directed diagnostic experiences. Explore the use of CMSD 682 as a 3-unit course.
• Indicators of Success: Cost savings of supervision and student/clinical instructor report on surveys.
• Time schedule: Fall 2020 since it takes almost 2 years to make a curriculum change such as this.
• Results:

(2)  Academic Programming (Objective 1 & 8)

Strategy (2.1): Develop & offer SLPA Ethics and Procedures course and 100-hour internship

• Baseline: The CMSD program has been discussing for years the implementation of a summer course and fall internship SLPA program for B.S. graduates of CMSD. The major obstacle has been faculty having time to develop this course and make the necessary connections to place students in internships. Currently, Dr. Lawrence has applied for a sabbatical in spring 2019 to develop this program.
• Indicators of Success: Development, approval, and implementation of new Ethics/Procedures course and internship experience.
• Time schedule: Development and approval (2019); Implementation (2020)
• Results:

Strategy (2.2): Increase number of CMSD courses that also satisfy GE

• Baseline: In an effort to help streamline our B.S. majors GE program, we plan to have one or two courses CMSD courses satisfy the diversity requirement. We currently assist their GE through the double counting of Statistics, Child Development, American Sign Language.
• Indicators of Success: Completion of paperwork for CMSD 220 and CMSD 156 and implementation
• Time schedule: Paperwork (2018) Implementation (2020)
• Results: 

Strategy (2.3): Implement more Interprofessional Education opportunities

• Baseline: What we are doing so far:
  • Preparing training grant with Adapted PE
  • Collaborating with SPED on an autism course for the near future
  • Plan to Communicate with other programs such as nutrition, nursing, social work, APE, SOE, CHLD to determine their interest in IPE activities; Investigate use of sim center;
• Indicators of Success: Approved training grant, CMSD/SPED course being taught; other collaborations in place
• Time schedule: Grant (2018); SPED course (2019); Other (2021)
• Results:

(3)  Data collection methodology and use of data for program improvement (Objective 6)

Strategy (3.1): Purchase and utilize Calipso electronic/online data collection system

• Baseline: The program’s custom Data Management System particular platform is no longer being supported by the university. It would take at least a year or two for a new system to be created for us, so we have chosen to purchase Calipso. We are waiting for the university’s information security team to approve the system, which we are learning can take several months.
• Indicators of Success: Purchase Calipso; transfer data from old system if possible; begin exclusive use of Calipso
• Time schedule: Jan 2018
• Results:

Strategy (3.2): Maintain schedule for regularly evaluating the data and detail how it will be used for program improvement.

• Baseline: We are currently evaluating the data we collect on a fairly regular basis and using that information to make any necessary program changes. We have begun an evaluation of the Internship Sites, but are needing to extract data from our obsolete system. We will implement a regular schedule for distribution and collection of surveys in a digitized format (Client Satisfaction, Alumni, and Employer) and determine an appropriate evaluation schedule. As soon as Calipso is in place, we will be more efficient in our data collection and management strategies.
• Indicators of Success: Program will develop a schedule to evaluate survey responses
• Time schedule: Survey responses analyzed by Spring 2018
• Results: 

(4)  Clinical Education and Clinic Support (Objectives 5, 6, & 7)

Strategy (4.1): Determine CI documentation procedures for CI performance and student performance.

• Baseline: CI’s currently determine their own organizational and documentation procedures for their own supervisory process and for student performance. Therefore, the information is not documented consistently across CI’s and is not submitted consistently in the dossier. Standardizing documentation procedures will ensure all CI’s are performing the expected responsibilities and will make it easier to submit this information into the dossier at time of review.
• Indicators of Success: Develop procedures document and distribute to CI’s.
• Time schedule: Spring 2018
• Results:

Strategy (4.2): Determine more refined process for evaluating effectiveness of Clinical Instructors

• Baseline: Currently, CI’s are evaluated through the RTP process under the guidelines of the department personnel document and university process, which includes student evaluations of supervision. What is missing are peer evaluations that observes the CI in action and the requirement for CI’s to include in their submitted dossiers specific information on their clinical supervision process.
• Indicators of Success: CMSD faculty to develop a peer evaluation and a statement of required information for the dossier submission, and any other evaluation mechanism; The process may need to go through approval at the university level.
• Time Schedule: Fall 2020
• Results: 

Strategy (4.3) Explore Free clinic options

• Baseline: We are a low-cost fee-for-service clinic. Due to Medicare’s laws, we no longer can see adults in the clinic unless we are free to all. The adults in the community and our students’ clinical education suffer because of this. The CMSD program depends on the Center for Communication Disorders’ revenue in order to purchase and maintain clinic materials, equipment, parking spaces, copying expenses, etc. Approximately 15k/year is needed to run the clinic.
• Indicators of Success: Secure funding that does not rely on soft money or the occasional contribution. This may include telemarketing or other campaigns or Endowing the Clinic through the CME advancement office.
• Time schedule: Fall 2021
• Results:

(5)  Facilities and Equipment (Objectives 1, 2, 6, 7, & 8)

Strategy (5.1): Regular maintenance and cleaning of clinic facilities at the Level 1 standard.

• Baseline: Upon our reminders and further requests, the clinic facility is cleaned to the highest university standard. The program would like an agreement written that details the level of cleaning on a regular basis.
• Indicators of Success: Contract or agreement in place; demonstration of Level 1 cleaning in clinic area, including Clinic Office.
• Time schedule: Fall 2018
• Results:

(6)  Program Autonomy and Leadership (Objective 8)

Strategy (6.1) Continue discussion on independent department status options for CMSD

• Baseline: Since 2009, the CMSD faculty have been discussing with various administrators (e.g., department Chair, college Deans, AVP’s) the desire to constitute our own department. Many discussions have ensued with written proposals. The last formal discussion on this topic resulted in approval from the Dean to write our own program standards from retention, tenure, and promotion, since this was one of the identified areas of concern being in a department with two very distinct programs. However, there is no College level support for the split primarily due to financial reasons, according to the Dean.
• Indicators of Success: (1)- Re-invest in Faculty discussion with the Dean; (2)- Decision to separate our program from CMAS department OR (3)- Investigate possibility of moving to other college.
• Time schedule: Whole faculty/Dean discussion Fall 2019
• Results:

Strategy (6.2) Program data access

• Baseline: Institutionally collected program data is not easily accessed, and particularly more difficult now since the PD is not the Department Chair as Chairs have greater access. Additionally, because we are housed with another program under one department, it is sometimes difficult to find CMSD-specific data.
• Indicators of Success: Work with administration to separate out program reports and to receive authorization for PD to have program data access.
• Time schedule: Fall 2020
• Results:

Evaluating the Strategic Plan

Progress in meeting focus area strategies will be evaluated each year by the faculty as a whole. Progress in meeting the plans’ objectives will be evaluated every other year by the faculty as a whole and the advisory board each spring. The Strategic Plan in its entirety will be evaluated every three years by the faculty as a whole and Advisory Board, or sooner based on any potential changes in the institution’s goals and strategic plan and/or changes in accreditation standards in order to ensure congruence.