Strategic Plan

Mission Statement

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology strives to create an inclusive learning environment with diverse opportunities that engage students, faculty, and community members. The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology offers comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degree programs and community-based healthcare in the on-site USA Speech and Hearing Center. Departmental scholars advance science in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology through research, discovery, and dissemination.
 

Vision Statement

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will serve the Gulf Coast community, state, and nation in providing exceptional education, optimal patient care, and impactful research and scholarship.
 

Core Values

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology Core Values include:

  1. Integrity
  2. Inclusion
  3. Collaboration
  4. Rigor
  5. Persistence

 

Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan for the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology includes goals for student success and access, enhancement of research and graduate education, global engagement, excellence in healthcare, and university-community engagement.

▼   Student Success and Access
The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will foster a student-centered, outcome-based teaching and learning environment.
  • Goal 1: Use evidence-based practice and research to guide and evaluate all academic and clinical programs.
  • Goal 2: Include all students in clinical learning experiences.
  • Goal 3: Engage students in and educate students about professional organizations through promotion of participation in those organizations.
  • Goal 4: Monitor student achievement of knowledge and skills outcomes across time.
  • Goal 5: Maintain syllabi illustrating how the outcomes will be demonstrated through course work and clinical experiences.
  • Goal 6: Conduct ongoing evaluation of outcome based education, modify policy as indicated, and disseminate findings professionally.
  • Goal 7: Provide opportunities for students to engage in evidence-based practice to foster professional growth.
  • Goal 8: Promote scholarly study in the area of normal communication, linguistic variation, and disorders in culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
  • Goal 9: Engage in best clinical practices regarding prevention, identification, and treatment for culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
▼   Enhancement of Research and Graduate Education
The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will maintain and improved the high quality of graduate programs.
  • Goal 1: Strengthen the on-campus clinical training programs and facilities in the University of South Alabama Speech and Hearing Center.
  • Goal 2: Maximize off-campus clinical training opportunities and further enhance relationships with off-site clinical supervisors.
  • Goal 3: Provide continuing education opportunities for internal and external clinical preceptors.
  • Goal 4: Build the multi-professional and inter-professional aspects of our graduate clinical training programs.
  • Goal 5: Increase participation of Ph.D. students in department research and programs.
  • Goal 6: Increase opportunities of all students to participate in collaborative research.
  • Goal 7: Provide ongoing assessment of curricula and modify if needed to promote highest quality undergraduate and graduate programs.
  • Goal 8: Increase faculty participation and leadership in professional organizations.
  • Goal 9: Increase the number of faculty publications annually in peer-review publications.
  • Goal 10: Increase the number of faculty external grant submissions annually.
  • Goal 11: Increase the amount of extramural funding obtained by the faculty.
▼   Global Engagement
The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will engage in best clinical practices regarding prevention, identification, and treatment for culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
  • Goal 1: Increase the diversity of the patient population of the USA Speech and Hearing Center.
  • Goal 2: Promote study abroad programs to students and faculty.
  • Goal 3: Create a course for students who are preparing for a study abroad program.
▼   Excellence in Healthcare
The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will provide comprehensive clinical services to the community and region.
  • Goal 1: Continue to enhance the quality of existing clinical programs and develop new programs at the USA Speech and Hearing Center.
  • Goal 2: Collaborate with allied health, nursing, medical, and other programs at the University of South Alabama in the provision of health and human services to individuals and families in the Gulf Coast area.
  • Goal 3: Collaborate with regional service agencies in the provision of health and human services to individuals and families in the Gulf Coast area.
▼   University-Community Engagement
The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will use best practices to create and sustain  partnerships in the community.
  • Goal 1: Engage in open, honest, and frequent communication with established and potential community partners.
  • Goal 2: Cultivate an environment conducive to fully shared decision making.
  • Goal 3: Conduct ongoing evaluations of progress toward collaboration.
  • Goal 4: Institutionalize best practices from collaborative effort.