Attachment A
Faculty Senate Agenda
May 2, 2002
COMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REVIEW TEAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY
SUMMARY OF COMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT
The Review Team commends the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology for:
1. Its strong curricula that prepares students for professional practice in speech pathology and audiology.
2. The strong clinical components of the graduate program, thereby, ensuring the community of well prepared practitioners.
3. The excellence for which the department is recognized in preparing professional practitioners in speech pathology and audiology.
4. Community service provided by the Maryjane Rees.
5. A futuristic approach in preparing graduates for the needs of the community served.
6. The strong leadership of Chair Dr. James McCartney.
7. The collegial attitude and mutual respect of a faculty that seems to get along and work together extremely well.
8. The positive and supportive environment for new faculty.
9. The approachable and supportive environment that has been established for students.
10. The involvement of undergraduate students in a research opportunity with faculty, the Applied Communication Sciences Laboratory (ACLS).
11. Faculty involvement in research and scholarly activities, service to the community, and service to the university.
12. Availability of the Special Class Authorization.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT
1. The department should consider the development of a systematic plan to promote student diversity in the department.
2. The department should consider developing and adopting an advising plan wherein undergraduate and graduate students are provided an opportunity to learn about programs, course requirements, and graduate expectations on a regular and formalized basis.
3. The department should consider student membership on all standing department committees except those that deal with faculty and staff affairs.
4. The department, in consultation with the college dean, should explore ways to increase ethnic diversity among the faculty.
5. In order to strengthen the audiology graduate program, the department should consider ways to strengthen the number of faculty who teach in the audiology graduate major.
6. The department should consider using fewer passive-learning techniques such as lecturing, and a greater use of active learning, e.g., self-discovery and group collaboration.
7. The department and the college dean should review distribution of teaching units to determine if the workload can be equitably reduced among faculty of the unit in order to assist faculty in meeting other university expectations.
8. The department, in consultation with the college dean, should consider the advisability of reducing faculty clinic supervision by using additional part-time faculty experts and/or considers hiring an additional staff speech-language pathologist.
9. The department consider developing goals and student outcomes for the undergraduate program, and that they be publicized in the catalog and advising materials.
10. The department should remove the inconsistencies in the pre-requisites to the undergraduate program listed in the catalog and the advising manual. The advising manual should include specific on-campus course suggestions for meeting pre-requisite requirements.
11. The department should consider developing articulation agreements with regional community colleges to assist matriculating students with choosing the appropriate course prerequisites for the undergraduate program.
12. Instructors should facilitate better linkage and transition between prerequisites and required courses.
13. The department should consider developing a capstone course for the undergraduate program.
14. The department should consider placing in writing the philosophy and framework that guides the undergraduate curriculum, and should formalize the curricular design in writing.
15. The department should identify and match program needs with current and future faculty expertise in the design of the curriculum.
16. The department should review the structure and function of SPHP 111, Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanisms to ensure that:: the catalog clearly depicts the course value and description; students receive appropriate academic credit for the course; and supplies for the course are adequate and appropriate for student enrollment. The course instructor and laboratory assistants should implement a coordinated approach to learning experiences.
17 The department should consider converting the ACSL seminar to an official catalog course and that access to the seminar be made available to all interested students through appropriate notification.
18. The department should explore opportunities for funding the ACSL seminar through grants.
19. The department should consider placing in writing the philosophy that guides the graduate program, and that the curricular design is formalized in writing.
20. The department is encouraged to vigorously pursue a joint doctoral program (AuD) with the University of Nevada, Reno.
21. The department should review the options for a culminating experience, and if all three are retained, ensure that students are advised timely in order to take advantage of all three options. Also, the department is encouraged to consider whether or not there is sufficient faculty resources to offer all three options for graduation: thesis, project, and comprehensive exam.
22. The department should review courses that comprise the graduate curricula in Speech Pathology and Audiology to ensure that the courses are balanced.
23. The faculty should review the curriculum and course syllabi to determine how best human diversity and ethical issues could be infused into the curricula.
24. When terminal behaviors, student outcomes, are developed for the undergraduate program, they should be published in student advising materials, i.e., advising manual.
25. The department should review methods of student assessment used in the undergraduate program, and contingent upon review of findings, incorporate more application and analytical experiential learning assessments into courses.
26. The department should consider including more instructional technology in teaching strategies, e.g., chat rooms, web based instruction.
27. The department should develop a plan for increasing the designated space for client documentation and the number of computers available for students to use in documenting confidential information in the clinicians' room.
28. The department should develop an equitable solution to the shortage of computers and computer laboratory space, in the clinician's room, among the undergraduate and graduate students in both speech pathology and audiology, e.g., use of lap top computers.
29. The department should investigate ways to increase and modify existing space for the Maryjane Rees Language, Speech, and Hearing Center in order to meet the needs of the community population that it serves and to meet ADA standards.
30. The department should develop plans for enlargement of the Maryjane Rees Language, Speech, and Hearing Center in anticipation of implementing the clinical doctorate (AuD) program.
31. The department should adjust or modify the space allocated to the undergraduate laboratory so that students are provided adequate seating in the class space.
32. The department should consult with the college and university to secure additional large classrooms that will accommodate student enrollment in the undergraduate program, and to secure "smart" classrooms to accommodate changes in teaching techniques that require electronic equipment.
33. The department should update audiovisual materials used in the undergraduate program to ensure currency and availability of resources.
34. The department, in consultation with the college dean, should consider strengthening the audiology graduate program by hiring additional faculty for this specialty.
35. The department should develop a mechanism to ensure student participation on standing committees that do not deal with faculty and confidential student issues.
36. The department should consider formalizing their philosophy in writing and codifying the organizational structure of the unit, including roles and responsibilities of the chair, vice chair, and faculty, inclusive of committee structure and function.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEAN, COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Review Team recommends that the Dean, College of Health and Human Services:
1. Assist the department in its efforts to increase ethnic diversity among the faculty of the unit.
2. Support the department's efforts to strengthen the audiology program by providing additional faculty resources.
3. Provide sufficient support to the department for its pursuit of the AuD program.
4. Support the department's efforts to review, and possibly redistribute, teaching units to assist faculty in meeting all university expectations.
5. Assist the department's exploration of reducing faculty clinical supervision by using of using additional part-time faculty experts for clinical supervision
RECOMMENDATIONS TO SPACE MANAGEMENT
The Review Team recommends that the department:
1. Is supported in its efforts to modify and increase space for the Maryjane Rees Language, Speech, and Hearing Center in order to meet ADA standards.
2. Receive an additional prime time allocation in a large "smart" classroom.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
The Review Team recommends that the:
1. University administration support the department's efforts to strengthen the audiology program by providing additional faculty resources.
2. University administration provide sufficient support to the department for its pursuit of the AuD program.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FACULTY SENATE
The Review Team recommends that the Faculty Senate:
1. Provide sufficient support to the department for its pursuit of the AuD program.
2. Approve the Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology and the Master's Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology for a period of six years.
April, 2002