Strategic Plan 2013 - 2018
Sacred Heart University
College of Health Professions
Department of Speech-Language Pathology
VISION STATEMENT
MISSION STATEMENT
CORE VALUES
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
STRATEGIC PLAN
Vision for 2018: Educating Leaders in Speech-Language Pathology
The Department’s vision includes integration of academic programs and clinical education that lead to engaged learning, academic
excellence, clinical competence, and inter-professional practice. The SHU Speech-Language Pathology Program aspires to build capacity
for provision of the highest quality services provided by licensed and certified speech-language pathologists for individuals with
communication disorders and their families in Connecticut and surrounding areas. Through a commitment to academic excellence,
innovative models of clinical training, multidisciplinary preservice education, and research experiences for master’s level students in
speech language pathology, SHU faculty will nurture the development of culturally competent, collaborative practitioners and future
leaders in the profession of speech-language pathology.
The Department will be known for:
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Excellence of academic programs that highlight highly effective practices and engaged learning
Innovation in clinical education
Inter-professional collaboration in teaching, research, clinical education, and service
Success of a diverse student population prepared to serve a multicultural society
Scholarship that showcases evidence-based practice
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Our Mission
The Department of Speech-Language Pathology seeks to foster the development of women and men who demonstrate intellectual and
professional integrity, who value compassionate service to others, and who demonstrate leadership in their profession and advocacy for
their clients. The Department strives to teach the skills necessary for developing ethical responses to the new and ever-changing
circumstances of a future filled with discoveries, technological advancements, and social change. Our mission is to prepare students for
careers in speech-language pathology by educating master’s level speech-language pathologists who meet all requirements for the
Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and SpeechLanguage Pathology. Students will attain knowledge and skills in basic human communication processes, and in the prevention,
assessment, and treatment of communication disorders. In addition, we aim to provide undergraduate students with the academic
background enabling them to successfully enter graduate education in Communication Disorders. To accomplish this mission, the
Department will (1) maintain Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA) standards of accreditation in the academic and clinical education of
its graduate students; (2) maintain high standards in clinical services and pre-service clinical education; (3) encourage ethical practice
among all students, faculty and staff; and (4) advance the understanding of human communication and related disorders through
adherence to evidence-based practices, as well as faculty and student research activities. It is our mission to create a learning community
that values diversity, advocates for life-long learning, promotes a culture of collaboration and respect for others, and guides the
development of professionals to provide competent and compassionate service to people with communication disorders and their families
throughout the lifespan in educational and health care settings. The Department is committed to professional and academic excellence
and measures this by the quality of its faculty, programs, resources, research productivity, and student achievements. The Department
provides opportunities for students to gain knowledge, experience, skills, and values necessary to begin a first career or prepare for new
career challenges in response to the changing needs of society.
The Department’s collaboration with professional partners within the College and in the community ensures that students benefit from an
integration of academic, clinical and research experiences; this collaboration also enriches the health care endeavors of the community
and instills an ethic of community service among students.
The Speech-Language Pathology Department at SHU adheres to the Code of Ethics of the American Speech-Language and Hearing
Association.
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Core Values
The core values of the Department accord with those of Sacred Heart University’s College of Health Professions, which are:
1. Active and Engaged Learning – We believe an academic environment in which both the faculty and students are committed to
making optimal use of available teaching-learning strategies and resources. Among those resources, our clinical and fieldwork
experiences are integral to the learning process. We provide an engaging, welcoming, yet challenging environment where students
experience faculty and staff who demonstrate caring, respect, a commitment to their success.
2. Pursuit of Wisdom – Our faculty is engaged in scholarly and creative pursuits, exhibit enthusiasm for “the search for truth,” engage
with students in challenging received ideas, and use their discoveries to inform their teaching and benefit their students and the
community.
3. Innovation – We develop and use methods such as problem-based, inverse teaching, team-based, inter-professional, and service
learning methods in our curricula.
4. Integrity – We hold our students and ourselves to high professional standards for ethical behavior within our academic programs
and in interactions with each other.
5. Leadership –We encourage faculty, students, and staff to take on leadership roles in both the professional and general
communities, contribute to the growth of knowledge and its dissemination within our given disciplines, and take active roles in
policy development and implementation.
6. Diversity- We offer opportunities for students with diverse backgrounds and learning styles by hiring a culturally competent faculty
and staff who can adapt offerings and support systems within the college and university to provide the best opportunity for success.
We infuse diversity issues throughout all aspects of the academic and clinical curriculum.
7. Service to Others – We are preparing leaders to serve and because of this our students must interact with, empathize with,
communicate with, and learn from the diverse populations we call community. Our graduates can neither teach, nor care for, nor
serve people they do not understand so community-based instruction is critical to their success as professionals and human
beings. Our community-based clinical education models insures that student interact with clients and colleagues from diverse
communities throughout their education.
8. Spiritual and Personal Growth – We believe meaningful lives come from an education built upon deep respect for the dignity of
each person, the value of compassionate service, and a recognition of the responsibility of each individual to contribute to building
a more just society.
9. Collaboration – We encourage inter-professional collaboration with the other departments within the Colleges of Health Professions
and Education to deliver curricula that model the team-based practices clinicians experience in their work settings. We involve
community-based practitioners and educators in the learning process because we believe theoretical knowledge is complemented
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by experience and skills honed in the workplace, and provide field placements in real clinical settings, under the guidance of
experienced clinical supervisors, from the earliest point in the clinical education curriculum.
10. Professionalism – We strive to provide a model of professional attire, demeanor, communication, and interaction in all our
interactions with students, clients, and colleagues, and to expect professional behavior in students’ academic and clinical activities.
11. Responsiveness – As leaders in professional education, we believe it is our role to anticipate and be responsive to the changing
environment in education and health care, to enhance our own knowledge through active participation in continuing professional
education, to monitor our teaching effectiveness through the examination of student attitudes and outcomes and make adjustments
as necessary, and to respond to the learning needs of all students.
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Strategic Plan
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive
commitment to academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who
are encouraged and guided by a faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work
that advances their fields.
Objective 1:
Promote active and engaged learning
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Engage faculty in development activities on the scholarship of teaching offered by the University and College.
Strategy 2:
Engage faculty in programs to increase faculty skills in the use of new and emerging education technology and in teaching skills for
engaging students in the classroom offered by the University and College.
Strategy 3:
Participate in college-wide Faculty-Student Scholarship day.
Strategy 4:
Develop collaborative clinical experiences with OT, PT, NUR, ED to provide pre-professional collaborative practice and service
learning experiences for students.
Strategy 5:
Use and monitor effectiveness of problem-based learning and inverse teaching strategies, as well as other pedagogical innovations, in
academic courses.
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
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University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive
commitment to academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who
are encouraged and guided by a faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work
that advances their fields.
Objective 2:
Increase connectedness of undergraduate and graduate students in SLP and related departments.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Provide opportunities for undergraduate students to work and learn with graduate students and faculty through participation in National
Student Speech-Language & Hearing Association
Strategy 2:
Provide opportunities for students to work and learn with colleagues in PT and OT through participation in SHU Tri-Alliance campus
chapter, as well as through pre-professional collaborative clinical practica.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive
commitment to academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who
are encouraged and guided by a faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work
that advances their fields.
Objective 3:
Increase and develop faculty and clinical education staff.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Following Business Plan agreed to by University administration during the development year of the SLP Department, hire two tenuretrack faculty and one clinical educator each year for the first three years of program operation, and one tenure-track faculty member
and one clinical educator in the fourth year.
Strategy 2
Implement plans to balance faculty work-load to include time for scholarship, advising, service, and active engaged teaching and
clinical education through course assignments and scheduling.
Strategy 3:
Develop capacity to generate funds through faculty practice for activities supporting faculty development, such as attendance at
national and international conferences.
Strategy 4:
Provide mentoring to junior faculty through regular meetings with Department Chair to monitor and support their growth as teachers and
scholars.
Strategy 5:
Structure opportunities for students to work with faculty on their research through work-study funding and course activities, both to
support the development of faculty scholarship and to provide students with engaged learning opportunities.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive
commitment to academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who
are encouraged and guided by a faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work
that advances their fields.
Objective 4:
Improve student academic achievement.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Intentionally provide supportive teaching while maintaining high academic standards to prepare undergraduate students for graduate
education.
Strategy 2:
Enhance diversity of background among graduate classes by admitting a mix of SHU undergraduates and students from other
undergraduate programs.
Strategy 3:
Consider developing six-year program for high-achieving high school students who will be offered provisional early admission to the
graduate program upon admission to SHU.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive
commitment to academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who
are encouraged and guided by a faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work
that advances their fields.
Objective 5:
Strengthen the academic reputation of the CHP and its programs.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Status
Strategy 1:
Develop undergraduate inter-professional clinical reasoning course.
Strategy 2:
Promote and recognize faculty and student scholarly accomplishments through social media, website
news pages, community continuing education activities and campus events.
Strategy 3:
Promote student participation in professional involvement at the state and national level through National
Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Tri-Alliance activities and involvement with
Connecticut Speech-Language and Hearing Association conferences and advocacy actions.
Strategy 4:
Develop inter-professional resources to promote health care practice, research, and student engagement
through community activities such as screenings, continuing education offerings for practicing clinicians,
and inter-professional continuing education through collaborative activities with OT, PT, and NUR.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive
commitment to academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who
are encouraged and guided by a faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work
that advances their fields.
Objective 6:
Increase global opportunities
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Develop international educational partnerships with programs in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and England.
Strategy 2:
Encourage student participation in intensive undergraduate course in Spanish for the Health Professions offered at the University.
Strategy 3:
Provide SLP students with opportunities to participate in service trips to Guatemala, Haiti and Jamaica to provide hearing,
speech/language screening.
Strategy 4:
Develop specialization for student interested in communication disorders in English language learners.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 2: Develop a structured, mission-driven student development plan that intentionally educates the whole
person within a campus-wide living and learning community and is a seamlessly integrated extension of classroom
learning.
Objective 1: Support campus culture that recognizes, and requires University-wide collaboration in the development and on-going
vitality of a campus-wide living and learning community for students.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Provide opportunities for first year students to interact with CHP faculty through:
 Encouraging undergraduate students to consider Health and Well-being living –learning community (SHU-WELL)
 NSSLHA events (bowling nights, fundraisers, student/faculty socials) to which freshman are invited
 Providing advising for underclassmen interested in SLP, beyond advising provided by Health Sciences Advisor
Strategy 2:
Providing voice and hearing screenings for campus community
Strategy 3:
Develop program for students from SLP to support students with ASD and other disabilities through social skills groups and
supervised tutoring.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 3: Implement strategies to build new facilities and upgrade/maintain existing infrastructure for the university
to be more competitive.
Objective 1:
Develop and begin implementation of a 10-year master University capital and infrastructure plan based on appropriate opportunities
and enrollment and program priorities that inform the budget planning process
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Collaborate with the appropriate university divisions to plan construction/renovation to house the CHP that includes state-of-the-art
interdisciplinary classrooms, laboratories, and clinic spaces for existing and proposed programs.
Strategy 2:
Maintain enrollment and budget projections as outlined in five-year Program Development plan.
Strategy 3
Develop on-campus clinical activities that generate revenue as well as provide students with meaningful clinical experiences (e.g.,
intensive “boot camp” programs for individuals with aphasia, traumatic brain injury, dysfluency, etc.)
Strategy 4
Continuously evaluate adequacy of support for students and faculty through exit surveys for students, and annual evaluation of
resources by faculty; report results to Administration for input into 10-year master University capital and infrastructure plan.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 4: Strengthen the Long-term Financial Stability of the University: Develop and implement business plans
that strengthen the long-term financial health of the University, while optimizing net revenues and ensuring transparent and
strategic resource allocation.
Objective 2:
Develop and implement a Strategic Enrollment Plan that considers academic excellence, infrastructure capacity and projects the
economic effect of current and new programs.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Implement MS program in Speech-Language Pathology.
Strategy 2:
Provide optional specialization programs (e.g., autism, literacy, English language learners, medical speech-language pathology) with
elective additional summer matriculation, following completion of 5 term MS program.
Strategy 3:
Develop on-line program to deliver post-baccalaureate curriculum to adult learners interested in pursuing a career in speech-language
pathology.
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GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 5: Continue and deepen the commitment to the Mission and Catholic Identity in the life of the University
Community.
Objective 2: Consciously inculcate the Catholic Intellectual tradition throughout the Core Curriculum in supportive and innovative ways.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Engage SLP faculty in the Presidential Seminar on the Catholoic Intellectual Tradition (CIT); facilitate faculty participation in CIT
seminar and Faculty Conversations.
Strategy 2:
Provide community-focused, inter-professional clinical practica, wherein SHU supervisors and students provide clinical services in
collaboration with OT, PT and NUR to underserved populations through community partnerships, such as:
 Hearing, language, and swallowing screenings provided to patients at neighborhood SNFs (e.g. Jewish Home for the Aged)
 Hearing screenings for students at Cooperative Educational Services
 Intensive “boot camp” therapy programs for aphasic clients through referrals from local SLPs, VA
 Intensive “boot camp” therapy programs for dysfluent clients through referrals from local SLPs, schools, Stuttering
Foundation
 Intensive “boot camp” therapy programs for TBI clients through referrals from local SLPs, VA
 Work with SHU cheerleaders, choirs to provide voice screening and vocal hygiene services
 Intensive summer “language camps” for Bridgeport school children in collaboration with local Headstart, public schools
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