Strategic Plan Executive Summary for Communication Sciences and Disorders at NAU

(revised 11/2024)

Preface

This Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) 5-year Strategic Plan provides alignment of our mission and goals with NAU 2025 Elevating Excellence, the strategic directions of the university, and with the mission of the College of Health and Human Services for the period of 2024-2029. This new strategic plan was approved by faculty in fall 2024. This plan is reviewed by CSD faculty and staff at the start of each semester (fall and spring) for regular evaluation and to monitor progress toward meeting the plan’s objectives. During each review, the faculty will also evaluate the mission and goals and strategic plan to ensure that they remain congruent with those of the institution. An executive summary of the plan is made publicly available on the department’s website.

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Mission:

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northern Arizona University prepares highly effective, culturally diverse speech, language, and hearing professionals to serve and advocate for individuals in their communities. We provide innovative, accessible, student-centered educational programs in an inclusive and caring environment.

To achieve this mission, we will:

1. Offer exceptional undergraduate and graduate academic and clinical programs taught by highly qualified faculty that foster life-long learning for a more just and sustainable world.

2. Cultivate a supportive, inviting, and respectful environment that promotes success for students from all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.

3. Engage in impactful scholarship and service that advances the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology, including articulation, fluency, voice and resonance, language, cognition, hearing, swallowing, social communication, and communication modalities.

4. Foster a culture of trust and belonging for a diverse, mission-driven community of higher education professionals.

5. Provide accessible, evidence-based speech-language and hearing clinical services and establish mutually beneficial relationships with community partners that enhance educational opportunities for students and enrich lives locally, regionally, and globally.

Summary:

The 2024-2029 strategic plan establishes specific objectives and strategies associated with each of the department’s five goals and are summarized below.

Goal 1: Objectives related to this goal include launching our new graduate certificate in Culturally Responsive Practice in SLP, revising undergraduate and graduate curricula, implementing processes to ensure strong evaluation skills for all graduate students, continual revision of the comprehensive exam, and exploration of possible program expansions.

Goal 2: Objectives related to this goal include seeking funding to support graduate student tuition and fees and updating clinic and research facilities to meet student, faculty, and staff needs.

Goal 3: Objectives related to this goal include increasing IPP/IPE research and clinical opportunities and development of service projects and partnerships to serve local communities including rural, Indigenous, and Hispanic communities.

Goal 4: Objectives related to this goal include hiring of new faculty and staff and establishment of new department criteria and procedures for faculty workload, faculty review, and promotion and tenure that are in alignment with new university policies.

Goal 5: Objectives related to this goal include increasing fundraising efforts, enhancing alumni outreach, offering continuing education and micro-credential opportunities for practicing professional (including program supervisors), and developing clear marketing/communication/social media engagement plans.