Mission and Strategic Plan

Vision

We strive to help all people who have communication needs through global leadership in education, research, clinical care and outreach.

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Mission

Rooted in the Wisconsin Idea, the UW-Madison Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders employs best practices in inclusive excellence to

  • Provide exemplary educational programs that prepare the next generation of scholars, clinicians, educators, and leaders in the fields of communication sciences and disorders.
  • Conduct state-of-the-art basic, translational, and clinical research in the areas of speech, language, hearing, swallowing and balance.
  • Offer accessible, culturally competent, evidence-based clinical care for all people with disorders in communication, balance and swallowing.
  • Engage in outreach activities that directly benefit professional colleagues, students, and individuals and their families in the community.
  • Promote a welcoming and open environment where all can learn and engage.

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Program Description

The UW-Madison Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders is a preeminent department in the field of communication sciences and disorders, with faculty who are national leaders in teaching, research, and clinical care.

Our undergraduate educational program provides students with a thorough grounding in theoretical and applied aspects of the discipline. Our Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Audiology (AuD) programs train students to provide the highest-quality evidence-based clinical care for  individuals with communication and swallowing disorders—across the lifespan. Our doctoral (PhD) and MS/PhD programs provide students with the breadth and depth of knowledge necessary to become independent scholars, educators, and leaders for the future.

Our faculty perform cutting-edge biological, developmental, and clinical research that has real-world relevance for people with communication and swallowing disorders.

Our UW Speech and Hearing Clinic provides comprehensive, affordable evaluation and treatment of communication disorders for Wisconsin residents of all ages.

Finally, our faculty engage in an impressive array of educational and clinical outreach activities for schools, families, and communities—often at low or no cost.

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Operating Principles

  1. We continually expand our knowledge base as the field evolves, and adapt our curricula accordingly.
  2. We use innovative pedagogy to foster critical thinking and skills for lifelong learning in our students.
  3. We embody the Wisconsin Idea by sharing our advances and learning with the broader community in Wisconsin and beyond, and by engaging our faculty and students in public service.
  4. We value collaborations and outreach activities that provide knowledge to students and faculty in related disciplines.
  5. We believe that all persons with communication and swallowing disorders should have access to the highest-quality individualized, culturally competent, and evidence-based clinical care.

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Strategic Plan for 2020-2025

The initial strategic plan was created in 2016 and has been revised in January 2020. The revised version includes dates and measurable objectives. Many of the goals and objectives are ongoing on a semester or annual basis. The strategic plan will be assessed at our annual faculty/staff retreat each fall semester and updated as needed.

Grow the undergraduate student body by expanding our major and increasing awareness of electives and courses in CSD for non-majors

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Monitor Enrollment

Plan Description

Monitor the number of students in our undergraduate courses who are majors and non-communication sciences and disorders majors to determine the factors that potentially contribute to enrollment trends.

  • Days of week
  • Time of day
  • Non – majors
  • Majors
  • College/University Requirements

Measurable Objective

Generate reports of major and non-major enrollment in undergraduate courses to identify emerging trends. Discuss trends and potential problems/solutions at faculty meetings.

Dates

Annually at faculty retreat.

Develop & Publicize Potential Career Options

Plan Description

Develop and publicize potential career options, (including audiology and speech-language pathology) are open to undergraduate majors.


Measurable Objective

Generate lists of career options for undergraduate CS&D majors and add to recruitment materials and website.

Dates

Spring 2020

Measurable Objective

Attend two undergraduate majors fair; advertise to undergraduate advisors, share with at least three career advising centers-report to faculty.

Dates

Annually at faculty retreat.

Increase Allied Health Professions Engagement

Plan Description

Increase awareness/ interactions with other allied health professions.


Measurable Objective

Students and/or faculty/staff will present at an allied health fair or meeting and report to faculty.

Dates

Annually at faculty retreat.

Increase Multidisciplinary Seminars Involvement

Plan Description

Increase faculty participation in multidisciplinary seminars.


Measurable Objective

Faculty will deliver lectures in other departments on campus and report to faculty.

Dates

Annually at faculty retreat.

Increase Outside Faculty Engagement

Plan Description

Invite outside faculty to participate in our departmental seminars.


Measurable Objective

Seminar organizer invite at least 1-2 outside faculty to present at our departmental seminars during the academic year.

Dates

Annually at faculty retreat.

Increase Research Opportunities

Plan Description

Increase the number of undergraduate students in our research labs through active recruiting.


Measurable Objective

Advertise undergraduate research positions available in our department to our undergraduate students.

Dates

Annually

Measurable Objective

Monitor the number of undergraduate students participating in research labs by reporting annual independent study credit hours. Discuss plans to adjust strategy as needed.

Dates

Annually at faculty retreat.

Advance professional and pre-professional training opportunities through our programs in post-baccalaureate capstone, professional doctorate in audiology, and masters in speech and language pathology.

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Increase Student Recruitment

Plan Description

Actively recruit students to our programs at national and international meetings.


Measurable Objective

Faculty will bring recruitment materials to 1-2 national and/or international meetings per year. We will review this on an annual basis.

Dates

Annually

Grow Post-baccalaureate Capstone Program

Plan Description

Increase the number of students in our post-baccalaureate capstone program through advertising and advising.


Measurable Objective

Enroll a minimum of 10 students per academic year and increase to 20 students annually.

Dates

By 2025

Expand Public Visibility

Plan Description

Expand our visibility to the public and the university at large through outreach, service, and newsletters that highlight accomplishments of our programs, students, and faculty.


Measurable Objective

Redesign website and create social media accounts for department and student organizations.

Dates

Spring 2020

Measurable Objective

Generate mechanism for faculty and staff to report these events to our IT manager.

Dates

Spring 2020

Measurable Objective

Post outreach, awards, and other highlights to department website and social media accounts.

Dates

Ongoing as they occur.

Increased Graduate Student Involvement in Outreach Activities

Plan Description

Provide graduate (MS and AuD) students the opportunity to participate in at least one outreach activity, including educational, health, and career fairs, per year during their graduate program.


Measurable Objective

Offer multiple opportunities for our MS and AuD students through student organizations and department programs.

Dates

Ongoing each semester.

Measurable Objective

Report the number of outreach events and attendance-provide data during annual retreat.

Dates

Annually

Develop Online Courses

Plan Description

Development online courses to expand course offerings.


Measurable Objective

Develop and implement one new online course.

Dates

2025

Promote Inter-professional Development

Plan Description

Further collaborative relationships with other departments to promote inter-professional development.


Measurable Objective

Develop and maintain interdisciplinary training grants (clinical and research).

Dates

Ongoing

Measurable Objective

Report and discuss the number of students participating in collaborative training opportunities (clinical and research).

Dates

Annually

Recruit, retain, and mentor academic and clinical students who will become the leaders of tomorrow

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Encourage Graduate Student Participation in WI LEND

Plan Description

Encourage graduate students to participate in the inter-professional Wisconsin Maternal and Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (WI LEND) Program, and other such programs.


Measurable Objective

Increase the number of applications each year to achieve 30% application rate.

Dates

2025

Increase Student Involvement in Local & National Organizations

Plan Description

Encourage our students to join and become active in state and national organizations.


Measurable Objective

Increase the number of students that participate in outreach up to 90%.

Dates

2025

Provide Leadership Training

Plan Description

Provide leadership training for our students.


Measurable Objective

Post leadership opportunities on campus, through student organizations, and through professional organizations.

Dates

Each Semester

Increase Department Diversity

Plan Description

Increase the diversity of the department by recruiting and faculty and staff from under-represented minority groups.


Measurable Objective

Faculty search committee members attend mandatory campus diversity in hiring workshop.

Dates

Ongoing

Increase Student Diversity

Plan Description

Recruit students from graduate programs that are known to have significant historically minority students.


Measurable Objective

Participate in campus efforts to contact minority students listed on the National Name Exchange.

Dates

Ongoing

Explore Additional Student Funding

Plan Description

Explore ways of funding students from diverse backgrounds.


Measurable Objective

Create ‘check boxes’ for diversity supplement on graduate student applications.

Dates

Spring 2020

Measurable Objective

Faculty with research grants will submit diversity supplements.

Dates

Annually

Assure Mentoring Committee

Plan Description

Assure that all new faculty have a mentoring committee to guide their path to tenure.


Measurable Objective

Hold annual mentoring committee meetings and provide faculty with follow-up recommendations in writing.

Dates

Annually