of Department Communication Sciences & Disorders
Departmental Plan University Objective 1. Increase Research Productivity and Long-term Economic Development by Increasing Faculty and Staff in Areas of Research That Have Potential for Growth. Departmental Objective 1a: By the fall of 2004, the department will increase its graduate faculty from seven to ten.
Actions:
The department is searching to fill two open lines for the fall of 2004. Current faculty members not on Graduate Faculty will conduct research projects and apply for admission.
Departmental Objective 1b: By the fall of 2010, the department will have 13 graduate faculty, matching the department at the University of Texas at Austin. Actions: Hire three new tenure-track faculty. Increase Quality of Undergraduate Student Body Increase undergraduate student exposure to research.
University Objective 2. Departmental Objective 2: Actions:
In the Fall of 2004, the revised BA curriculum will take effect. The requirements of this curriculum give students greater freedom to pursue research. By 2010 use the 13 graduate faculty (includes new faculty lines above) to teach all 4000 level courses except clinical practica, thus increasing undergraduates' exposure to research..
Outcomes:
By 2010 increase the number of honor's theses to two per year. By 2010 increase the number of master's theses to four per year.
University Objective 3. and Programs
Increase Number and Quality of Graduate Students
Departmental Objective 3a Actions:
Increase the number of Ph.D. students
By 2004, allocate all of the department's $56,000 graduate assistant budget to support of Ph.D. students. Seek additional stipend support for Ph.D. students from grants and sources within the university. Recruit current and past masters students. Recruit minority students from Louisiana's traditionally African-American schools. Write grants to federal agencies to support minority students.
Outcomes:
By 2004 increase number of doctoral students to 11. By 2010 increase number of doctoral students to 16 with three graduating each year.
Departmental Objective 3b Increase the number of MA students in the speech-language pathology program from 40 to 50 by 2010. Actions Use new professorial faculty from 1a above to teach 4000-level classes currently taught by instructors. Instructors in turn will be able to supervise more clinical practica in the MA program. Hire two new instructors to solicit and coordinate more off-campus clinical practica sites to increase the overall amount of available clinical practica. Hire an instructor to be housed in the new university day care facility to supervise MA students providing services to handicapped children. Complete the video equipment in Hatcher Hall. This equipment is needed to efficiently observe clinical practica, enabling a maximum number of masters students in speech-language pathology.
Outcomes:
By 2010 there will be 50 MA students studying speech-language pathology, with 25 graduating per year
Departmental Objective 3c Actions
Increase the research activity of MA students
The revised BA curriculum requires all of the 4000 level classes necessary to become certified as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, thus graduates of this program who enter the MA program will have greater freedom in their graduate classes and will have more opportunities to pursue research topics. The revised MA curriculum includes more research seminars, a mandatory reserearch experience. BA Recruit students who have been involved in undergraduate research projects. Make the thesis option more appealing to students by creating a joint committee of graduate faculty and clinical instructors to realign student scheduling priorities to provide more flexibility in clinical experiences for students who chose the thesis option. Include more research activity in the clinical practica experiences of all masters students. Give priority scheduling to clients whose intervention programs are part of research projects.
Outcomes:
By 2010, 20% of the masters graduates will conduct theses By 2010, 10% of the masters graduates will have presented papers at professional meetings By 2010, 2 masters graduates per year will choose to enroll in the Ph.D. program
Departmental Objective 3d Actions:
Increase the diversity of MA students
Increase diversity of the student population through further development of research into effects of culture on practice in speech-language pathology and audiology. Work with Xavier University and Southern University to place more minority students in the masters program through the federal minority
personnel preparation grant program. Include in the grant funding for instructors who will act as mentors for these students. Outcomes: By 2010 have a minority enrollment of 20% of the MA students
Objective 4. Improve Quality of Campus Life Departmental Objective 4 Actions Provide clinical services to the university community
Continue to provide clinical services to students, faculty, and their children. Work with the staff of the developing LSU Child Care Center to provide services for disabled preschoolers.
Objective 5. Communicate Opportunities and Impact of Programs Departmental Objective 5. Actions Communicate Opportunities and Impact of Programs
Maintain the departmental web page with information about degree programs, faculty research, student research and clinical services.
Objective 6: Increase Funding Sources to Support Objectives 1-5. Departmental Objective 6 a: Increase graduate faculty to support more graduate studen...