MS in Speech-Language Pathology Strategic Plan

MSUM Mission & Vision
Mission for College of Education & Human Services

Mission Statement for the Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences Department

The Speech Language Hearing Sciences Department will impart knowledge about human communication, swallowing, and related disorders; foster the necessary skills to practice speech-language pathology competently, and serve individuals affected by communication disorders in a diverse society.

Vision Statement for the Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences Department

The Speech Language Hearing Sciences department at Minnesota State University Moorhead aims to be the region's premiere program in the field of human communication sciences and disorders. We seek to transform outstanding students into professionals who will competently and compassionately meet the needs of individuals with communication and swallowing disorders.

Program Objectives

  • Recruiting and retaining a diverse body of high-quality students to our undergraduate and graduate programs and supporting them through high-quality rigorous courses, inclusive environments, clinical experiences, and faculty-mentored research opportunities.
  • Meeting the regional workforce need for speech-language pathologists in school, medical, and private practice settings.
  • Operating in a collegial student-focused environment where all students, faculty, clinical educators, and staff are respected and valued for their unique strengths.
  • Employing and retaining high-quality faculty and clinical educators through the provision of appropriate workloads, mentoring, and infrastructure so they can excel in classroom and clinic instruction, research, and service endeavors.
  • Fostering collaboration between the departments within our College of Education and Human Services, within MSUM, and with surrounding organizations in the region.
  • Serving the region through the MSUM Speech-Language & Hearing Clinic by providing state-of-the-art assessments, interventions, technologies, and resources.
  • Functioning as a financially sustainable SLHS department to provide an extraordinary undergraduate and graduate education.

SLHS Strategic Plan 2024-2029 Long Term Goals

  1. MSUM Strategic Anchor: Student Achievement
    We will define the distinctive attributes of our academic experience, building on the strengths that differentiate MSUM regardless of a student’s academic major. We will also ensure that we offer the optimal mix of programs and delivery modes to achieve our enrollment goals and financial sustainability.
    1. Maintain state-of-the-art facilities and clinical programs including teletherapy, simulations, and community partnerships.
    2. Successfully operate the Regional Assistive Technology Center and participate as a community lending library through the MN STAR grant program.
    3. Maintain accreditation to continue offering the SLP graduate program.
    4. Implement strategies to navigate current resources and meet the needs of students for certification/accreditation and university assessment.
    5. Recruit and retain excellent students in SLHS and SLP programs through best practices in advising, mentorship, and celebration of student success.
    6. Maintain existing and develop new IPE/IPP opportunities for our students.

  2. MSUM Strategic Anchor: Diversity and Inclusion
    We will continue to build our organizational capacity to achieve equitable educational outcomes for all students, recognizing that achieving equity will require changing our systems, policies, practices, assumptions, and campus climate.
    1. Recruit and mentor students and faculty from underrepresented groups.
    2. Integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competency through coursework and clinical experiences.
    3. Explore adding articulation agreements for our undergraduate program providing pathways to the degree from community colleges.
    4. Provide clinical services to a diverse clientele of communication needs and backgrounds.
    5. Seek resources to consistently offer American Sign Language and Deaf Culture at MSUM.
    6. Implement future abroad programs for the SLHS/SLP programs.

  3. MSUM Strategic Anchor: Community Development/Engagement
    We will build community partnerships that strengthen and sustain our academic programs, enhance students’ educational experiences, and meet important community needs.
    1. Strategically plan off-campus screenings and service-learning opportunities for efficiency and student needs.
    2. Foster relationships and share knowledge with community professionals and organizations in the region.
    3. Collaborate with organizations within and outside of MSUM to provide opportunities for students to serve the community/region and benefit students’ learning.

MSUM Strategic Anchor: Student Achievement

We will define the distinctive attributes of our academic experience, building on the strengths that differentiate MSUM regardless of a student’s academic major. We will also ensure that we offer the optimal mix of programs and delivery modes to achieve our enrollment goals and financial sustainability.

  • Long-term (2024-2029): Maintain state-of-the-art facilities and clinical programs including teletherapy, in-person and simulation learning experiences, and community partnerships.
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Maintain capabilities to use Telepractice teaching techniques and strategies to meet the needs of the students and clients at MSUM Clinic and Red Lake Nation.
      • Expand direct clinical service delivery in the clinic and/or via local school contracting
      • Calibrate all audiometric equipment and plan for updates as needed.
      • Update clinical materials and technology as needed, seeking grant opportunities as available.
      • Update EMST & Laryngoscopy equipment to be consistent with industry standards
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Successfully operate the Regional Assistive Technology Center and participate as a community lending library through the MN STAR grant program. 
    • Short-term 24-25:
      • RATC will continue to collaborate with STAR with demonstrations and loans for assistive technology tools and support for Minnesota residents.
      • Increase community education on RATC resources and outreach services.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Maintain accreditation to continue offering the SLP graduate program.
    • Short-term 24-25: Submit an annual report and be 100% compliant.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Recruit and retain excellent students in SLHS and SLP programs through best practices in advising, mentorship, and celebration of student success. 
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Dept Chair will serve on the CEHS Retention and Recruitment committee.
      • Continue SLHS Learning Community
      • Continue 100% compliance with Early Alert Updates
      • Continue SLHS Student Advisory Board (SAB)
      • Continue effective, best-practice advising.
      • Maintain high student outcomes on graduate program benchmarks.
      • Hold Group Advising for Graduate School Applications for Juniors and Seniors
      • Participate in Tri-college or Graduate Fair (PB)
      • Facilitate shadowing/observation in the SLHS Clinic for High school students.
      • Work with admissions by responding to prospective, admitted, and accepted students following visits Engage in best practices for recruiting undergraduate students.
      • Participate in preview days & High School Career Fairs; Give tours to prospective students.
      • Provide welcome and/or follow-up videos/notes for prospective students.
      • Intentionally celebrate student success to retain students, highlight the program, and celebrate faculty/staff success.
      • Post academic, research, and clinic accomplishments on Dragon Digest and the MSUM website.
      • Recognize scholarship recipients on the SLHS Wall of Honor
      • Celebrate/recognize graduates with SLP/SLHS graduation reception and SLP master’s degree hooding ceremony.
      • Retention: Plan and publish course rotation for multiple years & ensure advisors are fully aware of plan and proactively communicating (promote utilization of our flexible course options to attract UG and PB students (UG Cmte)
      • Continue Advising Best Practices & Living Learning Cohort
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Implement strategies to navigate current resources and meet the needs of students for certification/accreditation and assessment. 
    • Short-term 24-25 Graduate
      • Identify/complete curriculum revisions/sequences as needed for CAA 2023 Revisions and best practices.
      • Continue review of course student learning outcomes (SLOs) to foster the development of cultural responsiveness through coursework and clinical experiences.
      • Continue to collaborate between the counseling department and the SLP program for course collaboration SLP 675
      • Revise SLP 683 with two-course pilot SLP 690 sequences
      • Ongoing assessment and refinement of simulated learning experiences (including Simucase and Simulated Patients) in curriculum
    • Short-term 24-25 Undergraduate
      • Implement collaboration with Alex Tech for SLP-Assistant Certificate options.
      • Continue to offer Flexible (Trimodal & Bimodal) course options for post-baccalaureate sequence courses
      • Increase number of “Z-degree” offerings
    • Short-term 24-25 Clinic
      • Continue to explore a way to add experiences and knowledge with school-based documentation including Moorhead Schools contracted experience.
      • Explore infusing more IEP examples into the academic and clinical curriculum with local school contracts (e.g., Moorhead, Red Lake)
      • Explore ideas for more exposure in these areas a need: hearing treatment, oral-peripheral exams, and adult hours. swallowing, more intentional documentation
      • Continue collaboration with Moorhead Transition Services on campus at MSUM
      • Continue opportunities for hearing experiences via local community screenings.
      • Improve the efficiency and financial sustainability of the clinic via additional client visits and exploring contracts with outside entities.
      • Explore the balance of clinic hours with off-campus/on-campus clinic placements.
      • Review metrics, clinic budgets, and clinic revenue.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Maintain existing and develop new additional IPE/IPP opportunities for our students. 
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Restructure the collaboration with U. of Mary’s Occupational Therapy dept and the University of Jamestown’s Physical Therapy dept.
      • Explore a Pediatric IPE/IPP collaboration with School Psych or SPED
      • Explore undergraduate collaboration with Early Education Childhood Center for SLHS 204
      • Explore collaboration case opportunity with Criminal Justice for SLHS 322
      • Continue to explore collaboration with Special Education on IEP training for students.
      • Use SimuCase to emphasize IPE/IPP experience in academic and clinical experiences.
      • Explore adding simulation learning experiences and collaborations across the community and within MSUM (EMSt Expiratory Muscle Strength Training, Pediatric Swallowing, and Laryngoscopy, Adult Swallowing standardized patient)
      • Continue collaboration with CEHS, Special Education, for IPE Case Study activity within SLHS 343 Clinical Procedures and Special Education Methods Class; SLP 642 AAC; Add Assistive Technology Lab with SPED Responsive Teaching Course; SLP 675 collaboration with Counseling

MSUM Strategic Anchor: Diversity and Inclusion

We will continue to build our organizational capacity to achieve equitable educational outcomes for all students, recognizing that achieving equity will require changing our systems, policies, practices, assumptions, and campus climate.

  • Long-term (2024-2029): Recruit and mentor students and faculty students from underrepresented groups. 
    • Short-term 24-25:
      • Intentionally offer financial assistance for at least one scholarship (Gregory Lof Endowed Scholarship) specifically for an underrepresented group
      • Increase the number of underrepresented groups and male graduate students (underrepresented in the SLP field)
      • Consistently track disaggregated department or program-level goals Identify best practice advising or pedagogy of value to all students including 1st Gen, BiPOC, Pell-Eligible
      • Implement CSDCAS centralized application system
      • Expand outreach recruiting for underrepresented to Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo High Schools; Continue summer SCRUBS camp, and student observers of the clinic.
      • Increase # of online undergraduate courses for nontraditional students and maintain the use of Flexible (Trimodal & Bimodal) course delivery in fall/spring as appropriate for maximum access. Increase # of undergraduate “Z-Course” options
      • Continue local high school education visits for fields of SLP and Audiology
      • Implement a community outreach plan to develop ongoing relationships and promote education about our professions.
      • Explore hiring adjuncts, and staff from underrepresented groups.
      • Explore options with Mstate for students to transfer to SLHS UG.
      • Transition to CSDCAS Centralized application system to increase applications overall and underrepresented groups.
  • Long-term (2024-2029) Integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competency through coursework and clinical experiences.
    • Short-term 24-25:
      • Continue activities related to cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in undergraduate and graduate coursework.
      • Continue clinical assignments with Red Lake School District (contracted, teletherapy)
  • Long-term (2024-2029) Explore adding articulation agreements for pathways from community colleges.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Provide clinical services to a diverse clientele of communication needs and backgrounds.
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Continue community screenings. (Head Start, Fraiser, Bethany, Casselton, St. Joes, Park Christian, Barnesville Schools)
      • Provide direct clinical service to the community via on-campus clinic and via telepractice.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Explore future study abroad programs for the SLHS/SLP programs.
    • 24-25: Explore options for collaborative study abroad opportunities with social work and criminal justice for SLHS students for Spring 2025
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Seek ways to consistently offer American Sign Language and Deaf Culture courses at MSUM.
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Continue to offer SLHS 301 fall as LASC 8
      • Explore ways to offer Sign Language Courses with adjuncts outside of our re-assigned time and re-activate SLHS 302 (ASL II)
      • Continue undergraduate volunteer experience with Vineyard 2nd Generation ASL immersion academy.

MSUM Strategic Anchor: Community Development/Engagement

We will build community partnerships that strengthen and sustain our academic programs, enhance students’ educational experiences, and meet important community needs.

  • Long-term (2024-2029): Strategically plan off-campus screenings and service learning for efficiency and student needs.
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Provide service-learning activities for SLP 627; Hearing & cognitive screenings: Bethany, One Oak Place, Casselton.
      • Continue speech, language, and hearing screenings in the area.
      • Participate in the Cleft Palate clinic through the ND Department of Health
      • Complete RATC Device Demonstrations on and off campus
      • Explore opportunities to engage with other community partners for interprofessional observation opportunities.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Foster relationships and share knowledge with community professionals and organizations in the region.
    • Short-term 24-25
      • Invite local professionals in our fields and related fields to speak in SLHS courses.
      • Consult with current professionals related to expertise.
      • Collaborate with UND for the 2024 Spring Symposium/Continuing Education opportunity (UND Host ’24; MSUM Host ‘25)
      • Collaborate with CEHS Visiting Scholar presentation.
      • SLHS faculty/staff speak in classes in other programs.
      • Host SLHS Retired Faculty and Staff and Alumni Reception
      • Work with ND DPI to provide scholarships and support employment in ND.
      • Continue to be site host for Moorhead local Chapter of the National Stuttering Association.
      • Foster continued a strong relationship with FM Sertoma.
      • NSSLHA/Collegiate Sertoma Group Volunteer Signing Santa in community
      • Submit a new grant with FM Sertoma for updated Hearing Screen and OAE Equipment.
      • Restructure and update Community Advisory Board and increase # of connection opportunities.
  • Long-term (2024-2029): Collaborate with organizations within and outside of MSUM to provide opportunities for students to serve the community/region and benefit students’ learning.
    • Short-term 24-25
    • Continue with the STAR grant to connect RATC with MN residents for assistive technology needs.
    • Collaboration with the ND Department of Health to provide services at the regional Cleft Palate clinic five times an academic year.
    • Collaboration with Community of Care Casselton, Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead for annual Screenings. Explore resuming MSUM EEC Screenings. Clinic collaboration with West Fargo, Fargo, and Moorhead Schools for clinic and diagnostic experiences.
    • Facilitate Community Service opportunities for NSSLHA/Collegiate Sertoma
    • Faculty-mentored student research will be accepted at regional and/or national conferences.
    • Active participation in Student Academic conferences: mentoring student research; volunteering at events; dept. involvement in the planning committee and as a liaison between SAC and the Graduate Council
    • Increase communication between our program; our student groups and FM Sertoma and Delta Zeta sorority as the four groups share some common missions.
Executive Summary