October 12, 2007
Dear CAA Members:
Attached is the Application for Accreditation Evaluation for the graduate education program in speech- language pathology at Case Western Reserve University, Department of Communication Sciences. In addition to our application submission, we have referenced our three alternative dates during which the site visit can be conducted. Please let us know if you require any additional information.
Thank you.
Selected site visit dates:
March 27-28, 2008
April 3-4, 2008
February 28-29, 2008
AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION
COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION
IN AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
Application for Accreditation Evaluation of
Graduate Education Programs in Audiology and/or Speech-Language Pathology
The purpose of the application for (re)accreditation is to provide information as it relates to your graduate program’s continued compliance with the 2008 standards for accreditation. The outline presented here must be followed when submitting an application. Please submit one (1) electronic version of the application, including appendices, and an original and seven (7) paper copies to the Accreditation Office according to the specific application preparation instructions provided. You may submit the electronic version on a CD or disk when the paper copies are submitted, or it may be emailed separately to as a Microsoft Word attachment.
DATE OF APPLICATION: / October 12, 2007CAA FILE #: / 4
INSTITUTION NAME: / Case Western Reserve University
COLLEGE/DIVISION: / College of Arts & Sciences
DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: / Department of Communication Sciences
Disorders Program
ADDRESS: / 11206 Euclid Avenue Room # 410
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7154
PROGRAM DIRECTOR NAME AND TITLE: / Dr. Angela Ciccia, Assistant Professor
PROGRAM DIRECTOR PHONE #: / 216-368-5385
PROGRAM DIRECTOR EMAIL: /
PROGRAM FAX: / 216-368-6078
PROGRAM MAIN PHONE #: / 216-368-2470
INSTITUTION/PROGRAM WEB ADDRESS: /
AREA(S) OF ACCREDITATION HELD:
Clinical Doctoral Audiology
X Master’s SLP / LIST DEGREE DESIGNATOR(S):
Clinical Doctoral Audiology:
X Master’s SLP:
REGIONAL ACCREDITATION BY: / North Central Association of Colleges
CURRENT REGIONAL ACCREDITATION CYCLE: / From:
October 2007 / To:
September 2011
General Information Section
The following demographic information about your program must be provided prior to completing the remainder of the application. Evidentiary documentation provided throughout the course of the accreditation review must provide verification that all standards are met, regardless of mode of education delivery.
If 50% or more of the graduate academic credit hours are provided via satellite or branch campuses and/or distance education, additional questions under sections marked for Distance EducationandSatellite Component must be completed.
I.Is this graduate program offered as part of a consortium?
YesX / No
If yes, indicate the institutions participating in the consortium and which entity(s) will be granting the degree.
Name / Degree Granting Entity(check all that apply)
Institution 1
Institution 2
Institution 3
Institution 4
II.Provide regional accreditation information for each participating entity of the consortium.
Name of Entity / Name of Regional Accreditor / Current Regional Accreditation datesCase Western Reserve University / Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools / From:October2005
To:October2015
From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
III.Is this graduate program or a component of it offered through a satellite or branch campus?
Yes, less than 50% of the academic credit hoursYes, 50% or more of the academic credit hours
X / No
IV.If 50% or more of the graduate academic credit hours are offered through a satellite or branch campus, name the locations of the satellite or branch campus and provide regional accreditation information.
Location #1:Name:
Address:
Name of Program Director
Name of Regional Accreditor:
Dates of Regional Accreditation / From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
Location #2:
Name:
Address:
Name of Program Director
Name of Regional Accreditor:
Dates of Regional Accreditation / From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
Location #3:
Name:
Address:
Name of Program Director
Name of Regional Accreditor:
Dates of Regional Accreditation / From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
Location #4:
Name:
Address:
Name of Program Director
Name of Regional Accreditor:
Dates of Regional Accreditation / From:(month)(yr)
To:(month)(yr)
V.Are graduate courses for the graduate education program offered through distance education?
Yes, less than 50% of the academic credit hoursYes, 50% or more of the academic credit hours
X / No, distance education not offered
Standard 1.0 Administrative Structure and Governance
Regional Accreditation
1.1 The applicant institution of higher education holds regional accreditation.
1.1.1Identify the current regional accreditation cycle dates.
The name of the regional accreditation agency and the month and year of the current regional accreditation cycle must be provided above on the application coversheet and in the general information section (consortium and satellite programs) of this application. If the program has not fully completed this information, the application will be returned as incomplete.
Mission, Goals and Objectives
1.2 The program’s mission and goals are consistent with CAA standards for entry into professional practice (Std. 3.1A and/or Std. 3.1B) and with the mission of the institution.
1.2.1 Provide the mission statement of the institution. If the program is a consortium, include information for all participating entities.
The mission of Case Western Reserve University is as follows:
As a university guided in all of its labors by values defined and sustained by constant moral discourse, we hold ourselves accountable at every level of the institution for practicing our values of integrity and respect, excellence and innovation, mentorship and diversity, academic freedom and entrepreneurship, partnership and social responsibility, efficiency and effectiveness, and continuous personal and institutional improvement.
As an educational institution dedicated to leadership in teaching and learning, we seek to transform all learners – faculty and staff as well as students – and support their personal growth and mentorship throughout their lives. We seek to lead the nation as the research university where the challenges of creating new knowledge support the values of a liberal education, where rigorous theory and practical, real-world experiences come together.
As a research institution dedicated to leadership in scholarly investigation, we seek to transform knowledge itself, focusing resources into those areas of research and scholarship where we can have the greatest national and global impact. In addition to research targeted to specific ends, we also accept our responsibility – unique to research universities – to create and disseminate knowledge for its own sake, and we promote a culture of inquiry marked by rigor, creativity, curiosity, innovation, respect, sensitivity, open communication of ideas, and lifelong learning.
As a service-oriented institution dedicated to civic leadership, we seek individually and collectively to transform society by preparing our students to improve the human condition and by directing the benefits of discovery toward a better society. Our uniquely transforming environment is not limited to the university’s own classrooms, laboratories, libraries, residence halls, and athletic fields, but includes partnerships with many other great institutions, including those concentrated in University Circle, Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and beyond. To “think globally, act locally,” we build these partnerships in the service of national and international leadership, believing that our ability to improve the human condition throughout the world should begin within our own community.
Case Western Reserve University strives to create a unique synergy among our education, research, and service missions, which we view as inseparable. Organizationally, this means that we eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, striving to be the most efficiently run research university in the world in order to keep our focus on productivity and maximize opportunities for inter-departmental, inter-school, and inter-institutional collaboration. Educationally, this means that student experiences in cultural institutions, clinics, social service agencies, or industry are not viewed as “extra-curricular,” but combine with the demands and rigors of academic theory to create the transforming learning experience that is a Case Western Reserve education.
The Mission and Values of Case Western Reserve University is available at:
1.2.2Provide the mission statement of the college. If the program is a consortium, include information for all participating entities.
Case Western Reserve University College of Arts and Sciences Mission (2002)The College of Art and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University is a scholarly community of students, faculty, and staff within a research university. Its mission is to create and transmit knowledge, to develop and discover new ideas, and to nurture learning and the excitement of learning among its members. This mission can be best achieved in an environment that promotes diversity of ideas and peoples.
The focus of the college is in the areas traditionally encompassed by the humanities and arts, the social sciences, and the natural and mathematical sciences. Its activities are not constrained by disciplinary boundaries. The programs of the college both strengthen and draw strength from programs of the other schools of the university. Similarly, through joint programs, they benefit from and add value to the cultural and scientific institutions of the surrounding region.
In all of its activities, the college adheres to the highest intellectual and ethical standards. In fulfilling this mission, the college serves the entire university community, the region, and the world.
It is important to note that the College of Arts and Sciences is currently conducting a strategic planning initiative. Upon completion of the strategic planning process, it is anticipated that the above mission statement will likely be updated.
1.2.3 Provide the mission statement of the program(s) seeking (re)accreditation.
Departmental mission: The Department of Communication Sciences prepares undergraduates and graduate students to address broad issues of human communication processes and disorders through the application of cutting-edge technology and rigorous clinical training. We provide a comprehensive foundation in normal and disordered human communication and combine it with innovative interdisciplinary experiences that capitalize on the extensive resources of the University and medical community that surround this department.Program mission (Communication Disorders): The mission of the graduate Communication Disorders program is to graduate future leaders in the clinical and research community of communication sciences and disorders that is in-line with the unique mission of the department. Our program objectives are: 1) To graduate students who demonstrate critical thinking skills and the ability to synthesize fundamental concepts and apply them to clinical practice at the professional level; 2) To provide students with a strong theoretical foundation utilizing state-of-the-art technology, experiential learning, and research training; and 3) To provide students with a foundation in professional ethics, an understanding of the need for self-reflection, and an understanding of the importance of life-long learning.
1.2.4 What mechanisms are used by faculty to regularly evaluate the congruence of the program and institutional goals?
The congruence of the program and the institutional goals is evaluated through several mechanisms. First, the faculty conducts regular meetings (full faculty meetings of the department occur monthly with the Department Chairman in attendance and faculty meeting of the faculty contributing to the graduate program in communication disorders occurs at least biweekly with the Department Chairman attending on an as needed basis) during which program goals, standards, and outcomes are discussed. Second, Stephen Haynesworth (interim Department Chairman) is highly aware of the goals of the institution through college-wide Department Chair meetings, as well through his role as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The goals of the institution are conveyed and reinforced to the faculty by the Department Chairman during departmental faculty meetings. Finally, the mission of the institution has been at the core of the extensive strategic planning initiative that has been taking place in the Communication Sciences department over the last three years.1.2.5 What mechanisms are used by faculty to regularly evaluate the extent to which the program’s goals are achieved?
Progress toward programmatic goals and objectives is evaluated at the level of the departmental faculty, the undergraduate and graduate student body, and through an annual review of data that is collected each semester by the program. Data (e.g. Praxis scores, employment rates, licensure applications) are reviewed by the program director, the coordinator for teacher licensure for speech-language pathology, (Stacy Williams), and the interim department chair. The department faculty review action points and timelines outlined in the departmental strategic plan to determine progress toward program goals and objectives. This is done in an ongoing fashion during regular faculty meetings.Undergraduate and graduate student have an opportunity to give feedback on issues pertaining to their academic instruction through the process of teaching evaluations that are completed for each course at the completion of each semester. Graduate students meet with the Coordinator of Clinical Education each semester to discuss their clinical experiences and to provide evaluations of their clinical supervisors. Additionally, because the department has an outside advisory committee that is guiding the new strategic planning of the department, this group of individuals reviews program progress at least once a semester between the Spring 2007 semester through the beginning of the 2008 academic year.
1.2 Mission, Goals and Objectives
Distance Education and Satellite Component (only)
If you answered “Yes, 50% or more” to Question III or V on page 3, please respond to the following questions.
1.2.6Describe how the distance education and/or satellite program fit the mission of the existing accredited program and that of the institution.
Distance Education:
Satellite/Branch Campus:
1.2.7Describe the explicit rationale for providing the distance education and/or satellite program. Your explanation must discuss the needs addressed specifically by the mode of delivery.
Distance Education:
Satellite/Branch Campus:
1.2.8What mechanisms are used by faculty to evaluate regularly the congruence of the distance education and/or satellite program and institutional goals?
Distance Education:
Satellite/Branch Campus:
1.2.9What mechanisms are used by faculty to evaluate the extent to which the goals are achieved for the distance education and/or satellite program?
Distance Education:
Satellite/Branch Campus:
[End distance education and/or satellite section for Standard 1.2]
Program Strategic Plan
1.3The program develops and implements a long-term strategic plan.
1.3.1Describe the process for creating and implementing the program’s strategic plan.
The creation of a new departmental strategic plan began during the 2003-04 academic year. At that time, an interdisciplinary external review committee was appointment by the College of Arts and Sciences to review the significance of the department in the larger mission of the College and overall institution. The review committee recommended to the College that the focus of the Communication Disorders component of the Communication Sciences department be updated to better align with the direction of the institution. Based on this recommendation, a vision statement was drafted by the faculty (both regular and adjunct) during the Spring of 2004 that would alter the mission of the department to bring it into alignment with the goals of the health sciences and technology focuses at the institution and to capitalize on the strengths that are unique to this campus and program, specifically given our unique relationship with the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center (The Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center is the initial clinical training site for the Communication Disorders program. The two entities share space and have had a collaborative relationship for 45 years. The details of this relationship and the implications for clinical training are discussed in additional detail in the response to question 3.2.3). This vision statement created by the department was reviewed, and approved, by the past Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (Mark Turner). One aspect of the vision plan was to hire three faculty members with a specialty focus in the areas of: (1)medical speech pathology; (2) applications of cutting-edge technology in research, teaching, and clinical practice; and (3) interdisciplinary research agendas. These hires were completed during the 2004-05 academic year, with the new hires beginning in the 2005-06 academic year. Following this initial step, it was determined that a specific strategic plan should be developed to further facilitate the implementation of the vision statement that was approved during the Spring of 2004. To help guide the strategic planning initiative, an advisory committee was established, consisting of five senior-level, nationally-recognized speech-language pathologists, during the 2006-07 academic year. The members of the advisory board visited the campus in February, 2007 and the results of this meeting became the foundation of the strategic plan that is currently being implemented by the department. The advisory board will continue to provide guidance to the department over this next academic year. It is anticipated that full implementation of the strategic plan will be completed by the 2012 academic year.1.3.2What methods are used to assure the congruence of the strategic plan with the mission of the institution?
The creation of the current strategic plan has been done is close collaboration with the administration of the College of Arts and Sciences specifically to ensure congruence with the mission of the institution as well as to ensure institutional support. The strategic plan has been reviewed and approved by the current dean of the college (Cyrus Taylor). The strategic plan reinforces the core values of the institution, that is, a focus on excellence, an emphasis on rigorous application of theory in clinical practice, and to focus our efforts in areas where we can have the greatest impact based on our profile of strengths.1.3.3What methods are used to assure that the development of the strategic plan has the support of the university administration and reflects the role of the program within the community?
As mentioned above, the strategic plan has been created in close collaboration with university administration. In terms of the role of the program in the community, the affiliation between the clinical education component of the Communication Sciences program is done in collaboration with the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center and the Executive Director of the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center (Bernard Henri) is a member of the advisory committee as well an adjunct faculty member in the department. Dr. Henri is acutely aware of the needs of the community both in terms of service provision, training of future speech-language pathologist, and advocacy efforts at the state and national levels.1.3.4Describe how the plan is evaluated and disseminated to faculty, students, alumni, and other interested parties.