2006 Focused Initiatives

Focused Initiative: PhD Shortage in Higher Education

First Quarter Progress Report (January-March)

For each of the 2006 Focused Initiatives, a work plan that includes the strategies to be completed in 2006 was developed. During the 1^st quarter of the year, the strategy implementation teams initiated activities necessary to complete the strategies by the dates indicated. View the 2006 work plan for each Focused Initiative. The following report highlights some of the actions that were initiated during the 1^st quarter and includes information on the status of all strategies included in the work plan at the end of the 1^st quarter.

1^st Quarter Highlights

The Mentoring Academic Researcher Careers (MARC) program is being developed within the Gathering Place portal on the ASHA Web site. Program goals, description, eligibility and selection criteria have been completed. A presentation on the MARC Program was made at the CAPCSD conference in April 2006. A timeline has been established for launch in October 2006.
The 2006 application guidelines for the Students Preparing for Academic and Research Careers (SPARC) were established and marketed and the open application period of March 1^st to May 16^th is underway.
The 2006 Advancing Academic and Research (AARC) Award application and review guidelines have been established. Open application period extends from March 1^st to May 16^th.
The program for the ASHA/ASHF Interdisciplinary Research Young Investigator award grants program has been completed and grants will be awarded in September 2006.
Applicants have submitted their abstracts for the Student Research Travel Award Program that will provide a travel award to attend the 2006 ASHA Convention.
The Quality Indicators for Integration of Research and Clinical Practice into Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Programs: Program Self-Assessment Web based resource has been developed and is in final stages of editing.
The topic for the 2006 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting has been selected—Recruitment for PhDs in CSD at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels.
Overall system design requirements for the higher education data collection system [Higher Education System (HES)] have been finalized.
The HES project liaison from CAPCSD is drafting exact specifications for design of their instruments in the HES, which includes determining exact survey question wording, order, response options; "Help" feature content, instructions, identification and resolution of questions that overlap with other HES instruments.
CAA representatives have begun drafting exact design specifications for their instruments within the HES (e.g., Re-Accreditation Application and the Annual Report).
HES promotional "teaser" materials were disseminated during the April 2006 CAPCSD Spring Meeting, highlighting the September 2006 launch date of the Graduate Guide Survey within the HES.