ASHA Strategic Plan

Issue B

Fourth Quarter (Final) Progress Report
October - December 2007

Facilitating Team Leader: Vic Gladstone, Chief Staff Officer for Audiology

Issue B: A critical shortage and continuing attrition of doctoral-level faculty in higher education is affecting the preparation of professionals as well as the conduct of research in communication sciences and disorders.

Outcome 1: Increased number of potential doctoral level teachers/researchers in personnel preparation programs to fill short term and long-term faculty vacancies in human communication sciences and disorders.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs, Scientific Programs and Research Development, and the Professional Practices units (Audiology [AUD], Office of Multicultural Affairs [OMA], and Speech-Language Pathology [SLP]) will have developed and disseminated informational resources that support 1) current practicing professionals who want to obtain a research doctoral degree, or 2) current practicing professionals who already hold a research doctoral degree and want to transition to a career as a teacher-researcher in higher education. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs, Scientific Programs and Research Development, and Membership and Information Systems units will have managed a mentoring portal in CSD and related disciplines to assist current PhD students in the discipline in the pursuit of teaching-research careers. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Membership team and OMA will have implemented a PhD student track as part of ASHA's Minority Student Leadership Program. Up to ten PhD students who are members of a racial/ethnic minority will be selected to participate in activities and an educational forum to enhance their leadership skills within the discipline. [Completed]

Outcome 2: Increased number of students recruited into the professions who continue their education to become teachers/researchers.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs and Scientific Programs and Research Development units will have funded an ASHA award program, the Students Preparing for Academic and Research Careers (SPARC) award, to promote PhD career development for CSD undergraduate/graduate students through enhanced educational mentorship experiences that prepare students for successful PhD education and academic/research careers. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs, Surveys and Information, and Credentialing units will have launched and marketed EdFind, a Web-based search engine that is part of the Higher Education Data System (HES), to support students' searches for PhD education programs based upon academic program data such as faculty research interests and availability of funding. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Scientific Programs and Research Development unit will have expanded ASHA's efforts to showcase student research and academic success at the ASHA Convention and other ASHA Continuing Education and research training venues. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, the Membership team and OMA will have continued the administration of an online portal and mentoring program, The ASHA Gathering Place – S.T.E.P. program, to encourage the continued recruitment and retention of racial/ethnic minority students through meaningful, one-to-one mentoring relationships and online resources. [Completed]
5. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs, Scientific Programs and Research Development, and Professional Practices units will have developed and disseminated informational resources that identify the philosophy, attributes and methods of successful integration of clinical and research interests as applied to all levels of education. [Completed]

Outcome 3: Increased retention of doctoral-level faculty.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs and Scientific Programs and Research Development units will have funded an ASHA award program, the Advancing Academic and Research Careers (AARC) award, for new faculty who are in the beginning stages of their academic/research careers for the purpose of promoting retention in higher education by providing financial incentives to mentor research in their own students, conduct research, and/or improve teaching knowledge and skills. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Chief Staff Officer for Science and Research in conjunction with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHF) will have funded a study-section meeting for consideration of the 2007 New Century Scholars' and Young Investigators' applications to the ASHF that would bring together a panel of senior investigators (with funded research and study-section experience) and junior investigators (those who are faculty members in a CSD program with 2-3 years experience that have not received substantial funding) for the purpose of fostering knowledge of the grant review process in order to generalize this knowledge to future grant applications. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs, Scientific Programs and Research Development, and Membership and Information Systems units will have managed a mentoring portal in CSD and related disciplines to assist new faculty-researchers in the discipline in the pursuit of their teaching-research careers. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs and Scientific Programs and Research Development units in conjunction with the Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Science and Technology will have planned and held a Researcher-Academic Town Meeting at the ASHA Convention to foster a coordinated academic and research culture, to address current issues in the preparation of future teachers-researchers in higher education, and to provide a networking experience for student and new faculty research award recipients to interact with seasoned researchers. [Completed]
5. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs and Surveys and Information units will have initiated data collection through the Higher Education Data System (HES) in order to prepare, disseminate, and market the availability and use of reports in 2008 on doctoral program characteristics. [Completed]

Outcome 4: Increased federal funding for doctoral program fellowships.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the GRPP unit will have sought through federal legislation to have CSD graduates recognized as shortage specialists that have access to increased federal professional development and training funds, federal student financial aid, federal research funds and loan forgiveness policies that impact recruitment and retention of qualified school-based personnel, doctoral faculty and researchers. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the GRPP unit will have pursued appropriations for academic programs in CSD to help mitigate the doctoral shortage in the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology. [Completed]

There are 15 strategies in the PhD Shortage in Higher Education work plan. Following is the status for the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th quarters.