College of Education

Strategic Plan (2022-2024)

CSUMB Mission

To prepare students to contribute responsibly to California and the global community by providing transformative learning experiences in an inclusive environment.

College of Education mission

The College of Education prepares innovative scholar-practitioners who implement evidence-based practices to promote lifelong learning.

Speech-Language Pathology program mission

The mission of the Speech-Language Pathology Program at CSUMB is to promote an understanding of human communication and its disorders by preparing future professionals to serve the community, including children and adults from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The program incorporates evidence-based practices, community partnerships, and innovative technologies to prepare ethically responsible professionals to practice in a variety of interdisciplinary settings and to contribute to the advancement of the field of speech-language pathology.

The role of the SLP program in relation to the university and college of Education mission

The mission of the SLP program is aligned with both CSUMB and the College of Education.  The SLP program will promote the values of educating culturally and ethically responsive practitioners through community partnerships to serve local, state and global communities. 

Speech-Language Pathology program vision

The vision of the Speech-Language Pathology Program is to provide a comprehensive graduate program with rigorous academic and clinical training in health care and school contexts. The CSUMB program will produce highly qualified speech-language pathologists, which will positively impact service to local communities and beyond.

The SLP program aligns with the CSUMB Vision Statement, Values, and Strategic Plan  in several ways.  The CSUMB Vision states:

• It will feature an enriched living and learning environment and year-round operation.
  • The SLP program will be designed to provide a combination of academic and practicum courses in a year-round format to provide students with a well-rounded training preparation program.
• Integrate the sciences, the arts and humanities, liberal studies and professional training.
  • The SLP curriculum would provide a blend of academic and professional training.  SLP students are required to have 400 clinical hours and the CSUMB program would aim to provide these opportunities in a variety of community based settings.
• Integrate work and learning, service, and reflection.
  • From the beginning of the program, SLP students will be in the field learning from local practitioners. Thus, students will simultaneously acquire academic knowledge along with real-life service experiences. It is through these varied opportunities that our students will be able to integrate the knowledge and skills to better serve our diverse population. While in their field learning, students will also be providing service to the community.
• Invest in languages and cross – cultural competence.
  • Students in the SLP program will be trained to work with diverse populations.

Program goals

The SLP program four goals central to its success:

• To provide candidates with a comprehensive graduate education resulting in a M.S. degree in Speech-Language Pathology and allows candidates to meet the most current practice standards needed for national certification and state licensure.
• To academically and clinically train ethically responsible students in prevention, assessment, and evidence-based intervention of speech, language, and swallowing disorders and differences across the lifespan.
• The M.S. SLP program will build a community of belonging and inclusion, where people are encouraged to be themselves in order to engage in a safe learning environment.
• To provide candidates with various practicum experiences in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, and private practice, to meet the needs of the local community and beyond.

The MS SLP program Strategic Plan incorporates several of CSUMB’s strategic priorities along with the program’s goals and are designed in alignment with the program mission to meet or exceed state and national accreditation standards. In order to do this, the program will focus on the following areas: Student Success, Belonging, Equity, & Inclusion, and Regional Stewardship.

Student Success

Program Goal: To provide candidates with a comprehensive graduate education resulting in a M.S. degree in Speech-Language Pathology and allows candidates to meet the most current practice standards needed for national certification and state licensure.

Action:

The M.S. SLP program will:

• Become a CAA accredited program by 2026.

Program Goal: To academically and clinically train ethically responsible students in prevention, assessment, and evidence-based intervention of speech, language, and swallowing disorders and differences across the lifespan.

Action:

The SLP Program will:

• Hire 2 full time tenure track faculty to teach across the curriculum
• Hire adjunct and clinical faculty to support the academic and practicum needs of the program.
• Incorporate interprofessional experiences in both academic and clinical placements.
• Assess the curriculum on an ongoing basis and make changes as needed.

Belonging, Equity, & Inclusion

Program Goal: The M.S. SLP program will build a community of belonging and inclusion, where people are encouraged to be themselves in order to engage in a safe learning environment. 

Action:

The SLP Program will:

• Recruit and admit underrepresented populations into the M.S. SLP Program
• Recruit faculty from across the nation that are representative of our student population
• Collaborate with professionals in the tri-county area to serve diverse populations
• Develop, maintain, and encourage involvement in NSSLHA
• Provide opportunities diversity and inclusion throughout the curriculum

Regional Stewardship

Program Goal:To provide students with various practicum experiences in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, clinics, and private practice, to meet the needs of the local community and beyond.

Action:

The SLP Program will:

• Continue to develop collaborative relationships with community-based practitioners at local school districts, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, and private practices to expand community engagement.
• Develop and maintain memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the various community partners.
• Collaborate with the Clinic for Educational Supports (CES) to provide practicum experiences for a variety of ages and disorders. 
• Provide opportunities to engage in service activities within our community