Focus Areas, Goals and Action Steps

Focus Area 1. Student Success

• Continue to strengthen and organize the CSD admissions’ process
  • Engage with Iona’s early-acceptance program to recruit Iona’s undergraduate CSD students
  • Explore ways to streamline and simplify the admissions’ process, particularly for Iona undergraduates
• Continue to create the highest level of student engagement in CSD graduate classes
  • Create a clear policy for all CSD graduate students to support professionalism/attendance
  • Foster active learning environments in CSD graduate classes through interactive and participatory teaching methods.
  • Support students’ clinical writing needs
• Increase communication, networking, and marketing
  • Establish regular meetings and communication channels among faculty, clinical supervisors, and students to ensure alignment and transparency.
  • Develop a digital platform for networking opportunities, allowing students to connect with alumni and professionals in the field.

Focus Area 2. Academic Excellence & Distinctiveness

• Inter-professional on- and off-campus collaboration
  • Explore international opportunities for CSD graduate students and collaborate with Iona’s study abroad office
  • Continue to grow interprofessional education at Iona
• Research
  • Invite faculty and clinical supervisors to share clinical knowledge/expertise regularly
  • Encourage faculty to share research with the larger Iona & non-Iona community
  • Increase student research involvement with a particular focus on supporting knowledge of bilingualism/multilingualism

Focus Area 3. Talent

• Offer opportunities that focus on professional development and career readiness
  • Create experiences for CSD students that offer guidance for next steps after graduation
  • Increase CEU opportunities
• Create an environment for both students and faculty that is collaborative
  • Increase NSSLHA involvement for CSD graduate students
  • Reinforce E-board position for a CSD graduate student
  • Identify at least 1 project/event that CSD graduate students lead for NSSLHA
  • Promote CLDS’ co-curricular service program, through community engagement
• Recruit and retain talented CSD faculty
  • Develop a mentor system for new faculty members to ensure smooth integration and professional growth.
  • Foster collaboration between clinical and academic faculty through joint projects and shared scholarly activities.
  • Encourage faculty to apply for grants and provide support in the application process to enhance research capabilities.