a. What recruitment initiatives are in place other than the university recruitment program?
The COMD faculty advisor actively plans with National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSHLA) officers to promote involvement of faculty and majors in program, departmental/college, and university activities. The NSSHLA chapter provides a vehicle to facilitate: student and faculty networking/
relationships, COMD career education, student service learning and philanthropic opportunities and program/university loyalty. Faculty and student representation ensures program participation all university activities including: Family Day, Career Day, Colonel Day, “Info Expo,” Nicholls CAN!
Since the last review period, the COMD Program Director has continued to closely monitor the department list of prospective majors. All students are assigned Faculty Advisors and advising is highly suggested each semester. Presentations have routinely been made in entry level (sophomore classes) by faculty in order to
welcome students to the major and by NSSHLA officers to encourage membership in the Nicholls chapter. In Spring 2014, COMD 121 was shifted to a spring course offering in order to begin to engage and retain those interested in COMD as freshman. Also, faculty provide information about the COMD major in University (UNIV) 101 classes. Faculty regularly attend Scholar’s Banquet. Too, faculty and students seize the opportunity to network and educate the several hundred students visiting the JCN Clinic for screening each year about the COMD major. Also, since the last review, the department has provided a new, very attractive brochure.
In order to ease the transition into the clinical track, a Clinical Mentoring Program was piloted in Fall, 2013 in COMD 330. In the course, students are required to attain 25 hours of clinical observation. Historically, students have observed a wide variety of clients, generally on a single occasion. Currently, the Clinical Mentoring Program pairs a strong students entering COMD 430, the final clinical practicum, with an incoming COMD 330 student. The program affords the COMD 330 Mentee
the opportunity to observe one client across the course of the semester. Also, it enables them to work with a senior level student and a clinical supervisor more closely and to participate regularly in meetings regarding therapy planning,
techniques, and progress of the specific client. Additionally, the Mentees are routinely included in other more general trainings the supervisor has, for instance, to teach her clinicians a new therapy technique. Late in the semester, in accordance with clinic procedures, Mentees submit a Lesson Plan, administer treatment to the client, and complete routine clinical documentation. Student feedback indicates that the Mentees and Mentors find the program very valuable.
Secondary to the decreased program enrollment since the program mission change, the faculty advisor and students have been focused on developing new recruiting materials for increased recruiting on campus and at local schools. In the Spring 2014, NSSHLA members developed a recruiting video and a small portable table display was also developed for promoting the COMD program. Since the purchase of IPADs for the program, IPAD apps used in SLP are routinely
demonstrated at recruiting events. In Fall, 2015 increased involvement in Nicholls Student Orientation and recruiting at local schools is projected.
b. What are the qualities of students attracted to the program, (e.g., standardized test scores for admission, GPA, etc.)
A common theme amongst majors is the desire to help others. Most COMD majors have had personal experience with a family member or friend/community member who had a significant communication impairment. The average ACT score of majors and average number of years to graduation are trending favorably.
Additionally, since the minimum GPA for entry to the program was increased during this review period from 2.3 to 2.7, it is expected that these indicators will continue to increase.
YEAR
Average ACT of Majors Fall Spring
2009-2010 21.10 21.23
2010-2011 21.68 21.72
2011-2012 21.69 21.79
2012-2013 21.99 22.26
2013-2014 21.78 22.17
2014-2015 22.83
YEAR
Average Number of Years to Graduate
Program NSU
2009-2010 4.40 4.76
2010-2011 3.90 4.57
2011-2012 3.88 4.52
2012-2013 4.00 4.77
2013-2014 4.00 4.69
c. Explain enrollment trends (number of majors) for the 5-year period under review.
YEAR
Number of Majors Fall Spring
2009-2010 63 73
2010-2011 75 79
2011-2012 87 85
2012-2013 83 69
2013-2014 70 67
2014-2015 49
As noted in Anticipated Changes, during the course of this review period, student credentials have increased and during Fall 2011- Spring 2012, the number of students exploring COMD was at a high, ranging from 87-85 respectively.
Subsequently, in the following year (2012-2013), there were 20 COMD graduates resulting in the highest levels for both program indicators for the last 10 years reviewed. Also, during this period, student acceptance to graduate school was increasing (Trend: 2009-2010 40%; 2010-2011 67%; 2011-2012 83%; 2012-2013 53%; Note: 2012-2013 only 1 acceptance cycle, expected to increase.) while students hired as SLP-As declined (Trend: 2009-2010 40%; 2010-2011 40%; 2011-2012 16%;
2012-2013 20%). During this time, Nicholls COMD graduates were eligible for Provisional SLP-A licensure, but, there were few jobs available for the alumni seeking them. So although few graduates were actually attaining jobs as SLPs, the program was continuing to attract some students who were either not interested in applying to graduate school upon graduation or wanted to have the option of being qualified to work as a SLP-A if not accepted. Too, some of academically poorer students realized that the new 2.7 minimum GPA was not attainable. Possibly another distraction during this period was the faculty turnover with a new program director and adjunct supervisors covering for a second faculty member who left. So
unfortunately, the program began losing students in the spring of 2012 with the trend continuing to Fall 2014.
Relative to student retention, faculty are much more engaged now in specifically discussing and tracking individual student future plans. While most
students appear to be benefiting from the broadening and deepening of student advising, it appears to be specifically facilitating retention of some academically weaker students. These students are remaining in the program and either planning to apply to less competitive graduate schools or actively discussing graduate programs in: early childhood, elementary, secondary or special education. Too, faculty appear both engaged and excited in the accomplishments that are being made to improve the program. Also, faculty appear particularly appreciative of the opportunity to attend an external continuing education program each year, benefitting both from the increased education, as well as, the opportunity to network with colleagues from other programs and settings.
Enrollment in entry level courses has improved since the fall and active plans for recruitment activities are being made for this spring. Therefore, it is anticipated that within 3 years the program will be back to an enrollment of 70 students with stronger student credentials enabling the program to return to the maximum graduation rate of 20.
6.2. Admissions Policies and Practices:
a. There are no special admission policies for the COMD program.
b. COMD has no special transfer relationships with other institutions.
6.3 Award Productivity and Graduation Record (Address data in Appendix A):
a. Explain award productivity record of full-time equivalent and degrees awarded during the last 5 years. The Award Productivity measure compares the number of degrees awarded each year to the number of degrees that would be expected to be awarded. (One-fourth for Bachelor; One-half for Associate; and Two-Thirds for Masters).
TERM
Program Award Productivity
University Award Productivity
2009-2010 0.15 0.18
2010-2011 0.20 0.19
2011-2012 0.22 0.18
2012-2013 0.28 0.19
2013-2014 0.26 0.20
Award productivity for four of the past five years illustrates that COMD award productivity exceeds the university.
b. Explain number of years to graduate. If average number of years to graduate exceeds university average, please explain.
As illustrated above in 6 1.b, COMD majors on average, graduate in less than time that the university average. Additionally, it appears that a significant number of students are entering with advanced placement credit and/or dual high school
enrollment credit, then, taking a heavy class load (i.e.18 hours a semester) which is enabling them to complete the 120 hour degree program in less than 4 years.
c. Explain graduation data (trends or fluctuations in number of degrees awarded) for last 5 years. Explain reason for low completer programs if applicable. (Low completer as defined by Board of Regents: Bachelor or Associate degrees < 8 graduates per year; Master or Specialist degrees < 5 graduates per year; Ph.D. degree
< 2 graduates per year)
COMD graduation rates have ranged from 10 graduates in 2009-2010 to 20 graduates in 2012-2013 annually during this review period.
6.4 Career Counseling:
A permanent COMD Faculty Advisor is assigned to the major as soon as they enter the program. The advisor initially orients them to the: curriculum, requirements for becoming accepted into the major, and career opportunities with the Nicholls COMD degree. During their work together the advisor advises and tracks their progress through the courses in the curriculum; prepares them for application to the major; and, if the student is interested, educates/and leads them to necessary steps to pursuing COMD graduate school or an alternate career goal.
6.5 Follow-up and Student Placement:
a. Provide information with respect to former students in the program (job placement, continuing degree work, etc.) over the past five (5) years.
Initial/Final Status Known Transition
Year
COMD Graduates
Accepted COMD Grad School
Accepted Grad School
Other Field
Employed as SLP-A
SLP-A to COMD Grad School
COMD Grad School
to SLP
2009- 2010 10 4 (40%) 1 (10%) 4 (40%) 0 2 (20%)
2010-2011 15 10 (67%) 1 (7%) 4 (26%) 2 (13%) 3 (20%)
2011- 2012 18 15 (83%) 0 1 (6%) 2 (13%) 8 (44%)
2012- 2013 20 12 (60%) 2 (10%) 3 (15%) 1 (5%) NA
2013- 2014 17 9 (53%) 1 (6%) NA NA NA
Total 80 50 (63%) 5 (7%) 17 (22%) 5 (7%) 13 (17%)
A complete list is not available. Although this data reflects information gathered as alumni have re-contacted faculty/program, it suggests that 63% of alumni were accepted to COMD graduate school with an additional 7% seeking other
graduate degrees. Too, it is also known that 7% of alumni worked as SLP-As prior to being accepted to COMD graduate school and that 17% of these graduates have completed COMD graduate degrees and are currently working as SLPs. Too, the NAs on the chart are reflective of the facts that: (1) individuals graduating in 2013-2014 were no longer eligible for licensure as Provisional SLP-As and (2) it takes a minimum of 2 years to complete SLP graduate studies, so, none of the Fall 2012- 2014 graduates would be SLPs yet. Additionally, it should be noted that faculty are very involved in the application to graduate school process (so that data is expected to
be the most reliable), whereas, graduate school faculty would be more likely to be involved in job placement for SLPs and AUDs. However, email addresses were attained for 76 of 80 of these graduates and they were invited to participate in the Nicholls COMD Alumni Survey 2008-2012 (below). Data was collected in Nov.-Dec.
2013 with 36 of 72 graduates responding.
From the Nicholls COMD Alumni Survey 2008-2012 (11/2013-12/2013) 3. What is the highest level of education you have completed?
Answer Options Response
Percent
Response Count
Bachelor's degree 19.4% 7
Some graduate studies in COMD-pursuing degree 44.4% 16 Some graduate studies in Other field-pursuing degree 5.6% 2
Master's Degree-SLP 25.0% 9
Clinical Doctorate Audiology 2.8% 1
Pursuing Clinical Doctorate- Audiology 2.8% 1
Other Fields of Study 2.8% 1
Answered question 36 Skipped question 0 From the Nicholls COMD Alumni Survey 2008-2012 (11/2013-12/2013)
7. If you are professionally employed, please describe your job in your primary