The fields of speech-language pathology and audiology are dedicated to improving the human condition through better communication. Our departmental values are framed within the context of our field, whose demographics currently do not reflect the community that we serve. Given how deeply tied the field of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences is to people’s culture and community, that mismatch needs to be addressed. It limits our ability as a field to do our best work, be that in instruction, clinical services, healthcare policy, or research. As such, we are committed to implementing practices, instructional methods, and clinical training approaches that are fair for all, and that create a sense of belonging for students, faculty, staff, client, and visitors.
Ongoing work by the faculty and staff include:
Use of Fink’s Taxonomy Development (i.e., Human Dimension; Caring) to create learning objectives that lead to significant learning relative to Understanding Self and Others (e.g., self-awareness; interpersonal skills; social responsibility; personal growth) in all SLHS courses
Faculty training on teaching and mentoring practices in the classroom/clinic that foster a sense of belonging and achievement for all students
Faculty training from experts on how to mentor across differences and support and engage in research that serves all people
Increasing opportunities for all students to receive training in working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations
Long-term hiring strategies that increase the researchers in our department whose lived experiences allow them to explore a broader range of research topics.
Creating/refining department policies/procedures for reporting/responding to instances that actively discourage a sense of belonging.
Connecting students with campus support services through the SLHS HUB and individual faculty – student mentoring
Creating better ways to incorporate our alumni and the broader community into these efforts
Policies/procedures are available on the Departmental Policies/Actions page.
The Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination -- in the classroom, the clinical setting, and the workplace. The University of Arizona Office of Institutional Equity provides education and support for these efforts.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University prohibits discrimination in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information and is committed to maintaining an environment free from sexual harassment and retaliation.