Decentering Whiteness in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Thursday, January 5, 2023
1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
Zoom

Presenters: Megan Mahowald, Ph.D., R. Danielle Scott, Ph.D., H. Sheen Chiou, Ph.D., and Kristi Oeding, Au.D. CCC-a, Speech, Hearing, and Rehabilitation Services

In 2021-22, select members of the Communication Sciences & Disorders program engaged in an Action Assessment Project with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Communication Sciences & Disorders graduate program prepares students to become speech-language pathologists. Speech-language pathology is the fourth whitest profession and has a long history of linguicism, racism, and ableism. In the Summer of 2020, our program began making actionable changes to be a more racially just and equitable program. We created a racial equity statement, changed admissions practices, updated the curriculum to include diversity, equity, and inclusion, and engaged in student task forces to empower students of color. In the Fall of 2021, we began our affinity group, Diversity & Inclusion Fellows, and increased the number of graduate students of color in our program. During the yearlong action assessment program, the department examined the impact of changes already made and examined appropriate next steps to continue work in racial equity and social justice. We examined perceptions of white students and students of color in the first-year and second-year graduate cohorts through collection of surveys and participation in focus groups. We explored perceptions of faculty, courses, and applied experiences. A detailed explanation of the process and the outcomes will be explored in the presentation.