Staffing patterns and practices in programs in communication disorders

Allied health programs in higher education present unique academic and administrative challenges. Clinical education, the practice of providing students with hands-on experience, is frequently the norm rather than the exception. This paper reports results of a study that examined faculty staffing patterns and practices in undergraduate and master's programs in communication disorders. Specifically, the study examined 1) employment of full- and part-time faculty/supervisors, 2) teaching/supervisory responsibilities of faculty/supervisors, 3) degree requirements for clinical supervisors, 4) teaching load for clinical supervisors, and 5) methods for determining supervisory load in clinical teaching. Results address the "traditional" model for determining the number of faculty positions needed and the implications for change in communication disorders. This study is directly related to allocation of faculty resources.