WHEREAS, there is a well-documented need for speech-language pathologists serving Delaware residents in schools, and also in clinics serving Delawareans across the lifespan, and with the nation-wide demand for these professionals projected to grow by 23% between 2010 and 2020 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and

WHEREAS, the College of Health Sciences is ideally positioned to develop such a program, because of clear synergies with its top-ranked physical therapy program, as well as the opportunity to create optimal clinical facilities to support this program in the transition of the College to the STAR campus, and

WHEREAS, the College of Health Sciences has brought in several consultants who have gone through the process of establishing master’s programs in speech-language pathology (the degree required for licensure in all states) to provide expert advice for the development of the proposed curriculum and related budget, and

WHEREAS, budget projections carefully reviewed by financial analysts in both the University Budget Office and the Provost’s Office show the program becoming self-sustaining after four years of operation, and

WHEREAS, the proposed program, if established, will contribute to the University's "Path to Prominence": to become a premier research and graduate university; be it therefore

RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate recommends, provisionally for five years, the establishment of a approves the curriculum of the proposed new M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the College of Health Sciences will not launch the program in the absence of identified sources of full financial support for the first four years of operation.

RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate shall consider recommending the establishment of a new M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology when likely sources and amounts of full financial support for the first several years of operation of this program have been specified by the Dean of the College of Health Sciences.