Meet the Faculty
View the department directory for our faculty's contact information, research interests, and more.
About the Program
The department of Communication Disorders at the State University of New York at New Paltz is dynamic and student-centered. Our faculty strives for excellence in teaching as well as research. Outstanding clinical training is provided in our on-site Speech-Language and Hearing Center, which has a large, varied caseload and state-of-the-art equipment. Our network of external clinical practicum sites is extensive and offers a variety of opportunities, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, preschools, public schools, and private practices.
The department offers the following programs:
- An undergraduate major in Communication Disorders that prepares students for graduate study in speech-language pathology, audiology, or related areas.
- An undergraduate minor in Deaf Studies that may be completed by students in any major.
- A post-baccalaureate prerequisites program for students who intend to apply to graduate programs in communication disorders, but have completed a major in a different field.
- A graduate program in Communication Disorders with two concentrations: Speech-Language Pathology and Speech and Language Disabilities. The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in Communication Disorders at SUNY New Paltz is registered as licensure-qualifying in New York State and is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. The graduate concentration in Speech and Language Disabilities also leads to a NYS Initial Certificate as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD).
Contact the department
Wendy Bower, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Communication Disorders
Humanities Building (HUM), Room 9B
1 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561-2440
commdis@newpaltz.edu
Department phone: 845-257-3620
Fax: 845-257-3605
Equity and Inclusion Statement – Updated August 25, 2021
We, the faculty and staff of the SUNY New Paltz Communication Disorders department, support and stand by the Black Lives Matter movement. Our students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are an integral part of our program. We acknowledge our students’ experiences of racism and bias and their frustration with persistent, institutionalized inequality. We recognize that we need to do better to address bias in the present and the future.
We want our department to be a community rooted in inclusivity and equity. The helping professions of speech-language pathology and audiology are dedicated to the inclusion of marginalized people and to lifting up the voices of those who are less likely to be heard. SUNY New Paltz and our larger professional organizations, The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Disorders, have expressed their statements of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Systemic change to eradicate embedded racism will take time, and we are committed to taking the time to do the necessary work. We are committed to these steps:
- Seek out, hear, and reflect upon the experiences of our BIPOC students and BIPOC LGBTQ+ students;
- Participate in campus-wide anti-racism initiatives;
- Explore our own explicit and implicit biases and their influence on instruction and the department;
- Revise existing programs to ensure inclusivity for the benefit of our CMD students, clients, and families, based on this essential work.
We accept the changes called for by the Black Lives Matter movement and by SUNY New Paltz. Together, we are a powerful force for improving the lives of everyone in our community.
Communication Disorders students are encouraged to share their experience and make suggestions regarding equity and inclusion in the department by utilizing our secure suggestion box, located on the wall outside the department office door, or by submitting a response using the QR code below, or at Communication Disorders Equity Suggestions. All submissions are anonymous and will be read and discussed by the Communication Disorders faculty and staff. Suggestions and messages will be acted upon in accordance with college policies and here in the department we will endeavor to prevent further occurrences and/or to make amends.
For information regarding SUNY and New Paltz campus-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives, please visit In This Together.
