Online CSD Graduate Handbook

ONLINE GRADUATE

HANDBOOK

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology

(residential and distance education) at Baylor University is accredited by the Council on

Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American

Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD

20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296- 5700.

Master of Science

Communication Sciences and

Disorders

Spring 2024

Table of Contents

Overview ........................................................................................................ 4

Welcome to Baylor ................................................................................................................................................................ 6

General Information ............................................................................................................................................................ 6

Mission Statement ................................................................................................................................................................ 6

The Online CSD Graduate Program .................................................................................................................................... 7

Student Resources ................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Program Requirements ................................................................................... 10

Overview ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10

Graduate Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Leveling Requirements ....................................................................................................................................................... 11

Orientation Requirements.................................................................................................................................................. 11

ASHA Reqirements ............................................................................................................................................................. 12

Course Sequence ................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Fee Requirements ............................................................................................................................................................... 13

Comprehensive Exam ......................................................................................................................................................... 13

Praxis Exam ........................................................................................................................................................................ 14

Exit Surveys ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16

File for Graduation ............................................................................................................................................................. 15

New Student First Steps ..................................................................................................................................................... 15

Checklist for Success ........................................................................................................................................................... 15

Practicum and Internship Policies .................................................................... 17

Clinical Clearances ............................................................................................................................................................. 17

Declination of Immunizations ………………………………………………………………………… ……….……………………………………19

Calipso .................................................................................................................................................................................

Practicum Placement Process ............................................................................................................................................ 20

Placement Distance ............................................................................................................................................................ 21

Place of Employment .......................................................................................................................................................... 20

International Placements ................................................................................................................................................... 21

Relocation............................................................................................................................................................................ 21

Practicum Placement Participation .................................................................................................................................. 22

Scheduling ........................................................................................................................................................................... 22

Speech Pathology Internship ............................................................................................................................................. 23

Clinical Hours ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Supervision.......................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Diagnostic Evaluations ...................................................................................................................................................... 25

Initial Client Contact .......................................................................................................................................................... 25

Paperwork ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Therapy ............................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Dress Code ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Professional Attitude and Demeanor .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Safety Precautions .............................................................................................................................................................. 27

Working with Clients Outside of the Placement Setting .................................................................................................. 28

HIPAA/Protected Health Information .............................................................................................................................. 28

Clinical Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 29

Grading for Practicum and Internship ............................................................................................................................. 30

Breach of Handbook Policy ................................................................................................................................................ 30

Evaluations by Student ...................................................................................................................................................... 30

Cultural/Linguistic Diversity............................................................................................................................................. 30

Academic Coursework Policies ....................................................................... 32

Mode of Delivery ................................................................................................................................................................. 32

Class Participation and Attendance .................................................................................................................................. 33

Quizzes and Exams ............................................................................................................................................................. 34

Technology Disputes ........................................................................................................................................................... 34

Grading for Academic Coursework ................................................................. 35

Graduate Coursework ........................................................................................................................................................ 35

Leveling coursework .......................................................................................................................................................... 35

Probation and Dismissal .................................................................................................................................................... 36

Change of Grade Policy ...................................................................................................................................................... 36

Incompletes .........................................................................................................................................................................

Cancellations, Drops, and University Withdrawals ........................................................................................................ 37

Deferral Policy .................................................................................................................................................................... 38

Length of Program Completion ......................................................................................................................................... 38

Transfer Credit ................................................................................................................................................................... 39

Auditing a Course ............................................................................................................................................................... 39

Change of Address and Phone Number ............................................................................................................................ 39

Student Financial Aid ......................................................................................................................................................... 39

Financial Obligations ......................................................................................................................................................... 40

Students Called for Active Military Duty .......................................................................................................................... 40

Health Insurance ................................................................................................................................................................ 40

Professional Conduct .......................................................................................................................................................... 41

University Policies ......................................................................................... 43

Academic and Professional Honesty ................................................................................................................................. 46

Constitution of the Baylor University Honor System ...................................................................................................... 46

Academic Appeals Policy and Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 49

Civil Rights Issues Resolution ............................................................................................................................................ 50

Title IX ................................................................................................................................................................................. 52

Family Educational Right and Privacy Act of 1974 ......................................................................................................... 53

American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) Code of Ethics ................... 54

Council of Academic Accreditation, ASHA Procedures for Complaints against Graduate Education Programs ....... 61

Overview

The CSD faculty is so pleased that you have chosen to study with us online at Baylor

University. We anticipate that the next few years will be the most exciting period of learning

as a new beginning of a life-long commitment to your continued learning in the field of

speech-language pathology. Please know that the CSD faculty is committed to the success of

each and every graduate student. Best wishes for the most productive, rewarding, and

enjoyable online experiences as you deepen your academic knowledge and clinical skills in

our graduate program and make new friends and colleagues. May God bless each one of you

abundantly as you begin your new online journey!

The Online CSD Graduate Handbook is designed to provide information essential to

your successful completion of the online program, so please take the time to read this

handbook carefully and visit web links in order to become familiar with our program’s

organization and policies, college, and the online graduate school. You are expected to

know the essential information in the handbook, in particular, sections that deal with

graduation requirements, clinical practicum, and policies and procedures. Entering the

Online CSD Graduate Program, each student will complete an exam to ensure you have

read the Online CSD Graduate Program Handbook. When you have any questions or

need clarification, don’t hesitate to ask your Student Support Manager or the Online

Graduate Program Director.

(*Policies and procedures are subject to change at the discretion of Baylor University, the College of Health and

Human Sciences, and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders).

WELCOME TO BAYLOR UNIVERSITY'S

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Welcome to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. This is one of the finest residential and online

graduate programs offered in Speech Language Pathology in the nation. The Department of

Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is located in the College of Health and Human

Sciences (CHHS). Both the residential and online graduate programs are accredited by the

Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of

the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Students who complete the

residential and online graduate programs of study at Baylor meet all academic and practicum

requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) through ASHA and for Texas

licensure at graduate program level.

Graduate students in the online program are offered a variety of practicum and internship sites

in their home communities wherever feasible. These could include schools, specialized clinics,

and medical settings around the State of Texas and nation. Clients served in these settings

include preschoolers, school-age children, and adults. Practicum and internship experiences

include various developmental or acquired disorders in the areas of language and literacy,

voice, fluency, articulation, cognitive, aphasia, swallowing and feeding,

alternative/augmentative, social, and aural habilitation/rehabilitation.

Welcome to Texas

Texas is the second largest state in the United States, is home to thirty million people. Its

borders stretch 800 miles north-to-south and another 800 miles east-to-west. The climate varies

with the region, but sunshine covers most of the state for much of the year. Summer

temperatures are usually in the nineties. Winter temperatures range from forty degrees in south

Texas to the teens in the Panhandle. The state includes hundreds of miles of open range,

mountains, deserts, shoreline, and three of the largest cities in the country (Houston, Dallas,

and San Antonio). The state capitol is found in Austin. Former President George W. Bush's

ranch is just a few miles from Baylor near Crawford, Texas. Visitors to Texas often enjoy the

Stockyards in Fort Worth, the museums in Dallas, the Riverwalk and Alamo in San Antonio,

the capital building in Austin, the space center in Houston, and the beaches of Corpus Christi

and Padre Island. Tourists also can find theme parks in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Houston,

and San Antonio.

Welcome to Waco

The city of Waco is located in the "Heart of Texas" on the banks of the Brazos River. About

141,000 people live in the city limits, but over 200,000 reside in the metropolitan area. The

major thoroughfare in Waco is Interstate 35 which travels north to south. Dallas and Fort

Worth are to the north and Austin and San Antonio are to the south. The city of Waco has a

mild climate with an annual temperature of 67.8 degrees, summer highs in the nineties, winter

lows averaging 30-40 degrees, and an annual precipitation of 31.3 inches. Sunshine is frequent;

snow is rare; and the last major tornado to hit the city was in 1953. Waco is home to a historic

Suspension Bridge, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, Dr. Pepper Museum, Cameron Park Zoo,

Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Fort Fisher, and many historic homes. Annual events include

Christmas on the Brazos, Brazos River Festival, and the Cattle Baron's Ball.

Welcome to Baylor University

Baylor University, the oldest university in Texas, is a Southern Baptist University with an

enrollment of over 20,000 students. Campus events include musical and theatrical performances,

lectures series, “Diadeloso” (Day of the Bear), and many sporting events.

Baylor University has achieved Research 1 status, from the Carnegie Classification of

Institutions of Higher Education. Baylor joins the nation’s top research institutions as a doctoral

university with very high research activity and as a preeminent Christian research university.

Our R1 status represents an incredible opportunity – one given to us by God – to do what very

few, if any, universities have achieved: maintaining our foundational Christian mission while

reaching R1 status as a top-tier research university.

General Information:

The following websites provide a thorough overview of our college, the Baylor University’s

Graduate School and Baylor University.

College of Health and Human Sciences website: http://www.baylor.edu/chhs/

Graduate School (general): http://www.baylor.edu/graduate/

• Baylor Graduate Catalog: https://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=959244

• Benefits and Financial Aid: Cashier's Office

• Graduate Student Association: http://www.baylor.edu/gsa/

• Student Service: Baylor Libraries, Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL),

Counseling Center, Information Technology Services (ITS), Office of Access and

Learning Accommodation (OALA) https://www.baylor.edu/students/

• Information for current students: http://www.baylor.edu/graduate/currentstudents/

Baylor University’s Student Policies and Procedures:

Baylor University rules, regulations, and policies applicable to students are available at

http://www.baylor.edu/student_policies/index.php?id=22170. Since the Student Policies and

Procedures and other student-related publications may be revised trimester to trimester, it is the

responsibility of the student to view revisions online or to obtain revisions from the Judicial

Affairs office. Copies of these publications and all revisions are available to all students through

the Judicial Affairs office.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Baylor University Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service in the areas of Speech

Language Pathology, Audiology, and Deaf Education by integrating academic excellence,

clinical experiences, and service to the community.

The mission of the CSD Department strongly supports a Baylor Foundational Assumption that

“we find the highest order of personal fulfillment in working constructively for the betterment of

others, and that we have an obligation to do so.” In addition, the CSD Program is one of the

strongest examples of Baylor’s Core Conviction to “promote the health of mind, body and spirit

as these are understood in the Christian tradition and by the best of modern physical and

psychological science.”

The department seeks to fully integrate academic and clinical experiences to enable students to

learn current theories, principles, cutting edge technologies and practices in order to prepare

students for success as a Speech-Language Pathologist. The department creates an educational

and work environment which inspires co-discovery through the dynamic interaction of teaching

and learning. Students are equipped for the workplace challenges of today and tomorrow by

experiencing a variety of academic, clinical, and service experiences within a culturally diverse

society.

The Online CSD Graduate Program:

Members of the faculty are delighted that you decided to pursue online graduate studies in the

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baylor University. This is your final

step toward becoming a practicing speech-language pathologist. We hope your graduate work

will be both stimulating and challenging.

Your online graduate program should lead to:

• A Master of Science in Communication Sciences & Disorders from Baylor University

• Fulfillment of Academic and Clinical Requirements for Certification from American

Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA**) except for the Clinical Fellowship

Year (CFY for ASHA) experiences

• Fulfillment of Academic and Clinical Requirements for Licensure by the State of Texas.

To check other state’s licensure requirements, see this link:

https://www.asha.org/advocacy/state/

** It is expected that graduates of our on-line program possess the knowledge and skills delineated in

their respective states for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC); however, completion of our

program does not guarantee that a student will receive a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC)

offered by ASHA or state licensure.

Professional Licensure Disclosure:

This program is designed to prepare students to apply for licensure in Texas. If you plan to

pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Texas, please review state educational

requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for those state licensing

boards at State-by-state CSD Licensure

Accreditation:

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in Communication Sciences and Disorders

(residential and distance education) at Baylor University is accredited by the Council on

Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-

Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-

498-2071 or 301-296- 5700.Upon successful completion of our online program, graduating

students will be eligible to apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language

Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Students may also be eligible for licensure in speech-language pathology in the state of Texas

and elsewhere.

In Spring 2020, the Master of Science (M.S.) program in Communication Sciences and Disorders

was accredited for the 2020-2028 cycle.

Baylor CSD Home:

Our CSD website, https://csd.robbins.baylor.edu/graduate/online-csd-graduate-program provides

a thorough composite overview of our program, including the following information. Please visit

each of these links to achieve maximum success during your graduate study.

Faculty and Staff:

The Baylor CSD department has a growing team of full-time academic and clinical faculty

members and several part-time adjunct faculty members.

http://www.baylor.edu/csd/index.php?id=940029

CSD Department Chair

Dr. Michaela Ritter, Ed.D., CCC-SLP

[email protected]

Associate Chair for Residential Clinic and Online Program

Deborah Rainer, CCC-SLP

Deborah_Rainer@baylor.edu

Associate Chair for Residential Academic Programs

Nadine Welch, CCC-SLP

Nadine_Welch@baylor.edu

CSD Online Graduate Program Director

Dr. Venessa Grandjean, CCC-SLP

Venessa_Grandjean@baylor.edu

CSD Online Clinical Program Director

Dr. Steven Moates, CCC-SLP

Steven_Moates@baylor.edu

Student Support Staff

Asst Director of Program Operations – Emily_Jarvis@baylor.edu

Asst Director of Student Support – Denae_Gerik1@baylor.edu

Regions 1 and 3 Student Support Manager – Beth_Benschoter1@baylor.edu

Regions 2 and 4 Student Support Manager – Matt_Bergstrom@baylor.edu

Placement Staff

Assoc Director of Placements – Chelse_Perry@baylor.edu

Region 1 Placement Manager – Paul_Cook@baylor.edu

Region 2 Placement Manager – Ashleigh_Tyne[email protected]du

Region 3 Placement Manager – Luke_Haynes@baylor.edu

Region 4 Placement Manager – Ivey_Pruitt@baylor.edu

Region 1

TX, NM, AZ, OK

Region 2

CA, OR, WA, NV, HI, AK

Region 3

ME, NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, PA, MD, OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, KS, CO, UT, ID, MT, WY, NE, SD, ND, IA, MO

Region 4

NC, SC, LA, AL, MS, TN, FL, GA, AR, VA, WV, DC

Student Resources:

Student Resources

Baylor Department of Public Safety

254-710-2222

Baylor Operator

254-710-1011

Bear ID

254-710-2711 x4603

BearTouch Touchtone System

215-714-6420

Cashier's Office

254-710-2311

Baylor Counseling Center

254-710-2467

Financial Aid

254-710-2611

Graduate School

254-710-3588

Health Center

254-710-2461

Office of the Registrar

254-710-8814

Academic Records

254-710-1181

Ordering Transcripts

254-710-1059

Office of Access and Learning Accommodation (OALA)

254-710-3605

University Ministries

254-710-3517

For information regarding …

Cap & Gown (Baylor Bookstore)

254-710-2161

Graduation Invitations (Baylor Bookstore)

254-710-2161

Filing for Graduation

254-710-3582

I-9 and W-4 Forms

254-710-3580

Student Health Insurance Eligibility

254-710-3588

Students with Disabilities (Office of Access and

Learning Accommodation)

254-710-3605

Program Requirements

Overview:

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baylor University offers an

Online Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders that leads to

eligibility for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-

SLP).

Graduate Requirements:

Our graduate program is for students who earned (or are in the process of earning) a bachelor’s

degree (B.A.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders or students who have successfully

completed their leveling program. Students must complete 45 trimester hours, pass the required

comprehensive examination for the degree of Master of Science (M.S.), complete 400 clinical

hours (this includes the 25 observation hours), and take the National Praxis examination at the

end of the program. This program takes 5 trimesters (approximately 20 months) for full time

students to complete and 7 trimesters (approximately 28 months) for part time students to

complete. Both full time and part time students will complete their practicum and internship in

their final 4 trimesters. Up to 6 graduate credit hours from another university may be accepted

on a case-by-case basis.

Leveling Requirements:

A student who has been accepted to Baylor's CSD Graduate Program but does not have an

undergraduate CSD degree or courses within the last five years is considered a graduate student

with leveling status. These students are required to complete specific courses for state licensure

and professional certification. Any of these courses, or their equivalency from another

university, that are missing from a student’s transcript will need to be completed prior to

beginning graduate level coursework. Course descriptions, syllabi, and other materials may be

required to demonstrate that a given course fulfills the requirement. These courses will be

offered by the graduate program as credit/no credit and will not be included in the graduate

transcript GPA. A grade of 80 (B) will be needed for credit or the class will need to be repeated.

After completing the required hours, the student will begin the graduate coursework.

Academic Orientation Requirements:

The Academic Orientation will be completed within the first 2 weeks of beginning the CSD

program on the student’s own time. The EXXAT Prism account will be established for

placement site requirements (clearances) and documents.

ASHA Requirements:

ASHA standards for certification in Speech-Language Pathology require demonstrated

knowledge of the following areas: (1) biological sciences, (2) physics or chemistry, (3)

statistics, and (4) social/behavioral sciences (Standard IV-A). Your basic sciences coursework

will be reviewed prior to your admission to the program to determine fulfillment of the ASHA

requirements. ASHA specifies that these courses must be taken from an accredited college or

university. They must appear on your undergraduate transcripts. Classes taken at the high

school level are not eligible to meet this requirement, with the exception of advanced placement

(AP) courses that appear for credit on your college/university transcript. Course descriptions,

syllabi, and other materials may be required to demonstrate that a given course fulfills the

requirement. It is required that students complete all basic science deficiencies before beginning

Practicum 1 of the full-time or part-time graduate program plan. *Please see this link for more

detailed information about the possible content areas for biological and physical sciences,

social/behavioral sciences, and statistics (source: http://www.asha.org/Certification/Course-

Content-Areas-for-SLP-).

Plan of Study for Online CSD Graduate Students

Term

Full-Time Plan

Part-Time Plan

CSD 5319 EBP Evaluations and Interprofessional Practice

CSD 5325 Speech Sound Disorders

CSD 5341 Birth to Five Language Disorders

CSD 5150 Introduction to Clinical Practice

CSD 5319 EBP Evaluations and Interprofessional Practice

CSD 5325 Speech Sound Disorders

CSD 5312 Fluency Disorders

CSD 5313 AAC

CSD 5318 Methods in Graduate Study in CSD

CSD 5151 Clinical Practicum 1

CSD 5318 Methods in Graduate Study in CSD

CSD 5341 Birth to Five Language Disorders

CSD 5311 Aphasiology

CSD 5316 Motor Speech Disorders

Elective*

CSD 5152 Clinical Practicum 2

CSD 5312 Fluency Disorders

CSD 5313 AAC

CSD 5150 Introduction to Clinical Practice

CSD 5314 Voice Pathology

CSD 5328 Diagnosis and Treatment of Dysphagia

CSD 5330 Cognitive Linguistic Communication Disorders

CSD 5153 Clinical Practicum 3

CSD 5311 Aphasiology

Elective*

CSD 5151 Clinical Practicum 1

CSD 5549 Clinical Internship

CSD 5316 Motor Speech Disorders

CSD 5328 Diagnosis and Treatment of Dysphagia

CSD 5152 Clinical Practicum 2

CSD 5314 Voice Pathology

CSD 5330 Cognitive Linguistic Communication Disorders

CSD 5153 Clinical Practicum 3

CSD 5549 Clinical Internship

Current Electives:

*CSD 4368 Aural Rehab must be taken as the elective if not completed at another university

CSD 5334 Multicultural Issues in Speech-Language Pathology

CSD 5337 School-Age Language and Literacy Disorders

CSD 5354 Mentored Research Experience (must have faculty approval)

Plan of Study for Online CSD Leveling Students

Trimester

Full Time Plan

Part Time Plan

Mini-

Session 1

7 weeks

CSD 5305 Leveling - Survey of Speech Pathology

and Audiology

CSD 5306 Leveling - Language Development

CSD 5307 Leveling - Introduction to Phonological

Science

CSD 5305 Leveling - Survey of Speech Pathology and

Audiology

Mini-

Session 2

7 weeks

CSD 5308 Leveling – Structures and Functions in

Communication and Swallowing

CSD 5309 Leveling - Introduction to Clinical

Audiology

CSD 5101 Leveling – Observation

CSD 5201 Leveling - Clinical Methods

CSD 5308 Leveling – Structures and Functions in

Communication and Swallowing

Trimester

Mini-

Session 1

7 weeks

CSD 5306 Leveling - Language Development

CSD 5307 Leveling - Introduction to Phonological

Science

Mini-

Session 2

7 weeks

CSD 5309 Leveling - Introduction to Clinical

Audiology

CSD 5101 Leveling – Observation

CSD 5201 Leveling – Clinical Methods

Accreditation and Program Course Requirements:

All graduate students are required to have, maintain, and keep current their academic information

(i.e., the Undergraduate and Graduate ASHA forms) and clinical hour information on Calipso.

You will be asked to upload this information into your personal Student Box File prior to

graduation.

• ASHA Form You are required to update your ASHA Form information throughout

the online graduate program to be sure that your ASHA sciences, pre-requisite

coursework, and graduate coursework is listed along with the grade received and

trimester/trimester obtained.

• Knowledge Acquisition and Skills Assessment (KASA) Summary The KASA

summary can be found on the My Clinical Education Checklist in Calipso. Once all

coursework and grades are submitted, this form will be uploaded to your student file

in Box.

• Clinical Experience Record and Cumulative Evaluation These summaries will be

found on the My Clinical Education Checklist in Calipo and uploaded to your

student file in Box at the end of the program. It is your responsibility to log all hours

and be sure that all evaluations from clinical educators are complete.

Fee Requirements (paid directly by the students to the website; prices subject to change):

Master Clinician, Calipso and Castlebranch (current students), EXXAT Prism (new

2024 students), and Simucase

Comprehensive Examination Requirements:

You are required to pass the Graduate Comprehensive Examination prior to graduation. The

CSD comprehensive exam is designed by the CSD faculty to identify each students’ strengths

and weaknesses in both academic and clinical knowledge. You will take the comprehensive

examination the second week of internship. This examination includes questions from all areas

of the profession (e.g., anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing, speech sound disorders,

adult language, aphasia, motor speech disorders, voice, fluency, child language, cleft palate,

diagnostic audiology, auditory processing disorders, aural rehabilitation, research design and

analysis, and so forth). There are 200 questions, and a score of 70% or higher is required. If the

student fails, he or she must retake and pass the comprehensive examination prior to

graduation. If the exam is not passed a second time a remediation plan will be put into place.

ETS Praxis Examination Requirements:

All students are required to take the "ETS Praxis Exam for Speech-Language Pathology”

AFTER the completion of the Graduate Comprehensive Examination during the first month of

internship. Please visit the following websites to learn more about the Praxis exam:

https://www.asha.org/certification/praxis/

How to Register for the ETS Praxis Online:

1. Go to the ETS Praxis Registration page

https://www.ets.org/portal/site/iserpraxis/menuitem.b2588abcd5f34520eef744127be

b1509/

2. Follow the instructions by clicking on “Register for a Praxis Test”, “Confirm Your

Account”, “Background Information”.

3. Select Your Test (For this page, your “Certifying Agency is American Speech-

Hearing Association”, so click on that from the small drop-down window).

4. Select a Test. For this Choose 5331 for Speech-Language Pathology (see the

following captured image)

5. Schedule the test

6. When asked about your “Attending Institution”, use the small window on the

RIGHT side of the box to select the Country (USA) and the state (TX) Find and

select BAYLOR UNIV ONLINE SLP/AUD for your attending institution.

7. Select score recipients. You can send your scores to four places without any charge.

You MUST send your scores to these 2 places:

Baylor Speech Pathology Online Program – Code 0290

ASHA – Code 5031

You will also want to send your scores to your state licensing agency. For Texas

residents, send to Texas State Board of Examination for SLP/A – Code 8327

8. Purchase test preparation materials (Strongly recommend!!)

9. Review order and payment information

10. After your test is complete, retain a copy of your Praxis test score sheet to uploaded

to your Student Box File prior to graduation. A score of 162 is needed to pass. This

test can be repeated until a passing score is obtained.

Certification (State Licensure and ASHA) Requirements:

All students are required to make sure their hours are complete in Calipso and that a grade for

Internship has been posted. Once the Clinical Outreach Director notifies the cohort that

internship hours and evaluations are complete, students will upload the Clinical Experience

Record, Cumulative Evaluation, and KASA Summary to their student graduate file. The

Graduate Program Director will then complete a course audit and verify that all documents

including the Praxis score report and ASHA form have been submitted. Certification documents

will be due on a specified date for each cohort.

Once all documentation and exit surveys are complete, a Certification Letter of degree

completion will be sent to each student. Two weeks after graduation, students shall order an E-

transcript to be e-mailed to the Graduate Program Director as proof of the final conferral of the

degree. Any licensure paperwork for the Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) and/or CCC licensing

shall be filled in and sent to the Graduate Program Director for signature. The Graduate Program

Director approval to ASHA will be provided online when you submit your certification

application to ASHA after graduation.

Two Exit Surveys:

Prior to graduating, you MUST complete two exit surveys about your overall graduate learning

experience and upcoming CFY locations. This helps us improve our program. A link to both

surveys will be sent to you by the Online Graduate Director when you receive your Certification

email reminder.

File for Graduation:

In the beginning of the final trimester when you are on your internship, you must let the

graduate school know that you are planning on graduating. If you forget to do this, you will

NOT graduate! To file for graduation, you must fill out and submit the online intent to graduate

form. https://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=959289 Once you have filed for graduation,

you will receive a confirmation email with more information for graduating students. You

should receive this email within 5-7 days of filing for graduation.

Check on Commencement:

• Walking: We would love to have you walk in the commencement ceremony. When you

walk across the stage, you will receive a congratulatory note in your diploma folder. If

you are unable to attend, you must let the Registrar's office know by filling out the

non-participation form on the commencement website.

https://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=959289

• Diploma: Your diploma will be mailed to you 2-3 weeks after the Commencement

ceremony.

• Transcript: You must request an E-transcript be e-mailed to the Graduate Program

Director 2-weeks after the graduation ceremony for your Student Box File.

Purchase or Rent your Regalia:

Regalia for all master’s degrees is purchased through the Baylor bookstore and should be in

stock by the middle of the trimester. Please contact the bookstore directly at (254) 710-2161 for

any questions.

New Student First Steps:

To get started with your online program, contact your Student Support Manager to review your

new student checklist. During your online graduate program, you will learn much about the

professions of speech, language, and hearing. To jump start your education, begin by reading

the ASHA Code of Ethics which is the basis for our professional behaviors and will guide your

behavior throughout your graduate program and SLP Career. You must also learn and

understand the department’s policies and procedures, clinical policies, and clinical forms (these

can be found in this handbook).

Graduate school is also a time for establishing close ties with classmates, faculty, and other

speech and hearing professionals. The graduate students in the residential Department of

Communication Sciences and Disorders have a long history of cooperative efforts with each

other. The online graduate students will also have ways to study together, work together, and

share information. The close relationships that are formed with your classmates often last a

lifetime. You may want to consider joining two organizations. The first is the National Student

Speech-language-Hearing Association (NSSHLA), an organization designed for students

majoring in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. The second organization is your state’s

Speech- Language-Hearing Association. For example, the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing

Association (TSHA) has an annual convention each spring which many of our faculty and

students attend. TSHA also offers employment services for students seeking future employment.

Checklist for Success:

Meet with your Student Support Manager to confirm your plan of study.

Complete all clearances to start clinical placements (see Clinical Clearances below)

Meet with your Placement Manager to begin the clinical practicum search. Your

observation hours must have been received, reviewed, and approved prior to any clinical

practica.

Carefully read the Online Graduate Student Handbook.

Read the university's policy on academic dishonesty in general and plagiarism.

Learn the policies regarding class and practicum attendance.

Complete and maintain ASHA form throughout the program

Pass the departmental Graduate Comprehensive Examination during the last trimester of

your academic course work.

Take the Praxis examination and ensure that the score is sent to the department.

File for graduation and ensure that all documentation in your Calipso or EXAAT are

complete.

Successfully complete internship.

Complete the two exit surveys before graduation.

Upload all certification documentation into your Student Box File

Career Preparation:

You will be interviewing for jobs sooner than you think! Meet with the Career Services team and

talk with other graduate students as you are going through the online program to find out what

procedures they are using to find employment opportunities. Join handshake.com with your

university email address for free resume help and job opportunities. As a service to you, we will

pass job opportunities on to you through email.

Practicum and Internship Policies

Clinical Clearances

The CSD online graduate program uses Castlebranch or EXXAT – Approve as a medical

documents management system to help you gather the most commonly requested information

from your future practicum and internship sites. During CSD 5150, you will be prompted to

create an EXXAT account and complete a background check and drug screen through EXXAT -

Universal. You must upload documentation of the following items in EXXAT - Approve prior to

starting Practicum 1. (Current students with a Castlebranch account will continue to utilize that

program while enrolled in the program.) All students should check their clinical clearances each

trimester prior to clinic. If the account is not in compliance, students will not be allowed to

General Information:

Background Check

Drug Screen

Driver’s License or any other government issued IDs

Health Insurance

Training:

HIPAA Training

OSHA Training

Baylor Protecting Children (formerly Keeping Minors Safe)

Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification – only American Heart Association or American Red

Cross BLS certification will be accepted.

Vaccinations:

Influenza (annually)

Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (2-step; usually completed in childhood or titer)

Varicella (2-step vaccine)

Hepatitis B (start early! takes months to finish this series)

Tetanus (every 10 years)

TB Test (Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus OR T-spot blood test; annually)

Students will be required to obtain vaccinations for practicum and internship placements. The

required vaccinations include Influenza, Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR), Varicella,

Hepatitis B, TB, and DTAP (diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus). Additional

vaccinations/immunizations (including the COVID 19 vaccine) may be required by specific

clinical sites.

Please connect with your Student Support Manager if you have any questions. Some settings

require specific clearances in addition to those you uploaded in in EXXAT Prism – Approve or

Castlebranch prior to attending a placement site. These clearances will be communicated to the

student in a timely manner, if applicable. Student Support Managers and the Contracts

Administration Team will be available for additional support throughout that process.

Additionally, some sites have begun charging for a student to be in their placement site. The

department will pay up to $100 for costs associated with a placement.

Declination of Immunizations:

Clinical sites require immunizations. In order to complete the program, students must obtain and

maintain immunizations throughout the program. Clinical sites may require additional

vaccinations not included in the Online CSD Program’s required list. This includes the COVID-

19 vaccination.

Drug Screening:

A drug screen is required for all students prior to beginning the first clinical practicum of the

Graduate program. A non-negative finding could result in disciplinary action or dismissal from

the program. A repeat drug screen may be required depending upon facility requirements

(internship) or just cause at the student’s expense. Refer to this link for more information:

Baylor University Drug and Alcohol Policy

Testing for Cause:

Any CSD student suspected of abuse related to the use of drugs, including but not limited to

alcohol, may be subjected to testing. The decision to drug test for cause will be drawn from those

facts in light of the experience of the observers and may be based on, but not limited to:

• A finding of non-negative on initial drug screening.

• Observable phenomena such as direct observation of drug use and/or physical

symptoms or manifestations of being under the influence of a drug.

• Erratic behavior, slurred speech, staggered gait, flushed face, dilated/pinpoint pupils,

wide mood swings, absenteeism, tardiness, and deterioration of work performance.

• A report of drug use provided by reliable and credible sources which have been

independently corroborated.

• Information that a student has caused or contributed to an accident that resulted in

injury requiring treatment by a licensed health care professional.

• Evidence of involvement in the use, possession, sale, solicitation or transfer of drugs

while on a clinical site premise.

• Conviction by a court, or being found guilty of a drug, alcohol, or controlled substance in

another legitimate jurisdiction.

Criminal Background Check:

Prior to beginning the program, all students are required to have a one-time comprehensive

criminal background check in accordance with clinical affiliation contracts between the

university and clinical agencies. The program contracts with EXXAT – Universal or

Castlebranch to provide this service.

• Failure to pass the initial background check could result in a more specific screening

requirements and/or additional screening requirements prior to internship.

• A clinical site may have more specific screening requirements and may require

additional screening procedures prior to the clinical placement.

• A clinical site may refuse the placement of a student with a criminal record.

• Any student with a criminal record is advised to check with the Speech Language

Pathology licensure board and/or an attorney in the state in which they wish to be

licensed in order to determine their eligibility for licensure.

Calipso:

If a student has a Calipso account, the CSD Graduate Program will continue to use Calipso for

tracking clinical clock hours and competencies. The lifetime subscription allows each student to

view/utilize their student records throughout their career.

EXXAT – Prism:

Beginning in Spring 2024, students will use EXXAT - Prism to track clinical clock hours and

competencies. Students will be asked to register with the EXXAT Prism in CSD 5150

Introduction to Clinical Practice course. The student will pay the fee directly to EXXAT Prism.

EXXAT Prism offers a lifetime subscription, which allows each student to view/utilize their

student records throughout their career.

Practicum Placement Process

Our dedicated placement team works to secure placements on behalf of students. You will work

closely with one placement manager, though you may hear from any team member throughout

the process. Your placement manager will conduct outreach to identify and secure your

placement assignment. This search will be based on:

• your preferred placement address

• program requirements and policies

• available opportunities within a 100-mile radius or 1.5-hour one-way/3-hour round-trip

commute

• ONE viable placement site per practicum/internship; if it is refused, an alternative

placement site cannot be guaranteed, and graduation may be delayed.

Please note that the placement team does not consider site-specific clinical requirements in

the placement search.

Students may submit placement suggestions for their practicum and internship placements to

their placement team manager 90 days prior to the start of the trimester. Suggestions should

come from known contacts or facilitated through a clinical educator. Known contacts are

established relationships through volunteer work, employment, and other community

involvement. Suggestions may also be facilitated through clinical educators at previous or

current practicum experiences. Students are not permitted to contact sites to secure placements

without having an established relationship or facilitated through a clinical educator. While

student suggestions for placement sites are encouraged by placement team, placement sites are

NOT determined by these suggestions or student preferences. Placements are determined by the

Clinical Program Director to ensure students meet program and ASHA tracking requirements.

Once a placement assignment has been secured, you may be asked to interview and confirm

compliance with clinical requirements. You must reach out to your assigned clinical educator

within two (2) business days of receiving an interview notification. Your clinical educator will

receive a similar interview notification, so they will expect you to reach out, make introductions,

and determine a meeting time. Students unable to comply with clinical requirements must

request exemption directly with the site, even if a medical waiver for vaccinations has been

previously approved by Baylor. After all steps have been completed, your placement will be

confirmed.

Declination of a Student by the Placement Site:

If a secured site declines a student with a medical exemption because the agency site does not

offer an exemption, the student should email the Clinical Program Director, Associate Director

of Placement, Student Support Manager, and BU Coordinator of Internship Operations

[email protected] to determine if an alternative site can be obtained that trimester and how

the search will continue.

Students who are rejected by sites due to medical exemptions from vaccinations are asked to

assist the search process by suggesting alternative sites. Information about these suggested sites

must be obtained through a professional connection and/or clinical educator referral only.

Students should be aware that the university and the alternative agency site must come to an

agreement on contract terms, and this is a lengthy process. As time passes prior to execution, site

requirements may change. If the contract with the alternative site is not finalized 30 days prior to

the start of the trimester, the student will take an incomplete in the practicum/internship and

prepare to attend that site the following trimester.

Declination of a Placement Site by the Student:

Students are not allowed to directly or indirectly decline a placement regardless of distance,

client population, or other issues. A student’s decision to directly or indirectly decline a

placement site may cause a delay in the student’s program and affect the progression and

satisfaction of academic requirements and projected graduation. The student will be responsible

for suggesting a clinical site to the placement manager for the current search or the search will

continue for the following trimester. As a reminder, the student is not allowed to “cold-call” a

site for a referral.

Clinical sites may require students to complete an interview for a clinical placement. If there are

concerns about the placement, students are expected to discuss the concerns with the Clinical

Program Director ([email protected]) prior to the interview. Concerns should not be

discussed with any employee from the potential site or interviewer during the interview process.

If a site declines the placement based on concerns expressed during the interview process, it is

considered an indirect declination of the placement site.

Placement Distance and Travel Time:

The placement team will make every reasonable attempt to place students as close to their

preferred placement addresses as possible; however, if there are insufficient resources for sites in

an area (in particular: New York, California, and Florida), students may need to travel up to 100

miles (or 1.5-hour one-way/3 hour round trip commute) with extensive travel time due to traffic

to complete their placement. Travel will be at the student’s expense. If a student has concerns

due to distance, please see the Declination of Placement policy.

Place of Employment:

You may work at your place of employment for 1 trimester only, but you cannot complete

placement hours at your current place of employment for pay. You cannot work with clients with

whom you currently or may potentially have other relationships. You must disclose that you are

working at a place of employment (ask your Placement Manager for this request form). Should

you have the opportunity to accrue internship hours with a clinical educator and population

completely separate from your professional role — for example, in a different department that is

in the same building or network — a practicum placement or internship at your place of

employment may be considered.

International Placements:

The CSD Graduate Program will not place students outside of the United States. This includes

military bases and US territories.

Relocation:

Any student planning to relocate to a new address must provide notice to the placement team. A

relocation form can only be considered 16 weeks prior to the scheduled start date to ensure

placement within 100 miles or 1.5 hour one-way/3 hour round trip commute of your new

address. In addition, the CSD program does not lead to licensure in all states. Notify your

Student Support Manager and the Placement Team if you move to a new STATE to ensure you

remain in a state where licensure can be obtained through the Baylor online program. If

relocating to a new state, follow this link and complete the

https://www.baylor.edu/professionaleducation/index.php?id=970522 and complete the Location

Change Form.

Any students traveling abroad must submit a preferred placement address within the continental

United States or Hawaii at least 16 weeks prior to the first placement term. Students should plan

to arrive in the United States to have adequate time to meet the clinical requirements in

Castlebranch or EXXAT Prism – Approve & Universal. Placement cannot be guaranteed outside

of this timeline, which may necessitate a leave of absence from the program.

Practicum and Internship Absences

Students may miss up to 3 days of a scheduled clinical experience with site clinical educator

approval. As a matter of professional courtesy, a notification email about the absence should also

be sent to the clinical faculty. If more than three absences are necessary, clinical faculty must be

contacted within 24 hours, and medical documentation must be presented. Clinical absences

should not be consecutively scheduled clinic days or cause a break in patient care unless the

absences are medically necessary. Absences due to vacations, weddings, or extended holidays

will not be approved. Timely communication with your clinical educator and clinical faculty is

expected and crucial to navigating clinical absences professionally.

Regardless of the medical situation, no more than two weeks may be excused from participation

at a site. Medical documentation may excuse a student from the site for up to 2 weeks, but it will

NOT excuse a student from demonstrating clinical competencies. Extenuating circumstances that

prevent a student from meeting these placement participation requirements must be documented

(such as a medical emergency). Proceeding in the program will be considered on a case-by-case

basis. Failure to adhere to these clinical participation expectations may result in a

professionalism violation, dismissal from the site, reduction of the final clinical grade by one

letter grade, and/or repeating the course. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Practicum Scheduling:

The placement portion of the Online CSD Program is a major commitment, and students are

expected to have flexibility with clinic scheduling. Students should prepare to complete all

placements based on the assigned clinical educator’s schedule. The placement team will not

arrange placement schedules, and clinical faculty will not alter clinical requirements that

accommodate work or personal schedules. While participating in clinic, students are expected to

adjust their personal and work schedules to ensure completion of clinical hours and placement

responsibilities. For a practicum rotation, students are required to be on-site for a total of 24 - 30

hours each week and earn the minimum number of clock hours for the clinical course (see chart

on page 24).

Speech Pathology Internship:

Prior to graduation, you are required to successfully complete a Speech Pathology Internship

course. The course is 6 credits (5 credits for all admits Spring 2023 and later), but you will still

be listed as a full-time graduate student. The internship work schedule will directly follow the

academic schedule. The Online Clinical Outreach Director will set the internship start and end

dates.

Guidelines for the internship are as follows:

1) The amount of time spent in your placement is determined by the placement itself. You are

to be full-time for the full length (13 weeks) of the trimester. This will usually include 35-40

hours per week at the site.

2) Clinical hours are to be counted, but that is not the reason for the internship. The internship is

to give students an off-campus placement, which is much like a work setting. The experience

also contributes six credit hours towards your program requirements. It is designed to give

students the “ultimate” clinical experience. In the end, the student with the most clinical clock

hours is rewarded for their efforts. Maybe you can break our online CSD clock hour record!

4) Absences are counted as noted in “Practicum and Internship Absences” above.

5) Please remember that the professionals taking students as interns are doing all of us a

tremendous favor. Criticism of the placement site, personnel, etc. should not be heard from the

student while in the placement. If something occurs with which a student is uncomfortable in the

site, discuss it first with the clinical educator at the site. Information such as this should be

directed to your Student Support Manager first who will direct you to the online clinical faculty

or Clinical Program Director as needed. If the situation is escalated to the Clinical Program

Director, please expect outreach to your placement site to resolve the issue.

6) Students fall under all guidelines of the internship site. Professional dress, courtesy,

interactions, etc. are governed by the personnel at each site. You get the same holidays as the

clinical staff at your site. Days should only be missed for illness or emergencies.

7) Students do not leave an internship earlier than the date given to them by the program nor do

they start later than the date given unless agreed upon by the program AND the site staff.

8) Students must follow protocol. If patients ask things, make requests, etc., it is imperative that

students refer to the clinical educator before commenting.

9) Regular check-ins are completed during the internship class, individual meetings, and virtual

site visits. Things such as how it is going, good experience, problems, etc. may be discussed.

Please be prepared to discuss your internship during class or if asked by your clinical faculty

and/or Clinical Program Director.

Clinical Clock Hours

Of the 400 required clinical hours, 25 hours must be through guided observations to fulfill

ASHA requirements for certification (CCCs). These hours must be completed under the auspice

and/or arranged by a university setting. This form must designate “guided observation hours”

and have the university name on it. The actual clinical educator or faculty administrator’s

signature and ASHA number are also required. Observation hours completed independently and

not under the direction of a university program will not be accepted. Students who do not

present appropriate observation hour documentation upon admissions will be required to enroll

in CSD 5101 Observation Hours course their first trimester in the program. These 25 guided

observation hours must be completed prior to beginning Practicum Placement 1 through Master

Clinician (subscription fee required).

Of the 400 required clinical hours, 375 hours must be obtained at the graduate level in speech

pathology at placement sites. Fifty hours from the undergraduate clinical experience may also be

applied with approval from the Clinical Program Director. Specific settings are not required;

however, you must have 3 different settings with at least 50 hours at each setting for that setting

to count. The Baylor Online program will provide a minimum of 3 placement sites (including

Simucase) for each student but cannot guarantee the number of hours you will obtain at each site.

Students will participate in clinical simulations and grand rounds to obtain clinical hours and

low-incidence competencies that may not be available at clinical sites.

All clinical hours are recorded each week in Calipso or EXXAT - Prism. Each student is

responsible for recording hours and each clinical educator will approve at the end of each week.

The following requirements are set so that students meet ASHA requirements without

experiencing a delay in their program. Students must meet ALL minimum requirements

outlined in the following chart.

Minimum Requirement for Clinical Coursework

Practicum

*Minimum Requirement I

*Minimum Requirement II

Practicum 1

**80 clinical hours

Onsite 3 days/24 hours per week

Practicum 2

**90 clinical hours

Onsite 3 days/24 hours per week

Practicum 3

**90 clinical hours

Onsite 3 days/24 hours per week

Internship

**115 clinical hours

Onsite 5 days/35-40 hours per week

*Both minimum requirements must be met to pass the clinical course.

**These hours include clinical simulations earned during clinical courses.

If a student cannot meet the minimum requirements for a clinical course due to a supervisor's

availability or an issue at the facility, clinical faculty should be contacted to determine if an

alternative plan is needed.

Students must earn a minimum of 50 hours in three unique settings and have a cumulative

total of 400 clinical clock hours to meet ASHA requirements. A hard deadline for

completion of the 400 clock hours for all internship students will be set at the beginning of

the internship trimester. If the 400 hours are not completed on the designated date by

midnight, the student will be given an “incomplete” for the internship course. The student

will not officially graduate or receive a degree, but he/she can still walk in the

commencement ceremony with his/her cohort. The student will have the next trimester to

complete the hours. This will also delay licensing and the Clinical Fellowship.

Supervision by Clinical Educator at the Site:

You are responsible to your assigned placement facility. You should have a variety of

experiences during your practicum experience, and each clinical educator will have a different

clinical educatory style. Diversity is needed to enhance your skills in working with different

people and personalities. Your clinical educator will want you to be a successful clinician.

Please ask questions and discuss concerns with your clinical educator as early in the trimester as

possible. This may avoid problems later.

A weekly conference with your placement clinical educator is required. These will vary in time

based on your needs/skills level. Each weekly meeting is a collaborative time. These meetings

will help you move toward independence in your development as a clinician. It is important to

have an agenda of items you wish to discuss in your weekly meeting.

Protocol for Problems:

If a problem is experienced with a clinical educator/student, it becomes the responsibility of the

student and clinical educator to discuss and work through the situation at the placement site. If it

cannot be corrected at this level, then the student should discuss the matter with the Clinical

Program Director. If the matter cannot be settled at this level, then the Program Director and the

Chair of the Department will participate in the matter to its resolution.

Dismissal from a Clinical Site:

Clinical educators have the right to dismiss students from the clinical setting if behavior or

attendance indicates that the student is unprofessional, unprepared, and/or not capable of

providing safe care in their practice setting. The Clinical Program Director should be notified by

phone/email as early as possible by clinical educators when dismissal is being considered.

It is up to the discretion of the Clinical Program Director in consultation with the department

chair, program director, and other faculty whether the student will be assigned a grade of

Incomplete (I) or Fail (F) for the course, reassigned to another clinical site, or dismissed from the

program. If the student continues in the program, a remediation plan may be implemented to

address areas for improvement in their clinical practicum placement(s).

Diagnostic Evaluations:

Each graduate student is expected to complete evaluations while in the program. No specific

hours are required; however, each student should obtain at least 25-30 evaluations prior to

internship.

Initial Client Contact:

Upon receipt of your practicum or internship placement, you will want to make an appointment

to meet with your clinical educator. Your initial meeting with your clinical educator will allow

for discussion and planning for your clients.

Paperwork:

Clinicians should adhere to any paperwork guidelines set forth by the placement facility.

Therapy:

Clinicians should adhere to any therapy guidelines set forth by the facility.

Appropriate Attire:

• Dress in appropriate attire while in the clinic and/or placement site.

• See Dress Code below for more information regarding appropriate attire.

Attendance and Punctuality:

• Arrive before the appointed time.

• Be prepared to engage as a working professional.

• Graduate School is an important part of your career path, treat it like you would a job.

• Attend classes and clinic.

• Provide prompt notification of tardiness or absences.

Respectful Demeanor and Interactions:

• Demonstrate respect and deference to faculty/staff/clients/caregivers/peers.

• Conduct oneself in a manner consistent with the values and ethics of ASHA and the

profession.

Professional Language and Communications:

• Demonstrate professional oral and written (including electronic) communication skills.

• Respond to emails.

• Use discretion and appropriate professional language in addressing

faculty/staff/clients/caregivers/peers.

• Speak concisely, and clearly.

• Be polite and respectful (Addressing people with their titles is important).

Appropriate Effort and Initiative:

• Be open and willing to learn and develop your skills.

• Present yourself in a confident, but not arrogant manner.

• Accept and use feedback from faculty/clinical educators to improve your knowledge and

skills.

• Collaborate with one’s clinical educator to identify and complete a weekly lesson plan/set

of tasks.

• Follow through on appointed tasks and activities.

• Demonstrate intellectual and professional curiosity and insightfulness.

Accountability and Integrity:

• Complete tasks and activities in a professional, high quality, and timely manner.

• Speak and act on behalf of Baylor University and/or your placement site only as

authorized by one’s role and responsibilities.

• Maintain professional integrity and honesty in all activities and interactions.

• Integrity involves expressing gratitude for others, valuing honesty and openness, taking

responsibility and accountability for your actions, respecting yourself and others around

you, helping those in need, demonstrating reliability and trustworthiness, and showing

patience and flexibility.

Boundary Maintenance and Ethical Practice:

• Maintain client confidentiality standards, especially when using cell phones/electronic

devices.

• Uphold ASHA ethical standards and seek appropriate consultation when in doubt.

• Manage strict personal-professional boundaries in the real and virtual work environment,

especially in relation to social media (e.g., Instagram)

Behavior:

• Maintain professional standards and conduct regardless of how other people may be

behaving.

• Be positive and enthusiastic, which can influence others around you.

• Be personally and professionally centered when engaging with clients and their families.

• Use appropriate professional language (spoken and written) to filter emotional content.

• Demonstrate a willingness to resolve difficult relationships and modify one’s behavior,

accordingly, not expecting special consideration or entitlement.

Responsiveness to Feedback:

 Demonstrate non-defensive receptivity to feedback and suggestion; show a willingness to

be self-reflective and self-corrective.

Dress Code:

• Scrubs are to be worn and must be gray with the Baylor Communication Sciences and

Disorders logo – purchased from the Baylor Book Store. These are to be worn in

evaluations and treatment of clients.

• Well-kept athletic shoes may be worn with your scrubs.

• Any sportswear or jackets (no hoodies or full sweatshirt) must be gray or black.

• Keep hair away from your face - if necessary, use a clip to keep it back during therapy.

• Facial hair must be trimmed neatly.

• Hair must be considered a natural color such as blonde, brunette, natural red.

• Tattoos must be covered.

• No piercings except for one earring in each lobe. Studs only, no dangling or extra-large

earrings.

• No perfume or scented lotions.

• No excessive jewelry.

• Nails must be natural and a shortened length. Avoid all “fake” nails.

Safety Precautions

Universal Safety Precautions must be maintained. Please refer to the procedures below and any

guidelines set forth by the placement facility.

Observation and Significant Other / Family Participation:

Ensure compliance with Universal Safety Precautions when family members and others are

present where they may be exposed to client's blood or body fluid containing visible blood.

The on-site placement clinical educator should be notified immediately if a child bleeds or

vomits.

Gloves:

• Gloves should be worn when performing invasive oral speech mechanism exams;

managing tracheostomy tubes; using laryngeal mirrors; performing feeding therapy; and

performing endoscopic exams.

• Gloves should be worn when touching blood or other body fluids which contain blood.

• Gloves should be worn if client has non-intact skin.

• Change gloves after contact with each client.

• After removing gloves, wash hands immediately.

• Discard gloves in therapy room before exiting. No special disposal containers are

necessary unless gloves are contaminated with blood or bloody fluid.

Handwashing:

• Wash hands immediately if your hands are potentially contaminated with blood or body

fluids containing visible blood

• Wash hands before and after seeing each client

• Wash hands after removing gloves

• Basic hand washing techniques are as follows:

o Vigorous mechanical action whether or not a skin cleanser is used

o Use of antiseptic or ordinary soap under running water

o Duration of 30 seconds between clients if not grossly contaminated and in handling

client devices

o Duration of 60 seconds when in contact with clients, devices, or equipment with

gross contamination

o Thorough hand drying with a paper or disposable towel to help eliminate germs

Materials:

• Use spray/wipe/spray disinfection procedure after each session

o Spray with disinfectant to clean surface, then

o Wipe to clean and remove disinfectant, then

o Spray a second time, leave wet for 5 minutes

• Disinfectant mixing instructions

o Portions are 5:10 dilution of regular household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) to

water. Fresh solutions should be mixed weekly.

Treatment Procedures:

• Language Stimulation:

o Wash hands

o Assemble toys/objects

o Do intervention

o Clean or disinfect surfaces

o Clean or disinfect toys/objects

o Wash hands

• Endoscopic Examination:

o Wash hands and put on gloves

o Perform exam

o Remove gloves and wash hands

o Disinfect endoscope and contaminated surfaces with spray/wipe/spray procedure

o If blood is present on endoscope, sterilization is required

• Oral Evaluation:

o Assemble materials

o Wash hands and put on gloves

o Do not touch materials which are not disposable or easily disinfected while

wearing gloves

o Perform oral evaluation

o Following evaluation, remove gloves and wash hands

o Dispose of disposable items

o All surfaces and materials should be disinfected with the spray/wipe/spray

procedure

Photos of Clients:

Due to HIPPA guidelines, you are no longer allowed to take pictures of your clients for your own

personal use with your cameras.

Working with Clients Outside of the Placement Setting:

Due to licensure and certification, no student is allowed to perform speech/language

intervention without a clinical educator present. Parents may ask you to babysit, go out to

dinner, etc. This is fine once you are no longer the clinician; however, you may not do any

kind of intervention even while babysitting. If you have questions about this, please ask

HIPAA/Protected Health Information: (See Appendix A for more information)

Clinicians must remember that all information about clients is considered confidential and

should be treated accordingly. Clients are never to be discussed by name outside the

placement setting nor are reports on clients to be removed from the practicum or internship

site.

You will complete the HIPAA guideline training through CastleBranch and/or EXXAT Prism.

This training must be completed before a student can work in any placement site. At the

internship site, students may also be asked to sign a statement of confidentiality.

In the event of a breach of these statements, each student involved will receive a warning first.

The next breach will include a discussion with the HIPAA officer (lawyer from General

Counsel's office) and possible removal from the practicum or internship.

Clinical Evaluations

Evaluations by Clinical Educators:

Clinical educators will complete a mid-term and final evaluation in Calipso or EXXAT - Prism

each trimester. The final evaluation determines the clinical grade and further defines the

competencies students have acquired during the placement. Competences include information in

Calipso or EXXAT – Prism, and any other final procedures/activities that the off-campus clinical

educator or clinical faculty deems necessary.

The competency-based rating scale will be discussed each trimester in the final conference with

the clinical educator. Items on the competency scale must be at the "competent" level before

exiting the internship. "Competent" indicates that one is ready to enter the CFY year. If CFY

entry level "competence" is not attained by the end of the internship, further practicum will be

required in those areas found to be deficient.

Evaluations by Student:

At the end of each trimester, students will complete a self-evaluation, evaluation of clinical

educator, and evaluation of clinical site in Calipso or EXXAT - Prism.

Grading for Practicum and Internship

Students will receive grades on sessions (some evaluations and some therapy sessions). Not

every session will receive a grade. Off-campus clinical educators will determine the frequency

of evaluation.

If a student earns a grade of C or below on the mid-term evaluation in a clinical placement, an

action plan will be developed. This action plan will be designed with clinical faculty and the off-

campus clinical educator to facilitate the student’s learning and skill development. If the student

passes the clinical placement, the action plan will no longer be in place. If the student receives a

non-passing grade for the clinical placement, a clinical remediation plan will be developed.

If a student earns a grade of C or below on the final evaluation in a clinical placement, clinical

hours will not be earned for the trimester, and the clinical experience must be repeated. The

student will be placed on clinical remediation. The student and remediation committee will

design goals to increase the student’s strengths in the practicum course. Failure to successfully

complete a remediation plan may result in dismissal from the program. If dismissal is

recommended, an appeal may be made to the Department Chairperson.

Your clinical grade consists of your off-campus clinical educator’s grade recommendation,

participation in your clinical course, and meeting clinical faculty requirements. Failure to

complete the tasks assigned or failure to attend the class will result in one entire grade point

being removed from your clinical practicum grade. EX: You have received an “A” for your off-

campus experience; however, you did not attend class regularly and/or failed to complete tasks

assigned by the clinical faculty by the deadlines. In that scenario, you would receive an overall

grade of “B” for the trimester.

In addition, clinical simulations may be utilized for all students. Per ASHA standards, students

may earn up to 75 clinical clock hours in simulations throughout the program. Additional

simulations may be required for competencies only. All simulation cases are expected to be

completed 24 hours prior to the debriefing. Students must attend the debriefing session to earn

the clinic clock hours for the cases. Students are graded on completion of the case, meeting

timelines, professionalism, and participation in the debriefing sessions. Failure to meet these

requirements may result in the experience being repeated the following trimester. *Students

participating in Simucase must pay a fee for access to the program. See Canvas course for more

details.

Clinical Grading Scale:

4.00 – 5.00

Consistent

3.00 – 3.99

Adequate

2.50 – 2.99

Developing

C (see clinical police above)

2.00 – 2.49

Emerging

D (see clinical policy above)

1.99 or below

Non-Evident

F (see clinical policy above)

F – Dismissal from site

Breach of Handbook Policy

Students in the graduate program are considered professional students and are required to exhibit

professional behaviors while participating in the academic and clinical program. If

unprofessional behavior or a breach of a handbook policy occurs, the incident will be

documented and added to the student’s file. Depending on the nature and severity of the

incident, this may lead to a written warning, violation, remediation plan, or dismissal from the

program.

Cultural/Linguistic Diversity

Students/faculty/staff in Communication Sciences and Disorders Department follow the

American Speech-Language and Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) Code of Ethics, as well as

Baylor University’s Policy on Diversity and Inclusion.

ASHA’s policy states: “Individuals shall not discriminate in the delivery of professional services

or in the conduct of research and scholarly activities on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender

identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability, culture,

language, or dialect. “

Baylor’s policy states: “In line with this mission (education of men and women), we seek to

embody Christ’s teachings of love and inclusivity across boundaries of racial, ethnic, gender,

socio-economic, religious, and other expressions of human difference because, at Baylor, ‘Love

thy neighbor’ are not just words…they are a way of life.

Living out the calling and mission of Christ means living within diversity. It means embracing

that diversity by practicing inclusion. We know that diversity and difference enhance and

challenge us all in creative ways. We can begin to understand all types of differences in new

ways when we foster a community of inclusion. That is why we do not simply offer an

accommodating space of toleration. We seek to practice reconciliation.”

Each student enrolled in the practicum and internship placement portion of Baylor’s online CSD

program will follow the guidelines as set forth. Violation(s) of this policy may result in the

removal from the program.

Academic Coursework Policies

Online Mode of Delivery:

The platform on which the CSD program is delivered incorporates the best of available web

technologies. Students will not need to be proficient with distance education technology before

enrolling, but basic computer literacy, such as knowing how to access a website, is required.

Students log into the learning management platform using a secure Baylor login and password.

Synchronous sessions are small (approximately 20 students) and done via a web video camera.

An orientation module for the program is provided and technology help desk is available to both

students and faculty.

It is the student’s responsibility to make sure they have the proper technology (i.e. computer,

webcam, etc.) as well as reliable access to the internet prior to asynchronous and synchronous

sessions as well as exams in order to complete the coursework. Before the trimester begins,

students should test all technology. If a student anticipates a technological issue prior to any of

these situations, their Section Instructor and Student Support Manager should be notified

proactively.

Be on Time:

setup. Be ready to work when the class time begins.

Be Professional:

The Online CSD Graduate Program is a professional program in an applied field - live

classroom is an extension of the field; therefore, you are expected to treat live class time as

you would a professional setting. Act as though you were in a regular classroom on

campus.

Respect the Classroom:

Treat the online classroom as if it were a traditional, in-person class setting. Be

appropriately dressed, sitting in a professional, attentive manner with an appropriate

background. If you are unable to abide by the live session rules, plan to miss class and

let your professor know ahead of time. If these rules are not followed, your professor

has the right to ask you to leave the session. To attend class online:

• Sit in a quiet, private area where family, children, pets and other distractions will

not interrupt your learning or the learning of your classmates. Be sure the privacy of

your classmates as well as those in your environment is protected. Do not attend

class from your cell phone, bed, car, sporting event, or public place.

• Be on screen the entire class time with your face clearly visible. Do not pause or

blackout your camera as this is distracting to other students. You must be engaged

and focused throughout the duration of the class.

• Before the live session begins, be sure that your camera and microphone are

working and your internet is operating effectively. Eliminate background noises

such as appliances running, dogs barking, or children playing in another room.

Be Prepared:

Each week you are expected to prepare for the live session prior to class time by completing

the asynchronous course work. Specific details on work to be completed before the live

session can be found in the course work area for each week.

Be Engaged:

You are expected to be ready to work during your live session. Live sessions are not a passive

experience - it requires your full presence and commitment to learning. Each week you must be

prepared to listen to your instructor and classmates, offer feedback, and engage in a lively

discussion.

Communicate:

Check and use your Baylor@edu e-mail address while in the program. Reach out to the

Baylor IT Help Desk at (254)710-4357 to have this e-mail account added to your cell

phone. Respond to CSD administrators, professors, and practicum clinical educators

within 24 to 48 hours.

Class Participation and Attendance

Online course work will use a seminar format and will include a combination of dialogue,

dialectic, and inquiry. All students should participate in online class discussions by offering

substantive comments. Weekly attendance in live session is expected. If for some legitimate

reason you are unable to attend, it is your responsibility to notify the instructor as soon as

possible and explain the reason for your absence. To earn course credit, a student must attend at

least 75% of all scheduled live sessions. After two live session absences, you will be referred to

the student support team for counseling. Please consult the syllabus for each course to determine

the attendance expectations for each faculty.

Completion of your asynchronous modules/assignments is essential to your success in the

course. Any incomplete work reduces your learning opportunities and negatively impacts your

grade and interactive processes with other students. Asynchronous course work includes

responding to all prompts requiring either a written or video recorded response, as well as

assignments that are to be completed prior to your live sessions. Your faculty may specify the

amount of time in advance that asynchronous content must be completed in order to receive

credit. While readings and videos are not graded, all students are expected to have read and

viewed all videos before attending each live session. Missing asynchronous

modules/assignments can result in a reduction of your overall course grade. Please see your

individual course syllabi for more detailed information.

If extraordinary circumstances prevent attendance or the timely completion of assignments

(including asynchronous material), the student should consult the course faculty to inquire about

options that may exist. The decision to allow alternatives is at the full discretion of the faculty

member. Please consult the syllabus for each course to determine the specific attendance

expectations for both synchronous and asynchronous sessions.

Quizzes and Exams:

All quizzes and exams will be conducted online. Unless otherwise stated, you may not

collaborate with others or use any references during any examination. This means that during an

exam you may not:

• Open another browser window or use any other method to look up an answer

• Communicate with anyone via online chat, telephone, email, text message, in-person or

any other method

• Use your phone or video camera

• Ask someone else to take the exam for you

• Copy or photograph exam questions for your personal use or to share with others

• Discuss the exam with other students who have not yet taken it

Technology Disputes:

To ensure consistency with respect to managing technology-related disputes in regard to

submission of coursework - whether it is discussion board posts, examinations, quizzes, written

work, or other assignments - the only documentation that will be used to determine the outcome

of any appeal will be what is provided by 2U and a review of the incident conducted by the

Graduate School. No outside evaluations, repairs, or connectivity issues will be part of the

process related in any review. It is the student’s individual responsibility to ensure that they have

submitted all exams, quizzes, and coursework in the time allotted.

Final Exam Policy:

Policy directly from the Executive Vice President and Provost webpage

(https://www.baylor.edu/provost/index.php?id=948473): At the end of each trimester,

examinations are given in all subjects. The examination closes the work of a course. Because of

the value in bringing about a general view of the whole subject, no student is excused from any

final examination for any reason. All examinations are conducted based on the Honor Code. No

final examination may be given on other than regularly scheduled dates unless approved in

advance by the appropriate academic dean. A student with three final examinations scheduled on

the same day may appeal to one of the three teachers or the appropriate dean who will reschedule

the exam during the final examination period. The student must have this change documented on

a "Rescheduling Final Exams" form that can be obtained in the student's dean's office. Please

contact your instructor and discuss with him or her first. Next, contact the Dept. Chair. The final

approver is the Associate Dean. The approval & appeal process have the same sequence.

Grading Graduate Coursework:

Passing grades for graduate students are A (4.00), A- (3.67), B+ (3.33), B (3.00), B- (2.67), C+

(2.33), and C (2.00). The grade of C- carries 1.67 grade points per hour, D+ carries 1.33 grade

points per hour, D carries one grade point per hour and D- carries .67 grade points per hour;

however, they will not apply toward the total number of hours required for program completion.

If a grade of C-, D+, D, D-, or F is made in a required course, the student must repeat the same

course at Baylor and make a grade of C or better to meet the degree requirements for graduation.

Courses taken at Baylor may be repeated where the grade received is C+ or lower. Student’s

transcripts will reflect both grades and both will be included in the overall grade point average.

The grade point average (GPA) is calculated by totaling the number of grade points earned and

dividing by the number of credits applied toward the GPA. The resulting grade point average is

truncated following the second decimal (e.g., 1.99672=1.99). The university does not round the

GPA. This method of calculation is used for all academic purposes such as academic standing,

graduation, and scholarship eligibility.

Grading Leveling Coursework:

Leveling coursework in our program is “credit/no credit”. A passing grade for credit on leveling

coursework is a B- (80). Any leveling course that receives a grade below 80 will need to be

repeated and passed BEFORE the student moves on to graduate coursework. Students will be

allowed to repeat a course once. If a B- (80) is not obtained with the second attempt, the student

will be dismissed from the program. Please see University Policy on Academic Appeals, if

needed.

Academic Performance/Probation (Graduate School Policy):

• A student who is admitted into leveling courses

o If a B- (80) is not obtained after two course attempts, the student will be

dismissed from the program. Please see University Policy on Academic Appeals,

if needed.

• A student who is admitted to Graduate School on probation

o Students are automatically removed from probation upon completion of the first

trimester of the graduate program if an overall 3.0 grade point average is attained.

o Failure to maintain a “B” overall GPA during the first 9 graduate credit hours will

result in notification of dismissal by the Graduate School. Students may appeal

this decision. The Graduate School is not required to hear student appeals of this

decision. The Department Chair, in conjunction with the Online Graduate

Program Director should direct letters in the student’s behalf to the Dean of the

Graduate School.

• Any fully admitted students:

o Any fully admitted student whose overall GPA falls below a “B” (3.0) average

during any trimester will be placed on probation for the next trimester.

o If, after completion of the following trimester, the student’s overall GPA is still

below 3.0, the student will receive the suspension letter from the Graduate

School. Should the student’s circumstances be so unusual as to warrant special

consideration, the dismissal letter will include directions and provisions for

engaging in an appeal process.

Probation and Dismissal:

Due to the high standards of accreditation and professional certification beyond those stipulated

by the university, our graduate program has more stringent academic, clinical, and professional

standards for student continuation than those established by Baylor University. A student who

consistently fails to meet the performance standards will not be allowed to continue in the

program.

Procedures for Dismissal:

Students may be dismissed for academic, clinical, or research deficiencies. The progress of each

student will be carefully monitored and reviewed each trimester by the Online Graduate

Program Director and the Online Clinical Outreach Director using various sources of

information, including grade reports, clinical performance (therapy evaluation grading, clinical

educator’s observation), and research progress (if applicable). Issues identified by a faculty

member, the Online Graduate Program Director, the Online Clinical Director, or any placement

clinical educator will be discussed immediately with the Chair. The main goal of this meeting is

to address the concern and seek the best solution. Written documentation of the problem,

criteria for probation/retention and results of the meeting will then be presented to the student

and faculty member. A copy of the documentation will be kept in the student’s graduate file.

Any subsequent meetings will be similarly documented. A student who is dismissed from the

online program may appeal the decision.

Change of Grade Policy:

Changes to grades may be initiated by the instructor of the class and must be approved by the

Department Chair and the Dean of the Graduate School (with notification to the Dean of the

school in which the class was offered). Changes to grades may be initiated by an instructor only

when the original grade resulted from an error or when the original grade was an Incomplete.

Changes resulting from an error may only be made within one calendar year of the original date

that the grade was due and may not occur once a degree to which the course was applied has

been conferred. Further, changes to Incomplete grades may be made only in compliance with

Graduate School policies on Incompletes (see policies below).

Beyond changes to grades for those reasons, changes may occur when initiated by the Provost

based on the finding of a violation of academic integrity or when a grade is successfully appealed

through the appropriate process. The one-year time limit does not apply to these changes.

Incompletes:

The grade of “I” for Incomplete may be given only when the completed portion of the course

work is of passing quality. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the course requirements

and to see that the incomplete grade is removed from the record. A student may not graduate

with an “I” incomplete on their transcript. The incomplete grade will change to an “F” when the

student reaches their time limit, is certified to graduate, or withdraws from the program.

Cancellations:

Dropping all classes prior to the first class day or prior to financial settlement cannot occur once

the first class day is reached for a trimester. Cancelled classes do not appear on the official

academic transcript. Cancellations and related refund requests must be sent via email to

Cashiers_Office@baylor.edu Cancellation requests must be received prior to the first class day

for the trimester or a fee for late cancellation will be charged. For cancellations, all tuition, fees,

and meal plans will be refunded at 100 percent.

Drops:

• Removing a class(es) from a student’s schedule through the 45

class day. (This term

does not apply when a student discontinues all classes during the trimester.) Depending

on the timing of this action, the outcome will either be that the class is removed from the

student’s transcript record or that it results in a “W” (Withdrawal) notation for the class

on the transcript. A student cannot drop a class after the 45

class day during a

fall/spring/summer trimester. A student should review “Before you Drop A

Course” www.baylor.edu/b4udrop before dropping any class(es).

• Through the 11

class day, drops can be processed in BearWeb. Beginning on day 12, the

student must contact the Online Graduate Program Director to complete the Add/Drop

form.

• A drop prior to the end of the 11

class day of the fall or spring trimester results in the

course being removed from the official academic transcript.

• After the 11

and through the 45

class day, a drop in one or more classes requires a

signature from the Online Graduate Program Director and results in a “W” notation on

the official academic transcript. There are no drops after the 45th class day during the

fall/spring trimester.

• Failure to drop a class will result in the instructor posting the grade the student has earned

(i.e., an “F”).

• Prior to dropping a class, a student is expected to attend class regularly.

Please contact Financial Aid and the Cashier’s office to determine course fees and refund

rules and guidelines.

Break in Enrollment:

Continuous enrollment is preferred, but if a student must take a break from enrollment for a

trimester, the student will have 1 year from that date to return. Upon re-enrollment in courses, a

new plan of study will be established which must be completed within 5 years from the original

admission date. All breaks in enrollment must but be approved by the program director prior to

the start of the new trimester.

University Withdrawal:

This entails officially discontinuing all classes for which a student is registered on or after the

first-class day (through the 45th class day). Beginning the 1st class day of each trimester, a

student will not be able to withdraw from their complete class schedule online. A student cannot

withdraw from the university after the 45

class day during a fall/spring/summer trimester.

To withdraw officially from the University and request appropriate refunds, a student must

submit a Withdrawal Form and complete an exit interview with a designated representative.

• The University Withdrawal effective date is established by the date on which a student

submits the mandatory University Withdrawal Form and/or contacts the Online Graduate

Program Director at Venessa_Grandjean@baylor.edu

• When a student withdraws from the University, the assigned “W” is based upon the

effective date of the University Withdrawal.

• The required University Withdrawal Form and additional information is available at

https://www.baylor.edu/gpe/index.php?id=962311

• Any other procedure will lead to failure in all classes for which the student is registered.

Under no circumstances does notification to instructors or dropping classes constitute an

official University Withdrawal.

If you plan to return to Baylor for a future trimester, you will need to contact your

program administrator. Please contact Financial Aid and the Cashier’s office to determine

course fees and refund rules and guidelines.

Deferral Policy:

A student can defer up to two times, for no more than two years in total. A student may defer up

to a year their first deferral, up to a year their second deferral, but if more time is still needed, the

student will need to reapply to the program. The student will complete the deferral form with the

admissions counselor. This form will then be approved by the program director and sent to

Baylor registration office.

Right to Withhold Transcripts and/or Block Registration:

Baylor University may withhold the issuance of a transcript record and/or block the registration

of any current or prior student if the student has certain outstanding obligations to the University.

Please click here for the complete transcript and registration hold policy.

Length of Program Completion:

The maximum time limit for the master’s degree is five years from the time the student first

matriculates into the master’s program. This applies to full time and part time students alike.

Once a student’s time limit expires, any incompletes will change to an “F”. Any student wishing

to return to complete their degree after a one-year absence must reapply for admission to the

graduate school. If admitted, the student would enter under the current catalog, and the

appropriate coursework for degree completion may be revalidated or not, according to the policy

of the individual program in consultation with the graduate school. Coursework where

incompletes have been changed to an “F” may not count in the new program. In the unlikely

event there is a departure from the original plan of study, a student must discuss this with the

Graduate Director. The Graduate Director will direct the request to the CSD Executive

Committee, and the request must be approved and signed by the Graduate Director.

Stopping the Program:

If a student wants to completely stop the online CSD program, an e-mail with this intent must be

sent to the graduate office and program director. At that time, the student will become “inactive”

in the Baylor system and the student forfeits any right to return to the program to complete it

within the 5-year timeframe.

Transfer Credit:

Students entering the program with graduate-level CSD course work may petition up to 6 credit

hours of approved academic courses toward the master’s degree. Courses must be graduate level

at the preceding institution and equivalent to the coursework in Baylor’s CSD graduate program.

Graduate clinical practicum courses and/or clock hours will not be transferrable. Please contact

your Graduate Program Director for further directions. You will need to present the course

syllabus and transcript with grades for credit transfer consideration.

Auditing a Course:

Auditing a course is not permissible in this program.

Change of Address and Telephone Number:

It is frequently a matter of great importance to students for university officials to be able to

locate them quickly. For this reason, students are asked to file a notice of change of student local

or student home address and telephone number with the university promptly, and not later than

ten days thereafter in any case. Address changes may be made through BearWeb. In addition,

students will be required to email [email protected] with this

information. Failure to receive university notices because of an incorrect address provided by the

student will not relieve the student of responsibility for responding to the notice.

Student Financial Aid

The Student Financial Aid Office provides a program that includes loans to help eligible students

meet expenses while enrolled at Baylor University.

If a student requires need-based financial aid, the student must complete the Free Application for

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application should be completed after October 1, but

preferably before February 1 for priority consideration for the upcoming academic year.

IMPORTANT: Students applying for the summer term financial aid must complete the FAFSA

forms for the previous school year and the upcoming school year.

The FAFSA must be completed in enough time to allow Baylor to receive the results no later

than May 1, so that students will be notified of eligibility before invoices for fall charges are

mailed. Baylor normally receives results of the FAFSA from the federal processor within three to

five business days from the date you file the form electronically. The deadline for completion of

the aid application process is April 3 of the spring trimester or October 31 if attending only in the

fall.

Applicants who do not have all steps (including verification if selected) completed by these dates

will not be awarded aid. Students interested in pursuing assistance for the summer sessions will

be considered automatically once they have filed the FAFSA for the previous academic year and

pre-registered for classes. To be eligible for financial aid, students must be making satisfactory

academic progress as defined by Baylor University.

Students who consider dropping hours should contact the Student Financial Aid Office prior to

dropping the hours to determine the effect on financial aid eligibility. A reduction in hours may

result in an adjustment to the aid package and may also affect satisfactory academic progress. It

is the responsibility of the student to notify this office of any reduction in hours. Some students

may receive financial aid from several sources, which may include part-time employment, and/or

loans. Because many financial aid programs are funded by the federal and state government, the

Student Financial Aid Office must abide by established laws and guidelines when processing a

student’s application. Complete information on the various types of assistance is available at

www.baylor.edu/sfs.

Financial Obligations:

Students are individually responsible for their financial obligations to Baylor University. Charges

to their student accounts are payable when due. Upon graduation or university withdrawal,

unpaid student account balances are subject to referral to a collection agency and disclosure to

credit bureaus. Financial settlement should be taken care of before the start of classes. If a

student is not settled by the first-class day, Baylor will notify that student to set up a payment

arrangement with the Financial Aid office.

Students Called for Active Military Duty

An enrolled student who withdraws as a result of being called into active military duty (reserves

or National Guard) may choose to:

• receive a refund of tuition and fees paid toward the current term, or

• be given full credit of tuition and fees paid toward the current term to apply toward future

term’s charges for enrollment, or

• if late enough in the term, request an “incomplete” so that the remainder of the work

could be completed at a later date and receive no refund or credit of tuition and fees.

• If the student has met the academic requirements for the term, a grade will be assigned,

and no tuition refund or credit will be granted. Board charges are refunded on a pro rata

basis on the date of the student’s withdrawal.

Students having federal/state financial aid will be withdrawn according to the published

withdrawal policy. Any refund or credit for a student being called into active military duty who

has such financial aid will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Health Insurance

All domestic graduate students under the auspices of the Baylor Graduate School taking 3 credit

hours or more or at least 1 hour of a full-time equivalency course must demonstrate proof of

active insurance. Students will demonstrate their proof of insurance or enroll in Baylor's student

insurance through the AHP (Academic Health Plans) portal each trimester during the open

enrollment period. The AHP website can be found here: https://baylor.myahpcare.com /,

however, students should NOT ACCESS the website until after receiving an email invitation

from AHP. Online students are required to have health insurance through Baylor University if

they do not have coverage elsewhere. If a student already has insurance, he/she will need to

complete a waiver to be waived out of Baylor insurance each trimester. If this waiver is not

completed, the student will be billed for the insurance payment. Please contact the Cashier’s

office if you were billed for insurance that you do not need.

Professional Conduct

The Baylor Online CSD Graduate Program strives to maintain and promote the highest level of

professionalism among graduate students as it fosters an environment committed to excellence in

graduate education and the practice of speech-language pathology. Online CSD graduate

students are responsible for adhering to the Baylor University’s Student Conduct Code, which is

available at http://www.baylor.edu/student_policies/index.php?id=32256.

To maintain honesty in our online program, randomized Integrity Checks will be performed on a

course’s quizzes and exams. These checks will compare students regarding the timing of their

test taking, answers submitted, and grades received.

In addition, students in the online graduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders

are simultaneously involved in academic and professional aspects of the career. Students are

expected to demonstrate respect towards faculty members, staff members, student colleagues,

and clients and family members at placement facilities thereby creating a collegial environment

conducive to the best learning climate and community service. In doing so, students are not to

use any intellectual property designed by faculty or disclose information pertaining to our

licensing agencies (Calipso, Simucase, Castlebranch, EXXAT Prism, etc) in social media

including but not limited to Facebook and Youtube.

Professional qualities that constitute positive, recommendable, and ethical behavior that are

expected of students include:

Characteristics of Effective Speech Language Pathologists:

• Communicate effectively in both oral and written English language.

• Write emails that have a pleasant tone and are non-confrontational

• Use appropriate nonverbal communication.

• Demonstrate effective organizational and time management skills.

• Have physical stamina to meet the demands of the workday.

• Maintain good physical health, grooming and self-care.

• Maintain good mental health and manage stress effectively.

• Have hearing acuity sufficient to identify, discriminate, and understand speech.

• Have visual acuity sufficient to identify anatomic structures, discriminate imaging

findings, evaluate clients comprehensively, and implement treatment plans.

• Evaluate their own performance independently and make changes as needed.

• Identify their own learning needs and seek new learning opportunities on an ongoing

basis.

• Respect and treat equally individuals with cultural and personal differences.

• Collaborate with others to effectively serve all clients.

• Exhibit appropriate professional conduct in all professional situations.

• Enjoy working with people and display genuine compassion and empathy.

• Possess honesty, integrity, and a willingness to uphold the ethical standards of the

profession.

Sanctions for Unprofessional Conduct:

Unprofessional conduct by a student may be considered grounds for unsatisfactory progress in

the program and is subject to review by the CSD Executive Committee.

The following procedure will be followed when any violation of ASHA Code of Ethics

standard, HIPAA guidelines, FERPA guidelines, or departmental policy.

• The Online CSD Graduate Program Director, Clinical Outreach Director, and Chair will

have a meeting with the relevant instructor, placement clinical educator, or relevant

student(s). During this meeting, the reporting member will share his/her concern about

the violation. The student will be able to respond to questions and share his/her

perspective during this meeting.

• The CSD committee will then meet in a closed session to determine the consequence of

the student’s behavior. Ultimately, unprofessional behavior may be grounds for

immediate dismissal from the online graduate program regardless of previous academic

or placement performance, or it may be grounds for a written violation that is kept in the

student’s graduate file.

• If the student is dismissed, the typical university appeal procedures will be in effect.

Refer to “Appeal of Grade or Dismissal” at

http://www.baylor.edu/student_policies/index.php?id=22177 . Instances of

unprofessional and/or unethical behavior, notes of official meetings addressing these

instances, and the ultimate decision regarding consequences for the behavior(s) will be

documented in the student’s academic file.

• All unprofessional emails are subject to a violation/professionalism warning at will and

do not need to follow this process to be issued.

University Policies

Characteristics of Successful Graduate Students:

• Engage in active listening and ask questions when they don’t understand.

• Demonstrate good problem-solving skills.

• Understand that evaluating and treating clients requires a high degree of critical thinking.

• Welcome and seek new learning opportunities.

• Exhibit exemplary speaking and writing skills in English.

• Fulfill commitments on time and with accuracy.

• Take responsibility for their actions and behaviors.

• Demonstrate maturity and professionalism in everything they do.

• Strive to do their best work the first time.

• Respect the values, interests, and opinions of others.

• Accept and use feedback and constructive criticism to learn and improve their

performance.

• Engage in on-going evaluation of their knowledge and skills.

• Embrace opportunities to work with a diverse population of clients, fellow students,

faculty members, and professionals.

Unprofessional conduct includes but is not limited to the following examples:

• Absence without prior permission

• Inappropriate dress code

• Display of vulgar language or photographs that imply disrespect for any person or group

because of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation

• Posting of inappropriate material (i.e., photos, video clips, or verbal expressions) on any

form of social media owned by the student or others (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,

websites)

• Aggressive communication styles

• Insufficient response to communications

• Dishonest or unprofessional interactions with patients, families, staff, faculty, or peers

• Disruptive behavior in the classroom or professional meetings

• Repetitive tardiness

• Disrespect for clients, fellow students, and faculty

• Breaches in confidentiality regulations such as HIPAA and FERPA

• Cheating and plagiarism

• Other forms of academic misconduct as defined by the Baylor Student Conduct Code

In addition, the following behaviors are strictly forbidden as they would violate two major

regulations, including HIPPA and FERPA

• Disclosing personal health or clinical information of other persons. Removal of

information about an individual’s identity does not constitute proper protection of health

information. Inclusion of any of the following information that may be used to identify a

person violates the HIPPA regulation such as name, date of birth, age, gender, race,

diagnosis, address, type of intervention, or photographs.

• Disclosing any private (protected) academic records of another student such as course,

exam scores, assignment grades, adverse academic actions, any form of professional

conduct checklists, or remediation plans. These constitute a violation of FERPA.

Hearing and Sanctioning Process for Students Accused of Violating the Graduate School’s

Policy on Professional Conduct

The Graduate School Policy on Professional Conduct is as follows:

“In keeping with Baylor University’s commitment to mutual respect and personal integrity, the

Graduate School expects that all students will conduct themselves in a manner befitting their

professional identity. This includes personal conduct towards faculty, staff, peers, and

colleagues both on and off campus. Failure to display professional conduct may result in

disciplinary action, including dismissal from the graduate program.”

Students accused of violating this policy have a right to a fair hearing. In recognition that some

acts of professional misconduct may also involve violations of Baylor’s Student Conduct Code,

Department faculty or the Graduate School may also and simultaneously report concerns or

allegations of a student’s behavior to Baylor’s Judicial Affairs office.

Reporting Unprofessional Conduct:

If a faculty member believes that a student may have violated the Statement on Professional

Conduct, the faculty member should consult with the Graduate Program Director (GPD) and

Department Chair. If the GPD and Chair agree that the situation warrants investigation, the

following steps should be taken.

a. The Chair and GPD (or designees) shall meet with the student to discuss the

situation. If the student acknowledges the problem and a resolution can be found,

the GPD should describe the situation and resolution in writing, provide a copy of

the document to the student and faculty member, and keep a copy in the student’s

file.

b. If the situation warrants more immediate action or a resolution cannot be found,

the GPD should notify the appropriate dean within the College or School in

writing* (see appended list for the appropriate dean in each College or School).

The notification should

i. describe in detail the behavior in question, including any relevant written

documentation or communications,

ii. explain why the behavior is unprofessional in the context of the particular

discipline or program,

iii. describe in detail the steps taken thus far to resolve the issue,

iv. if necessary, explain why any resolution proposed by the student is

inappropriate, and

v. state the Department’s recommendation for discipline or resolution.

c. The Graduate School should be notified of the process by the GPD and/or notified

dean.

Responding to Allegations of Unprofessional Conduct:

When the College or School receives notice from the Department that a student may have

violated the Policy on Professional Conduct and the situation was not resolved in step 1.a, the

following steps will be taken.

d. The College or School will notify the student of the allegations and will provide

the student with a copy of the notification to the College or School submitted by

the GPD in step 1.b. The College or School will also provide to the student a copy

of this process document.

e. The student will have an opportunity to respond to the College or School in

writing within three business days.

i. If the student chooses not to submit a written response to the Department

allegations and/or if three business days following the notification of the

student of the allegations have lapsed without the student submitting a

written response to the College or School, the College or School may

proceed with providing a written response to the Department based on the

initial notification provided by the Department (as described in step 1.b).

f. Both the College or School and/or the student may request a meeting at this point.

However, if the student requests a meeting with the College or School, it will not

take place until after a written response from the student has been received by the

College or School.

g. The College or School will supply any written response submitted by the student

to the Department, which may then respond in writing to that response within

three business days.

h. If, after receiving the student’s reply and/or meeting with the student, and in

consultation with the GPD, all parties can agree on a resolution that allows the

student to remain in the graduate program, the student and the Department will be

notified of any terms and conditions imposed. Digital copies of all

correspondence and documentation shall be kept in the student’s file.

i. If no such resolution can be found, or in the absence of a written response from

the student, or if warranted by the circumstances, the College or School may

determine any disciplinary action, including the loss of financial support or

dismissal from the program. The student shall be notified of the College or

School’s decision in writing.

j. The Graduate School should be notified of the resolution and/or disciplinary

action instituted.

Appeal:

k. The student may appeal a decision by the College or School to the Provost’s

office. The student must make the appeal in writing within three business days of

notification of the decision. The Provost (or designee) will review the

documentation and either uphold the College or School’s decision or determine

some alternate outcome. The decision of the Provost’s office is final.

In summary, if the Department and student cannot reach a resolution, the Department makes a

recommendation for action to the Dean of the College or School. The College or School then

makes a decision based on the Department’s recommendation and the response from the student.

The College or School’s decision can then be appealed to the Provost’s Office.

Academic and Professional Honesty

Academic and professional dishonesty is a serious offense and cannot be tolerated in an

academic community. Dishonesty in any form, including cheating, plagiarism, deceptive

behaviors, or unauthorized assistance, may result in a failing grade in a course and/or

suspension or dismissal from the graduate program at any time.

Constitution of the Baylor University Honor System:

For questions about the Honor Code policy, please contact the Office of Academic Integrity at

254-710-1715, or visit https://www.baylor.edu/honorcode/.

Honor Code Policy and Procedures:

I. HONOR CODE: Baylor University students, staff, and faculty shall act in academic

matters with the utmost honesty and integrity.

II. HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS: A Baylor University student violates the Honor Code if

the student engages in dishonorable conduct in connection with an academic matter.

III. DEFINITIONS: As used in this policy, the following terms have the indicated meanings:

A. Academic matter means an activity that may affect a grade or in any way contribute

toward the satisfaction of the requirements for graduation without reference to the focus of

such activity. Academic matters include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

(1) An examination.

(2) A research assignment or other activity to be done outside the class.

(3) Work that is in whole or partial satisfaction of requirements for the receipt of course

credit for participation.

(4) An activity for which course credit is given.

B. Baylor University means the various academic units, including the Robbins College of

Health and Human Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Hankamer School of

Business, the School of Education, the School of Engineering and Computer Science, the

Graduate School, the Honors College, University Libraries, the School of Music, the Louise

Herrington School of Nursing, the George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and the School of

Social Work. The academic work in the Baylor School of Law is governed by its own honor

code, which is stated in the School of Law catalog.

C. Dishonorable conduct means an act of academic dishonesty. The term dishonorable

conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

(1) Offering for course credit as one's own work, in whole or in part, the work of another.

(2) Plagiarism, that is, incorporating into one's work offered for course credit passages taken

either word for word or in substance from a work of another, unless the student credits the

original author and identifies the original author's work with quotation marks, footnotes, or

another appropriate written explanation.

(3) Offering for course credit one's own work but work that one has previously offered for

course credit in another course, unless one secures permission to do so prior to submission from

the instructor in whose course the work is being offered.

(4) Offering for course credit work prepared in collaboration with another, unless the student

secures the instructor's permission in advance of submission. A student does not prepare work

in collaboration with another if he or she merely discusses with another a matter relevant to the

work in question.

(5) Invading or attempting to invade the administrative security maintained for the

preparation and storage of examinations.

(6) Using, during an examination period, material not authorized by the instructor giving the

examination.

(7) Taking an examination for another student or knowingly permitting another person

to take an examination for oneself.

(8) Giving, receiving, or obtaining information pertaining to an examination during an

examination period, unless such action is authorized by the instructor giving the

examination.

(9) Divulging the contents of an essay or objective examination designated by the

instructor as an examination not to be removed from the examination room or discussed.

(10) Taking, keeping, misplacing, tampering with, or damaging the property of Baylor

University, a faculty member, or another student, if one knows or should reasonably know

that one would, by such conduct, obtain an unfair academic advantage. This section is

intended to include, but not be limited to, material in a university library.

(11) Misrepresenting facts about one's self or another for the purpose of obtaining an

advantage, either academic or financial, or for the purpose of injuring another student

academically or financially, including providing false grades for resumes for placement use.

(12) Failing to follow the instructions of a professor in completing an assignment or

examination, if one knows or should reasonably know that one would, by such conduct, obtain

an unfair academic advantage.

(13) Taking, without first reporting such fact to the appropriate faculty member, an

examination about which one has unauthorized information, even though such information

was obtained unintentionally.

(14) Witnessing conduct which one knows or should reasonably know is dishonorable

and failing to report it as required by this Honor Code.

(15) Communicating with a member of the Honor Council, other than the chair, about an

alleged violation of the Honor Code that has been brought to the Honor Council, but not heard.

It is the intent of this paragraph to prevent ex parte communications with members of the Honor

Council.

(16) Altering or falsifying academic documents such as transcripts, change of schedule

forms, closed class cards, doctors' excuses, grade reports, and other such documents.

IV. PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS

A. Faculty Members

If a faculty member suspects that a student has engaged in dishonorable conduct in connection

with an academic matter that has compromised the integrity of that faculty member's class, the

faculty member may handle the matter directly with the student or refer it to the Honor Council

in accordance with the timeline in section IV.A. (1) or IV.A.(2) below. In either situation, the

faculty member must report the alleged violation to the Office of Academic Integrity (the

"OAI"). If the student is not in the class that was compromised, the faculty member will handle

the matter according to section IV.C. below.

(1) Handling the Matter Directly with the Student

a. If the faculty member handles the matter directly with the student, the issue must be

addressed within 21 calendar days after discovering the violation. If the faculty member would

like additional time beyond 21 calendar days to try to resolve the matter with the accused

student, the faculty member may ask the Honor Council chair to grant such time within the

initial 21-day time period. If the chair determines such time would be beneficial, the chair may

grant one or more extension(s) for a specified, reasonable period.

b. If the faculty member finds the student guilty of dishonorable conduct in connection with an

academic matter, the faculty member must file a report with the OAI. The report will describe

the nature of the violation and the sanction (action taken). The OAI will send a copy of the

report to the student and retain the original report in its files. If the student has a prior violation

on file with the OAI, the OAI will refer the student's file to the Honor Council. The Honor

Council will consider additional sanctions for repeat violations. The OAI will notify the student

that the file has been referred.

c. If the faculty member finds the student not guilty of dishonorable conduct in

connection with an academic matter, no report is filed, the allegations are dismissed, and

the matter is closed.

(2) Referring the Matter to the Honor Council

If a faculty member believes a student may be guilty of dishonorable conduct in connection with

an academic matter and chooses to "refer" the matter to the Honor Council, the faculty member

must first report the matter as described in IV. A., but instead of indicating a decision and

sanction (action taken), the faculty member must indicate the choice to have the Honor Council

hear the matter. The referral must be made within 21 calendar days after discovering the

violation. If the faculty member would like additional time beyond 21 calendar days to try to

resolve the matter with the accused student, the faculty member may ask the Honor Council

chair to grant such time within the initial 21-day time period. If the chair determines such time

would be beneficial, the chair may grant one or more extension(s) for a specified, reasonable

period.

B. Students Accused of a Violation

If a student is accused of dishonorable conduct and the matter is not resolved with the faculty

member to the student's satisfaction, the student may refer the matter to the Honor Council.

Such a referral must be made within 21 calendar days from the time the Office of Academic

Integrity sends the report to the student. The Honor Council may grant additional time for the

referral if extenuating circumstances are present.

C. Students, Faculty, or Staff Who Witness a Violation

If a student, faculty member (other than a faculty member who is teaching the student suspected

of the dishonorable conduct), or staff member becomes aware of facts indicating a violation of

the Honor Code will occur or has occurred, the witness shall report the incident either to the

faculty member in whose class the incident occurred or to the chair of the Honor Council within

seven calendar days of becoming aware of the facts.

The witness is encouraged, but not required, first to report the incident to the faculty member in

whose class the incident occurred. If the incident is reported to the chair of the Honor Council,

the chair of the Honor Council shall consult with the faculty member in whose class the incident

occurred. The handling and reporting of the incident by the faculty member should then be

handled in accordance with section IV. A. above.

D. Assistance from Judicial Affairs

The chair may, when necessary, request investigatory assistance by Judicial Affairs or other

University departments, as appropriate, and may also ask a Judicial Affairs official to present a

case and evidence to the Honor Council.

V. VIOLATIONS: SANCTIONS, REPORTING, AND RECORDS

A. Sanctions Imposed by the Faculty Member

If the faculty member finds a student guilty of violating the Honor Code and chooses to handle

the matter directly with the student, the possible sanctions include, but are not limited to,

failure/grade penalty on the assignment, rewriting the assignment, failure/grade penalty on the

test, and failure/grade penalty in the course. A Violation of the Honor Code report will be

completed by the Graduate Program Director and housed in the student’s personal file. If a

faculty member feels that it may be appropriate for a student to be put on probation, suspended,

or expelled for an Honor Code violation, the faculty member must refer the matter to the Honor

Council.

B. Sanctions Recommended by the Honor Council

If the Honor Council determines that the accused student has violated the Honor Code, it

recommends to the executive vice president and provost the sanction(s) it believes should be

imposed against the student. Possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, those mentioned

in section V.A. above as well as probation, suspension, and expulsion as defined below:

(1) Probation

Written notice explaining the serious nature of misconduct and outlining the terms of probation

will be sent to the student. Terms of probation may include other requirements or restrictions

including, but not limited to, community service, educational classes, and/or prohibition from

participation in co-curricular activities.

(2) Suspension

Termination of student status at the University for a specified period of time.

(3) Expulsion

Termination of student status at the University permanently or for an indefinite period.

C. Reporting Honor Code Violations

As stated in section IV.A.(1), a faculty member who finds a student guilty and handles the

matter directly with the student must report the violation and the sanction to the Office of

Academic Integrity.

D. Expungement

Students may petition to have their honor code records expunged during the trimester prior to

graduation. The petition shall be on a form available from the Office of Academic Integrity. If

the petition is granted, the student's records will be expunged only upon the student's

completion of degree requirements for graduation. The chair of the Honor Council may allow

an earlier petition if a student can demonstrate with documentation required by the Office of

Academic Integrity that he/she is applying to professional or graduate schools or if there are

other meritorious reasons which justify an early review of the student's record. If an

expungement is requested and granted prior to completion of degree requirements, the

expungement will be deferred. During this deferment period, the record of the violation will

not be disclosed to external third parties by the Office of Academic Integrity or Judicial Affairs

except as required by law but will be maintained internally for academic integrity and

disciplinary purposes. Should the student have another honor code violation reported during

this deferment period, the deferred expungement may be voided pending the outcome of the

current reported allegation. Expungement is not a pardon and does not eliminate or modify in

any way any sanction(s) in the matter. Records that involve a suspension or expulsion shall not

be expunged.

(1) Decision

Once a petition is received, the matter shall be decided by the chair and two faculty members of

the Honor Council selected by the chair. At least one of the faculty members of the three-person

panel shall be from the school where the Honor Code violation occurred. While considering the

matter, the panel may meet or confer with the requesting student or any other individual with

knowledge of the Honor Code violation. The chair shall also notify the faculty member who

taught the course in which the Honor Code violation occurred that a petition for expungement

has been received. (This notice will only be provided if the faculty member is employed by

Baylor University at the time the petition is received.) A unanimous decision of all three faculty

members is necessary for expungement. Under ordinary circumstances the three-person panel

will decide the matter and inform the student of its decision in writing within 21 calendar days.

The decision of the panel is final and may not be appealed.

(2) Factors

The three-person panel may consider any of the following factors when reviewing a petition:

(a) the nature of the violation

(b) the number of violations

(d) the student's reason(s) for the expungement request

(e) any other factor which the panel believes is reasonable and appropriate

To review the sections below in their entirety, please visit the Academic Integrity and Honor

Code website: https://www.baylor.edu/honorcode/index.php?id=952547

ADVICE TO STUDENTS ACCUSED OF VIOLATING THE HONOR CODE

Academic Appeals Policy and Procedure:

Any student, who believes a Baylor faculty member has treated him or her unfairly with

respect to a course for which the student was registered, may complain of such alleged unfair

treatment involving students' academic work. All matters involving alleged violation of the

University Honor Code will be handled through the processes identified under the Baylor

University Honor System. The process by which academic appeals complaints will be heard is

as follows:

Conference with Faculty Member:

The student shall set forth his or her complaint in a written statement that details the

circumstances giving rise to the complaint. The student shall give a copy of the statement to the

faculty member and attempt to discuss and resolve the matter with the faculty member.

Appeal to the Online Graduate Program Director:

If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student, he or she shall have the right to

appeal such matter to the online graduate program director (or chair if the complaint is against

the online graduate program director). The online graduate program director (or chair) must be

given a copy of the written complaint.

Appeal to the Department Chair:

If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student by the online graduate program

director, he or she shall have the right to appeal such matter to the chair of the department (or to

the dean of the school if the complaint is against the chair). The chair (or dean) must be given a

copy of the written complaint.

Appeal to the Dean:

If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student by the departmental chair, he or

she shall have the right to appeal such matter to the dean of the school who must be given a

copy of the written complaint.

Appeal to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs:

If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved by the dean of the school, then the student shall

have the right to appeal such matter to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs,

who after review may refer such matter to the academic appeals committee.

Appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee:

The function of the academic appeals committee is to hear student complaints of alleged

unfair treatment by members of the faculty. The committee shall receive complaints only by

referral from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and shall not otherwise

receive or hear complaints. Further information about the Academic Appeals Committee can

be found in the Student Handbook.

Civil Rights Issues Resolution

Students, faculty, and staff shall file complaints of alleged violations of their personal civil

rights under this policy and procedure. Further information about this resolution process may be

obtained from the Affirmative Action/EEO Officer in the Personnel Office.

A complaint must be written and include at a minimum:

• Name, address, and telephone number of the person making the complaint.

• Name and position of the person against whom the complaint is made.

• A clear and concise statement of the decision or the behavior including the date of the

decision or behavior, alleged to violate the civil rights of the person making the

complaint.

• A clear and concise summary of the facts and circumstances that lead the person making

the complaint to believe that his or her civil rights have been violated.

• Any documentation in possession of the person making the complaint that relates to the

complaint.

• A statement of the personal relief requested by the person making the complaint

necessary to resolve the complaint to his or her satisfaction.

Once the complaint is written…

The person making the complaint must file the complaint. If resolution by the informal process

is desired, the person making the complaint files the complaint by providing it to the clinical

educator of the person against whom the complaint is made. For faculty complaints, you should

file with the Department Chair. For complaints against the Chair, you should file with the Dean

of Arts and Sciences.

If resolution by the formal process is desired, the student making the complaint files the

complaint by providing a copy to the Vice President for Student Life. Any questions you have

about Baylor's policy and procedures may be obtained from the Affirmative Action/EEO

Officer in the Personnel Office.

Title IX

The mission of Baylor University is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and

service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring

community.

Baylor University does not tolerate sex discrimination, which includes, but is not limited to

sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, dating/domestic violence,

retaliation, and other related forms of sex discrimination. These behaviors are harmful to the

well-being of our community and its members, the learning and working environment, and

collegial relationships among our students, faculty, and staff. For more information, please refer

to the Title IX policy here.

Family Educational Right and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1232g,

and the regulations of the U.S. Department of Education, 34 C.F.R. Part 99, affords students

attending, or who have attended, certain rights with respect to their education records. Students

are considered to be “in attendance” once they have registered for courses for their initial term of

enrollment.

The rights may be summarized as follows:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's educational records.

2. The right to request an amendment of the student's educational records to ensure they

are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy or other

rights.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in

the student's educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure

without consent. Baylor University may disclose personally identifiable information from

the educational records of its students without the written consent of the student in some

cases. See the "Cases When Prior Consent for Disclosure Is Not Required" section below

for a listing of such exceptions.

4. The right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint regarding an

alleged violation under FERPA or its implementing regulations. The department's address

is:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, DC 20202-5920

American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) 2023 Code of Ethics

Preamble

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA; hereafter, also known as "The Association") has

been committed to a framework of common principles and standards of practice since ASHA's inception in 1925.

This commitment was formalized in 1952 as the Association's first Code of Ethics. This Code has been modified

and adapted as society and the professions have changed. The Code of Ethics reflects what we value as professionals

and establishes expectations for our scientific and clinical practice based on principles of duty, accountability,

fairness, and responsibility. The ASHA Code of Ethics is intended to ensure the welfare of the consumer and to

protect the reputation and integrity of the professions.

The ASHA Code of Ethics is a framework and focused guide for professionals in support of day-to-day decision

making related to professional conduct. The Code is partly obligatory and disciplinary and partly aspirational and

descriptive in that it defines the professional's role. The Code educates professionals in the discipline, as well as

students, other professionals, and the public, regarding ethical principles and standards that direct professional

conduct.

The preservation of the highest standards of integrity and ethical principles is vital to the responsible discharge of

obligations by audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists who serve as

clinicians, educators, mentors, researchers, clinical educators, and administrators. This Code of Ethics sets forth the

fundamental principles and rules considered essential to this purpose and is applicable to the following individuals:

• a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association holding the Certificate of Clinical

Competence (CCC)

• a member of the Association not holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC)

• a nonmember of the Association holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC)

• an applicant for certification, or for membership and certification

By holding ASHA certification or membership, or through application for such, all individuals are automatically

subject to the jurisdiction of the Board of Ethics for ethics complaint adjudication. Individuals who provide clinical

services and who also desire membership in the Association must hold the CCC.

The fundamentals of ethical conduct are described by Principles of Ethics and by Rules of Ethics. The four

Principles of Ethics form the underlying philosophical basis for the Code of Ethics and are reflected in the following

areas: (I) responsibility to persons served professionally and to research participants, both human and animal; (II)

responsibility for one's professional competence; (III) responsibility to the public; and (IV) responsibility for

professional relationships. Individuals shall honor and abide by these Principles as affirmative obligations under all

conditions of applicable professional activity. Rules of Ethics are specific statements of minimally acceptable as

well as unacceptable professional conduct.

The Code is designed to provide guidance to members, applicants, and certified individuals as they make

professional decisions. Because the Code is not intended to address specific situations and is not inclusive of all

possible ethical dilemmas, professionals are expected to follow the written provisions and to uphold the spirit and

purpose of the Code. Adherence to the Code of Ethics and its enforcement results in respect for the professions and

positive outcomes for individuals who benefit from the work of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and

speech, language, and hearing scientists.

Principle of Ethics I

Individuals shall honor their responsibility to hold paramount the welfare of persons they serve professionally or

who are participants in research and scholarly activities, and they shall treat animals involved in research in a

humane manner.

Rules of Ethics

A. Individuals shall provide all clinical services and scientific activities competently.

B. Individuals shall use every resource, including referral and/or interprofessional collaboration when

appropriate, to ensure that quality service is provided.

C. Individuals shall not discriminate in the delivery of professional services or in the conduct of research and

scholarly activities on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual

orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability, culture, language, or dialect.

D. Individuals shall not misrepresent the credentials of aides, assistants, technicians, support personnel,

students, research interns, Clinical Fellows, or any others under their supervision, and they shall inform

those they serve professionally of the name, role, and professional credentials of persons providing

services.

E. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence may delegate tasks related to the provision of

clinical services to aides, assistants, technicians, support personnel, or any other persons only if those

persons are adequately prepared and are appropriately supervised. The responsibility for the welfare of

those being served remains with the certified individual.

F. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall not delegate tasks that require the unique

skills, knowledge, judgment, or credentials that are within the scope of their profession to aides, assistants,

technicians, support personnel, or any nonprofessionals over whom they have clinical educatory

responsibility.

G. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence may delegate to students tasks related to the

provision of clinical services that require the unique skills, knowledge, and judgment that are within the

scope of practice of their profession only if those students are adequately prepared and are appropriately

supervised. The responsibility for the welfare of those being served remains with the certified individual.

H. Individuals shall obtain informed consent from the persons they serve about the nature and possible risks

and effects of services provided, technology employed, and products dispensed. This obligation also

includes informing persons served about possible effects of not engaging in treatment or not following

clinical recommendations. If diminished decision-making ability of persons served is suspected, individuals

should seek appropriate authorization for services, such as authorization from a spouse, other family

member, or legally authorized/appointed representative.

I. Individuals shall enroll and include persons as participants in research or teaching demonstrations only if

participation is voluntary, without coercion, and with informed consent.

J. Individuals shall accurately represent the intended purpose of a service, product, or research endeavor and

shall abide by established guidelines for clinical practice and the responsible conduct of research.

K. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall evaluate the effectiveness of services

provided, technology employed, and products dispensed, and they shall provide services or dispense

products only when benefit can reasonably be expected.

L. Individuals may make a reasonable statement of prognosis, but they shall not guarantee—directly or by

implication—the results of any treatment or procedure.

M. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall use independent and evidence-based

clinical judgment, keeping paramount the best interests of those being served.

N. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall not provide clinical services solely by

correspondence, but may provide services via telepractice consistent with professional standards and state

and federal regulations.

O. Individuals shall protect the confidentiality and security of records of professional services provided,

research and scholarly activities conducted, and products dispensed. Access to these records shall be

allowed only when doing so is necessary to protect the welfare of the person or of the community, is legally

authorized, or is otherwise required by law.

P. Individuals shall protect the confidentiality of any professional or personal information about persons

served professionally or participants involved in research and scholarly activities and may disclose

confidential information only when doing so is necessary to protect the welfare of the person or of the

community, is legally authorized, or is otherwise required by law.

Q. Individuals shall maintain timely records and accurately record and bill for services provided and products

dispensed and shall not misrepresent services provided, products dispensed, or research and scholarly

activities conducted.

R. Individuals whose professional practice is adversely affected by substance abuse, addiction, or other health-

related conditions are impaired practitioners and shall seek professional assistance and, where appropriate,

withdraw from the affected areas of practice.

S. Individuals who have knowledge that a colleague is unable to provide professional services with reasonable

skill and safety shall report this information to the appropriate authority, internally if a mechanism exists

and, otherwise, externally.

T. Individuals shall provide reasonable notice and information about alternatives for obtaining care in the

event that they can no longer provide professional services.

Principle of Ethics II

Individuals shall honor their responsibility to achieve and maintain the highest level of professional competence and

performance.

Rules of Ethics

A. Individuals who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence shall engage in only those aspects of the

professions that are within the scope of their professional practice and competence, considering their

certification status, education, training, and experience.

B. Members who do not hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence may not engage in the provision of

clinical services; however, individuals who are in the certification application process may engage in the

provision of clinical services consistent with current local and state laws and regulations and with ASHA

certification requirements.

C. Individuals who engage in research shall comply with all institutional, state, and federal regulations that

address any aspects of research, including those that involve human participants and animals.

D. Individuals shall enhance and refine their professional competence and expertise through engagement in

lifelong learning applicable to their professional activities and skills.

E. Individuals in administrative or clinical educatory roles shall not require or permit their professional staff to

provide services or conduct research activities that exceed the staff member's certification status,

competence, education, training, and experience.

F. Individuals in administrative or clinical educatory roles shall not require or permit their professional staff to

provide services or conduct clinical activities that compromise the staff member's independent and

objective professional judgment.

G. Individuals shall make use of technology and instrumentation consistent with accepted professional

guidelines in their areas of practice. When such technology is not available, an appropriate referral may be

made.

H. Individuals shall ensure that all technology and instrumentation used to provide services or to conduct

research and scholarly activities are in proper working order and are properly calibrated.

Principle of Ethics III

Individuals shall honor their responsibility to the public when advocating for the unmet communication and

swallowing needs of the public and shall provide accurate information involving any aspect of the professions.

Rules of Ethics

A. Individuals shall not misrepresent their credentials, competence, education, training, experience, and

scholarly contributions.

B. Individuals shall avoid engaging in conflicts of interest whereby personal, financial, or other considerations

have the potential to influence or compromise professional judgment and objectivity.

C. Individuals shall not misrepresent research and scholarly activities, diagnostic information, services

provided, results of services provided, products dispensed, or the effects of products dispensed.

D. Individuals shall not defraud through intent, ignorance, or negligence or engage in any scheme to defraud

in connection with obtaining payment, reimbursement, or grants and contracts for services provided,

research conducted, or products dispensed.

E. Individuals' statements to the public shall provide accurate and complete information about the nature and

management of communication disorders, about the professions, about professional services, about

products for sale, and about research and scholarly activities.

F. Individuals' statements to the public shall adhere to prevailing professional norms and shall not contain

misrepresentations when advertising, announcing, and promoting their professional services and products

and when reporting research results.

G. Individuals shall not knowingly make false financial or nonfinancial statements and shall complete all

materials honestly and without omission.

Principle of Ethics IV

Individuals shall uphold the dignity and autonomy of the professions, maintain collaborative and harmonious

interprofessional and intraprofessional relationships, and accept the professions' self-imposed standards.

Rules of Ethics

A. Individuals shall work collaboratively, when appropriate, with members of one's own profession and/or

members of other professions to deliver the highest quality of care.

B. Individuals shall exercise independent professional judgment in recommending and providing professional

services when an administrative mandate, referral source, or prescription prevents keeping the welfare of

persons served paramount.

C. Individuals' statements to colleagues about professional services, research results, and products shall adhere

to prevailing professional standards and shall contain no misrepresentations.

D. Individuals shall not engage in any form of conduct that adversely reflects on the professions or on the

individual's fitness to serve persons professionally.

E. Individuals shall not engage in dishonesty, negligence, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.

F. Applicants for certification or membership, and individuals making disclosures, shall not knowingly make

false statements and shall complete all application and disclosure materials honestly and without omission.

G. Individuals shall not engage in any form of harassment, power abuse, or sexual harassment.

H. Individuals shall not engage in sexual activities with individuals (other than a spouse or other individual

with whom a prior consensual relationship exists) over whom they exercise professional authority or

power, including persons receiving services, assistants, students, or research participants.

I. Individuals shall not knowingly allow anyone under their supervision to engage in any practice that violates

the Code of Ethics.

J. Individuals shall assign credit only to those who have contributed to a publication, presentation, process, or

product. Credit shall be assigned in proportion to the contribution and only with the contributor's consent.

K. Individuals shall reference the source when using other persons' ideas, research, presentations, results, or

products in written, oral, or any other media presentation or summary. To do otherwise constitutes

plagiarism.

L. Individuals shall not discriminate in their relationships with colleagues, assistants, students, support

personnel, and members of other professions and disciplines on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender

identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability, culture, language,

dialect, or socioeconomic status.

M. Individuals with evidence that the Code of Ethics may have been violated have the responsibility to work

collaboratively to resolve the situation where possible or to inform the Board of Ethics through its

established procedures.

N. Individuals shall report members of other professions who they know have violated standards of care to the

appropriate professional licensing authority or board, other professional regulatory body, or professional

association when such violation compromises the welfare of persons served and/or research participants.

O. Individuals shall not file or encourage others to file complaints that disregard or ignore facts that would

disprove the allegation; the Code of Ethics shall not be used for personal reprisal, as a means of addressing

personal animosity, or as a vehicle for retaliation.

P. Individuals making and responding to complaints shall comply fully with the policies of the Board of

Ethics in its consideration, adjudication, and resolution of complaints of alleged violations of the Code of

Ethics.

Q. Individuals involved in ethics complaints shall not knowingly make false statements of fact or withhold

relevant facts necessary to fairly adjudicate the complaints.

R. Individuals shall comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations applicable to professional

practice, research ethics, and the responsible conduct of research.

S. Individuals who have been convicted; been found guilty; or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to

(1) any misdemeanor involving dishonesty, physical harm—or the threat of physical harm—to the person

or property of another, or (2) any felony, shall self-report by notifying ASHA Standards and Ethics (see

Terminology for mailing address) in writing within 30 days of the conviction, plea, or finding of guilt.

Individuals shall also provide a certified copy of the conviction, plea, nolo contendere record, or docket

entry to ASHA Standards and Ethics within 30 days of self-reporting.

T. Individuals who have been publicly sanctioned or denied a license or a professional credential by any

professional association, professional licensing authority or board, or other professional regulatory body

shall self-report by notifying ASHA Standards and Ethics (see Terminology for mailing address) in writing

within 30 days of the final action or disposition. Individuals shall also provide a certified copy of the final

action, sanction, or disposition to ASHA Standards and Ethics within 30 days of self-reporting.

Terminology

ASHA Standards and Ethics

The mailing address for self-reporting in writing is American Speech-Language-Hearing Association,

Standards and Ethics, 2200 Research Blvd., #313, Rockville, MD 20850.

advertising

Any form of communication with the public about services, therapies, products, or publications.

conflict of interest

An opposition between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a

position of trust, power, and/or authority.

crime

Any felony; or any misdemeanor involving dishonesty, physical harm to the person or property of another,

or a threat of physical harm to the person or property of another. For more details, see the "Disclosure

Information" section of applications for ASHA certification found

on www.asha.org/certification/AudCertification/ and www.asha.org/certification/SLPCertification/.

diminished decision-making ability

Any condition that renders a person unable to form the specific intent necessary to determine a reasonable

course of action.

fraud

Any act, expression, omission, or concealment—the intent of which is either actual or constructive—

calculated to deceive others to their disadvantage.

impaired practitioner

An individual whose professional practice is adversely affected by addiction, substance abuse, or health-

related and/or mental health–related conditions.

individuals

Members and/or certificate holders, including applicants for certification.

informed consent

May be verbal, unless written consent is required; constitutes consent by persons served, research

participants engaged, or parents and/or guardians of persons served to a proposed course of action after the

communication of adequate information regarding expected outcomes and potential risks.

jurisdiction

The "personal jurisdiction" and authority of the ASHA Board of Ethics over an individual holding ASHA

certification and/or membership, regardless of the individual's geographic location.

know, known, or knowingly

Having or reflecting knowledge.

may vs. shall

May denotes an allowance for discretion; shall denotes no discretion.

misrepresentation

Any statement by words or other conduct that, under the circumstances, amounts to an assertion that is false

or erroneous (i.e., not in accordance with the facts); any statement made with conscious ignorance or a

reckless disregard for the truth.

negligence

Breaching of a duty owed to another, which occurs because of a failure to conform to a requirement, and

this failure has caused harm to another individual, which led to damages to this person(s); failure to

exercise the care toward others that a reasonable or prudent person would take in the circumstances, or

taking actions that such a reasonable person would not.

nolo contendere

No contest.

plagiarism

False representation of another person's idea, research, presentation, result, or product as one's own through

irresponsible citation, attribution, or paraphrasing; ethical misconduct does not include honest error or

differences of opinion.

publicly sanctioned

A formal disciplinary action of public record, excluding actions due to insufficient continuing education,

checks returned for insufficient funds, or late payment of fees not resulting in unlicensed practice.

reasonable or reasonably

Supported or justified by fact or circumstance and being in accordance with reason, fairness, duty, or

prudence.

self-report

A professional obligation of self-disclosure that requires (a) notifying ASHA Standards and Ethics and (b)

mailing a hard copy of a certified document to ASHA Standards and Ethics (see term above). All self-

reports are subject to a separate ASHA Certification review process, which, depending on the seriousness

of the self-reported information, takes additional processing time.

shall vs. may

Shall denotes no discretion; may denotes an allowance for discretion.

support personnel

Those providing support to audiologists, speech-language pathologists, or speech, language, and hearing

scientists (e.g., technician, paraprofessional, aide, or assistant in audiology, speech-language pathology, or

communication sciences and disorders). For more information, read the Issues in Ethics Statements

on Audiology Assistants and/or Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.

telepractice, teletherapy

Application of telecommunications technology to the delivery of audiology and speech-language pathology

professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client/patient or clinician to clinician for

assessment, intervention, and/or consultation. The quality of the service should be equivalent to in-person

service. For more information, see the telepractice section on the ASHA Practice Portal.

written

Encompasses both electronic and hard-copy writings or communications.

Reference this material as: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2023). Code of Ethics [Ethics].

Available from www.asha.org/policy/

rights reserved. Disclaimer: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association disclaims any liability to any

party for the accuracy, completeness, or availability of these documents, or for any damages arising out of the use

of the documents and any information they contain.

Council of Academic Accreditation, ASHA Procedures for Complaints against

Graduate Education Programs

A complaint about any accredited program may be submitted by any student, instructional staff

member, speech-language pathologist, audiologist, and/or member of the public.

Criteria for Complaints:

Complaints about programs must: (a) be against an accredited educational program or program

in candidacy status in speech-language pathology and/or audiology, (b) relate to the standards

for accreditation of education programs in audiology and speech-language pathology, and (c)

include verification, if the complaint is from a student or faculty/instructional staff member, that

the complainant exhausted all institutional grievance and review mechanisms before submitting

a complaint to the CAA.

All complaints must be signed and submitted in writing to ·the Chair, Council on Academic

Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, American Speech-Language-

Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, Suite #310, Rockville, MD 20850. The

complaint must clearly describe the specific nature of the complaint and the relationship of the

complaint to the accreditation standards and provide supporting data for the charge. The

complainant's burden of proof is a preponderance or greater weight of the evidence. Complaints

will not be accepted by phone or email.

CSD HIPAA Departmental Policies

Appendix A

HIPAA Training:

• All employees who may have access to medical records or PHI, must undergo a formal

policy training within 90 days of Commencing employment or enrollment. Additionally,

a new employee will receive a refresh course at the end of their first year of employment.

(Texas HB 300)

• Every two years, employees all employees in CSD will need to complete HIPAA

training. In the event of a major change to HIPAA or related regulations, the training may

need to be completed prior to the two-year period. That decision would be made by the

University HIPAA Compliance Officer. This will appear in Ignite for learning.

• All HIPAA training must be verified by the Clinical Manager and/or Director to

determine that all employees successfully completed the training. The training records

will be maintained for a period of 6 years. (Texas HB 300)

• Students must receive training prior to admittance into the clinical program or work study

program.

Health Information Communications:

• If a client is communicated with using a method other than a phone call (text, email,

calendar invites or other non-certified communication methods), CSD must have a waiver

on file in which the client and/or caregiver approves of these communication methods.

These waivers must be kept of file for a period of 6 years in the client’s permanent folder.

• CSD has a process in place to easily identify clients that do not have a waiver on file to

prevent unapproved communications. Each clinical faculty member must keep a record

of these in the client files regarding anyone on their caseload.

• Clinical students are expected to verify the record on file.

Health Information Storage:

• Client’s PHI should only be stored in one of the approved Baylor systems or devices.

• PHI should never be stored or moved to an unapproved Baylor or non-Baylor systems or

devices.

• PHI should never be accessed on a non-Baylor approved device.

• PHI should be stored out of sight of unauthorized individuals, should be locked in a

cabinet, room, building when not in use. Client files are to be kept inside the secured

clinic and must be locked in the file room at the end of each day.

Security Access Controls:

• Employee access or changes to access to approved CSD’s PHI system, must be requested

by the Clinical Manager and/or Director. The approved security request must be made

prior to the security change being applied to the Baylor approved system. The request

must be retained for a period of a 6-year period.

o When an employee is hired at the University, ITS will setup the network access.

Afterwards, access will be granted to the HIPAA approved systems based on the

employee’s network access.

o When an employee is separated from the University, ITS will remove network

access within 72 hours of the termination. Afterwards, access will be removed

from the HIPAA approved systems.

o When an employee transfers from the department/clinic, access will be removed

from the HIPAA approved systems. Additionally, the CSD Clinical Manager

and/or Director will inform the CS Gold building coordinator to inform them of

the changes required.

o On an annual basis, the Baylor approved PHI system access should be reviewed

and certified by the Clinical Manager and/or Director. Note any changes that

need to be made to individuals security settings. The security access reviews

should be maintained for a 6-year period.

• Access to Baylor approved PHI systems will use 2-factor authentication to safeguard the

HIPAA data.

• Annually, the CSD Clinical Manager and/or Director will request an Equipment Report

from the Help Desk to ensure that all equipment used to access PHI are encrypted. The

review of the equipment reports should be maintained for a 6-year period.

Physical Security:

• All visitors, non-patients or non-clinic students, must check in at the reception area. All

visitors must be escorted within the facility.

o If a CSD faculty/ staff member or clinical student sees someone that is not an

employee and unaccompanied in a secured area, the employee should evaluate the

situation and either contact the police department, escort the person to the

reception area to sign in as a visitor, or inform the Clinical Manager or Director

immediately..

• PHI must be stored and accessed in secured locations. These locations should contain

locked doors, and signs warning of restricted area. Additionally, surveillance cameras

and alarms maybe installed in the higher risk areas.

o If there are any changes to the department/clinic floor plans or changes in the

physical storage location of PHI; contact the Director of Technical and Physical

Security to re-evaluate the risk and address the security needs. The Director of

Technical and Physical Security will prepare a report stating the needed changes

or indicate that no changes are needed to the CSD Clinical Manager and/or

Director. The report should be maintained for a 6-year period.

• All storage areas that contain paper PHI must be secured and locked. Open work areas

should have barriers to prevent access to the area but should be secured at the end of the

day.

• All clinic/department faculty/staff or clinical students should have security Id displayed

• Departmental tours should occur at times when the clinic has fewer clients, if possible.

Incident Reporting:

• Employees: If there is a suspicion of loss of PHI, immediately follow the ITS Incident

Reporting Policy. Then notify the CSD Clinical Manager and/or Director in a timely

manner. Then In addition, notify the University HIPAA Compliance Officer of the

situation in a timely manner.

• Students: If there is a suspicion of loss of PHI, immediately notify the Clinical Manager

and/or Director as quickly as possible.

Outside Request for Health Information or PHI:

• Requests outside of normal interactions, not the client, should be directed to the Clinical

Manager and/or Director. They will then inform the University HIPAA Compliance

Officer prior to releasing any PHI to ensure the legitimacy of the request. These

requests, including subpoena’s go directly to the Compliance Officer/General Counsel

before any reports may be released from CSD.

Thank you for choosing to trust Baylor University

with your educational and career aspirations.

It is our blessing to serve and support you on this journey.