Dear CAPCSD Member.

As we gear up for the start of a new academic year, I’m happy to share that the CAPCSD Board had a productive and energizing meeting this July in Salt Lake City. The collaboration and shared enthusiasm among board members reinforced our commitment to supporting member programs and advancing CAPCSD’s mission. 

Right after the board meeting, we connected with our committee chairs (link to committees) to officially kick off the year. These conversations, grounded in our mission, vision, and core values, helped set a strong foundation for the work ahead. We’re truly grateful for their leadership and dedication. 

Starting this month, you’ll notice two new recurring sections in our newsletter: 

• DEIB Spotlight – Each month, we’ll highlight efforts around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. From initiatives and resources to personal reflections, this section is all about promoting inclusive excellence across our programs. We know that creating inclusive environments is key to the success of our academic communities. 

• Admissions Corner – This monthly feature will dive into current topics and emerging trends in admissions. It’s designed to offer practical insights and strategic guidance to help our members navigate this important area of academic program management. 

You’ll also see updates from our CAPCSD committees that reflect the strategic direction we’re taking and the priorities shaping our work. We hope these updates offer helpful insights and encourage continued engagement from you—our community. 

Wishing you a smooth and rewarding start to the academic year. Here’s to a season filled with growth, connection, and shared success. 

Below are the upcoming anticipated dates so that you may plan accordingly. Dates are subject to change. CAPCSD will send separate email for each of the below dates with official information.

Important Update on SLP PRAXIS® Exam from ETS and ASHA

Annual Conference Call for Papers

Call for Papers Topics: check out the Call for Papers topics on the webpage where you'll see a "Sessions under this topic might address" for each topic.

• Advanced Work in IPE/IPP
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Clinical Education & Supervision
• Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)
• Student Success
• Teaching Pedagogy & Curriculum
• Additional Topic Areas not included above

Submission Details:

• Select Submission Type: 90-minute, 60-minute, 30-minute poster
• Select Track(s): Academic, Clinical, Administrative
• Select Type of Presentation: Research, Professional Education
• Provide Abstract (125 word maximum)
• Provide Author(s)
• Provide Learning Objectives (3)
• Provide Presentation Information for Evaluation: provide information for each category of rubric regarding your paper/poster submission so that reviewers may score your submission accordingly. 

Notes:

• Volunteer today through August 15th to be a reviewer of submissions approximately September 22 - October 13 via this Survey Monkey link!
• All submissions will be reviewed by three volunteer reviewers.
• Individuals may submit multiple Call for Papers proposals but will not be selected to present more than twice at the conference among all types of sessions (plenary, call for papers, invited, standing).
• Individuals may be listed as authors on more than two selected submissions, but may not present during more than two sessions.
• Evaluation rubric can be found on Call for Papers/Posters page.

Call for Volunteer Reviewers - Call for Papers

Have you been wondering how you can get involved in a short-term way with CAPCSD?

Here is one short-term volunteer opportunity in which you may apply from now through Friday, August 15 at 8 PM ET. Apply by clicking here. 

CAPCSD limits volunteers to serving in one volunteer capacity at a time. 

Who? Conference Planning Committee is seeking volunteers from CAPCSD member programs.

What? Review and score Call for Papers/Posters submissions for the 2026 Annual Conference.

When? Reviews will be assigned approximately Monday, September 22 and due approximately -  Monday, October 13

Where? Reviewers will work from the location of their choice via a web portal called Cadmium Scorecard to complete assigned reviews.

Why? The committee wants to provide individuals with a short-term way to get involved and try out volunteering for CAPCSD. Volunteer reviewers help provide transparency in the selection process. If there are enough volunteers, the committee will not be reviewers.

Note: Selected Call for Papers reviewers may submit a proposal for the annual conference. 

For additional details, visit the Survey Monkey link above.

CAPCSD DEIB Update

The HUB can be helpful to those adapting their curricula, syllabi, and internal standards in response to recent legislation, as reported by ASHA and the Chronicle of Higher Education. It will continue to be updated each semester to remain responsive and relevant. Please note that the DEIB Committee warmly welcomes additional resources to the HUB and innovations that have supported your programs—particularly those that have facilitated the development of justice-centered students during these evolving times. To share these resources with our broader community, please forward them to admin@capcsd.org.

As we look ahead to the fall semester, we extend our thanks to the CAPCSD Board of Directors for their thoughtful responses to the proposed changes to standards 3.4A and 3.4B. These responses can be accessed via the following links: CAA, CFCC, and email to members. 

Our 2025 DEIB Committee members with five new members and nine members in total, deeply committed to the ongoing promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion, will convene in August. This committee will serve as ambassadors, supporting our member programs in strengthening their familiarity with culturally responsive and disability-affirmative practices—practices grounded in the foundational documents of our profession (including the CAA standards, ASHA Certification Standards, Scopes of Practice, and Code of Ethics). They will also recommend timely DEIB webinars through our teaming with CAPCSD’s online professional development platform. As the semester progresses, the committee looks forward to exploring collaborative partnerships with state organizations, ASHA’s Multicultural Constituency Groups, and other associations that champion underrepresented groups in CSD—ensuring our work remains aligned with the evolving needs of our member community.

Additionally, the DEIB Committee is honored to now have a monthly presence in this newsletter. Through this platform, we will continue to elevate the principles of equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and the necessity to implement mattering and belonging within diversity -- cornerstones of success for the next generation of clinicians and the communities they serve.

Lastly, we look forward to meeting and connecting with our members at the 2025 CAPCSD Conference in Denver in April.

With gratitude for the DEIB work you engage in daily with colleagues, students, and those we serve,

Leslie Grubler, Ed.D., CCC-SLP
Vice President of Organizational Advancement

CAPCSD Monitoring Officer of the DEIB Committee

Kick Off the Academic Year with Practical Tools for Clinical Educators! 

Board Buddy Q&A

CAPCSD's Board of Directors assigned a "Board Buddy" to each of its new board members to help transition into their three-year terms on the CAPCSD Board of Directors. To help our CAPCSD member programs get to know our new board members, each month the newsletter will feature a board buddy asking the new board member questions. For the first month, VP Professional Development, Heidi Verticchio, posed these questions to new VP Admissions, Doug Parham.

Heidi Verticchio, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is the Clinic Director and Director of Advisement in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Illinois State University. This is her second year as VP Professional Development on the CAPCSD Board of Directors.

Douglas F. Parham, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is the Chair, Program Director, and Professor of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wichita State University. Doug joined the CAPCSD Board of Directors as VP Admissions on July 1, 2025.

Heidi: What inspired you to join the board?

Doug: The four years that I spent on the Data Subcommittee of the Admissions Committee helped me expand my perspective of what CAPCSD has to offer member programs. When I was approached about potentially being nominated for the board, I didn't have to think about it. It is an honor to work with such great people.

Heidi: What unique perspective do you bring to the board?

Doug: My own graduate programs have used WebAdMIT/CSDCAS since 2014, I have been involved with program admissions for almost 17 years, and--in my role as program director--I know the ins and outs of accreditation and certification. If I don't know the answer to a question, I know where to get help.

Heidi: What's a fun fact about you that most people don't know?

Doug: I recently received an Honorable Mention award in a university photo haiku contest. I submitted a trio of haiku about my 15-year-old short-haired dachshund dealing with the winter cold.

Heidi: What's a book, podcast, or article that's had a big impact on you recently?

Doug: The documentary "Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street" came out in 2021. I saw it for the first time earlier this year. The historical perspective is wonderful.

Heidi: What are your hopes for the organization in the next year?

Doug: I want member programs to understand everything that CAPCSD has to offer. Most people know CAPCSD for the annual conference and the job postings. Both organizational offerings are great, but we as a board can increase the exposure of all the other things that CAPCSD has to offer CSD Programs.

Heidi: What's one initiative or area you're particularly passionate about?

Doug: We will reorganize the Admissions Committee so that member programs know better how we can help them in recruitment, admissions, and retention.

Heidi: What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

Doug: Neapolitan

Heidi: What's one word your friends would use to describe you?

Doug: Stick-to-it-tiveness

Heidi: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our community as we welcome you to the CAPCSD Board?

Doug: If you are a Program Director, Chair, Clinic Director, or Graduate Coordinator and you feel as though you are alone and adrift, please know that supporting you is what CAPCSD is all about.

To reach Heidi or Doug, please email them:

Heidi Verticchio                                                                           Doug Parham

VP Professional Development                                                    VP Admissions

vppd@capcsd.org                                                                       vpa@capcsd.org 

Admissions Corner

Key Principles in CSD Clinical Education Webinar Course: Clinical Teaching Essentials

CAPCSD Members: Log in with your CAPCSD credentials (top right corner of Elevate), add the course to your cart, and it will be free at checkout. Share this valuable resource with your clinical educators—just be sure to provide them with the discount code (available in the CAPCSD Info Hub).

Clinical Instructors Supervising for CAPCSD Members (known as Partners in Elevate): You’re eligible for free access using a discount code from your CAPCSD university liaison. Be sure to get the code before registering, as refunds cannot be issued after purchase. If you took a CAPCSD online course in the past, please use the login on the left hand navigation with same email address and click on "Forgot Password".  

All CEUs earned through webinars or virtual conferences in our previous LMS have been transferred to Elevate and will appear on your updated transcript.

https://www.capcsd.org                                                                                                                                                                                        August 2025