NOAC Strategic Plan 

Vision Statement 

We aspire to be the premier Doctor of Audiology program in the country with a reputation for excellence, innovation, and leadership in the education of students and in the generation, integration, and dissemination of knowledge concerning audiology.

Goals and Strategies 

Goal 1: Ensure student success by attracting outstanding students and providing excellence in didactic and clinical education.

Objectives: 

• Maintain the number of students admitted to NOAC to 11 per university per year. 

• Refine and update the NOAC curriculum on a continuing basis. 

Strategies: 

• Maintain an informative and current NOAC Web Site. 

• Encourage prospective students to visit the NOAC institutions. 

• Promote the program on the local, state, and national level. 

• Review and update the curriculum on a continuing basis with extensive review once every five years 

Goal 2: Strengthen the collaborative nature of the consortium 

Objectives: 

• Enhance communication among NOAC faculty, students, and community preceptors and partners. 

• Foster research relationships with the Cleveland Clinic faculty and provide opportunities for student engagement in these projects. 

Strategies: 

• Ensure that all NOAC students have access to both campuses and the essential academic services provided on each campus. 

• Continue to inform upper administration of continuing successes in meeting criteria of excellence. 

• Continue to benchmark with other Au.D. programs. 

• Continue to develop and expand opportunities for collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic including pediatric assisting opportunities, participation in the Dangerous Decibels™ and Cleveland Institute of Music programs, and student-faculty research. 

Goal 3: Enhance and expand partnerships with the professional community 

Objectives: 

• Increase the number and variety of external training sites for students including 3rd and 4th year sites. 

• Engage in more collaborative activities with affiliated external sites. 

Strategies: 

• Enhance and expand relationships with external sites through communication with sites and by providing complimentary online education and training.

• Maintain contact with NOAC graduates at various clinical sites in northeast Ohio and around the country. 

• Obtain additional funding for students to work and support research in hearing, noise, and balance at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) 

Goal 4: Improve community well-being by providing exemplary audiologic services to the public of Northeast Ohio 

Objectives: 

• Continue to provide diagnostic and treatment services for individuals with hearing, tinnitus, and balance problems, including specialized clinics for amplification, auditory processing disorders, tinnitus, and hearing assistive technology. 

• Serve as a resource for solving community problems related to hearing impairment, balance, and hearing loss prevention. 

Strategies: 

• Provide resources and support for community use of Hearing Assistive Technology. 

• Provide hearing loss prevention, community screenings, and noise measurements. 

• Work with industry and law enforcement in research dealing with hearing and hearing conservation.

• Partner with community agencies in providing hearing and balance diagnostic and treatment services. 

Goal 5: Enhance consortium resources 

Objectives: 

• Increase the amount of external funding provided to the consortium 

Strategies: 

• Identify potential sources of funding from individuals, corporations, and foundations. 

• Work with the offices of development to increase the amount of donations from individual, corporate, and foundation donors. 

Assessment Timeline: 

This strategic plan will be evaluated over the next five years. Data concerning each goal will be collected and assessed annually. 

Last Revision: April, 2023