The department formerly known as Communicative Disorders at East Tennessee State University has a new identity that better reflects the opportunities available for students and the services it provides to the community.The new name, the ETSU Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, has quickly generated excitement among students, said Dr. Brenda Louw, chair of the department.

Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology is a department within the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences.

“The name ‘Communicative Disorders’ didn’t really reflect all that we do,” Louw said. “It was too generic. This will give us a more distinct identity and will more accurately describe the scope of practice that is carried out by our students and faculty.”

The Tennessee Board of Regents recently approved the name change, but Louw said the process has been in the works for some time. Louw, an internationally recognized expert in speech-language pathology, arrived at ETSU last fall after a long career at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She cited the efforts of Dr. Marc Fagelson, a professor who served as interim chair of the department, in shepherding the name change through to fruition.

“Dr. Fagelson really put a lot of effort into making this happen,” Louw said. “We already have a wonderful department in place, so it’s fitting that we now have a new name that better reflects who we are.

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