Mentoring new faculty members
Research on mentoring
Faculty members who are mentored are more likely to be successful at navigating the tenure process, becoming an effective member of the community, and staying at a campus. Mentoring provides a network of support, resources to more efficiently learn policies and practices, and guidance when challenges inevitably arise. Accomplished faculty members who are well mentored are most likely to become effective mentors themselves.
Formal mentoring programs
Campuses vary in the ways they encourage and address faculty mentoring. Some offer new faculty orientations, others assign a senior faculty member to each new addition to the community, still others encourage new faculty members to seek out a mentor on their own. Those that are most successful provide the broadest and most fortified network of resources at multiple levels of the institution. As a new faculty member, take advantage of all of the resources available to help you be successful. As a veteran, step up and offer to support a more junior member of the community. In either case, the experience can be a warm and rewarding one.
Informal mentoring
Even on campuses with no formal mentoring program, there is still a need for nurturing, advising and supporting new members of the community. As a new faculty member pace yourself and learn as much as you can in a gradual and systematic way. As you learn about new resources, share them with colleagues to form your own network of supporters and supported. Both seek opportunities to be mentored and to mentor others, since both roles impact your life as an academic professional.
Research on Mentoring
Mentoring New Faculty in Higher Education
Gaskin, L.P., Lumpkin, A. & Tennant, L.K. (2003). Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Vol. 74
This journal excerpt explores the history of mentoring back to Odysseus, defines the practice, and emphasizes the responsibility of faculty to mentor those who come behind them.
The Urgent Need for Mentoring Research
Mentor, National Mentoring Partnership, 2004
This newsletter issues a call for a national research agenda on mentorship.
Sharing Tacit Knowledge Among Expert Teaching Professors and Mentees: Considerations for Career and Technical Education Teacher Educators
Shim, H.S. & Roth, G.L. (Winter, 2007). Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, Vol. 44, No. 4
This case study offers viewpoints of knowledge sharing by expert teacher professors and their mentees. Professors who were recognized with a teaching award were analyzed for this study.
Socialization of New College Faculty
Sabin, B. (2002)
This paper explores how organizations of higher education integrate entrants as active members of the community.
Formal Mentoring Programs
Junior Faculty Development Program
College of Medicine, Penn State
This site describes a mentoring program with the primary goal of providing a supportive academic environment for new faculty by senior faculty members.
Faculty Mentoring
Office of Faculty and Organizational Development, Office of the Provost, Michigan State University
This web page provides resources about faculty mentoring at MSU, with particular issues addressed by academic area, gender, ethnicity, and effective use of technology.
Mentor Plan for New Faculty – Professional Development
Learning College Hub, Ohlone College
This site describes a program that offers stipends for mentors of new faculty members. The goals of the program are outlined, along with suggested activities that include: orientation to policies and procedures, advice on curriculum development and faculty evaluation process, and culminates in a jointly prepared report of all activities at the end of the year.
Faculty Mentoring Program
Academic Affairs, University of California San Diego
This site describes the mentoring program, including responsibilities of the department chair, mentor, and new faculty member. Links to publications and typical issues are also provided.
Informal Mentoring
The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Professors
Tomorrow’s Professor Message #457, Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University
This posting offers specific advice on using Steven Covey’s successful habits in the college classroom. One issue addressed is mentoring and the responsibility to both seek it out and offer it to others.
Faculty Mentoring Resources
Faculty Development and Diversity, Office of the Senior Vice Provost, Harvard University
This website asserts that much of the best mentoring occurs informally, by checking in with colleagues, reviewing papers and proposals, and providing introductions to key people, but when that form of mentoring does not occur, it is critical to have a formal program as a backup measure. Many resources for mentors and mentees are linked to this site.
Informal Faculty Mentoring as a Component of Learning to Teach Online: An Exploratory Study
Thompson, D. (2006). Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Vol. IX, No. III, Fall
In this article the use of mentoring to support new online instructors is explored.
