Faculty Mentoring Program

In March 2011, Provost Wilcox issued a University-wide mentoring policy that requires each college to implement a formal, faculty mentoring program by August 16, 2011. The purpose of this program is to ensure that tenure-track faculty move successfully through reappointment and tenure and promotion. The College of Music has had a mentoring program in place since Fall 2008.  It was developed by Associate Deans Curtis Olson and David Rayl in consultation with Assistant Provost Deborah DeZure. Subsequently it was discussed and approved by both the College Advisory Committee and Council of Area Chairs and has been operational since Fall 2008. After three years of operation and based on input from past mentees and mentors and Dr. DeZure, the program was revised in Spring/Summer 2011. These principles have been slightly adjusted since then to reflect our practice.

The mentor program is coordinated by one of the associate deans in the College.

Each tenure-track faculty member will be assigned a mentor for a period of one year. The mentee has the right to ask that a different mentor be assigned. At the end of the year, the mentee will be consulted as to whether they want to continue with the current mentor or have another mentor assigned.

The mentor will typically not be the mentee’s area chair, although area chairs may serve as lead mentors outside their area.

The mentor should meet 2 times per year with the mentee and will engage in an active conversation about progress or challenges in the areas of teaching, research/creative activities, service, or other issues as they arise. I recommend an early meeting to set goals and late term meeting to assess progress.

The mentor will be provided with a form that can be completed at the end of each mentoring session. The mentor should keep a copy of the completed form and share one with the mentee after each session. This form should also be shared with the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and/or Faculty Excellence Advocate. Mentors are strongly advised to retain these forms in case a question should arise regarding the mentoring that has taken place.

The mentor is required, to write up a summary each mentoring meeting using the form below. It could also include topics for future consideration. This summary should be sent to the mentee and to the appropriate associate dean after each meeting.

The mentor should not be seen as a conduit of information to the administration about the mentee. If the mentee faces challenges, the lead mentor should make use of the deans as a resource, but the mentor should not discuss privileged information with the deans. Similarly, if the deans have concerns about a particular matter pertaining to a mentee, it should be communicated to the mentor and the mentee.

Examples of issues that might be addressed with either a mentor include developing a research/creative activity agenda; reading and commenting on manuscripts; listening to research presentations or lecture-recitals; attending professional conferences together; developing classroom teaching skills; developing a syllabus for a course or an applied studio; observing and evaluating teaching; developing a recruiting plan; FIF submission; preparation of RPT promotional materials; grant applications; reviewing the dean’s annual letter of review; social activities; etc.

The mentor/mentee relationship should in no way preclude interactions between the mentee and the area chair. In fact, these interactions are encouraged. Mentors should communicate with area chairs when appropriate. Area chairs may serve as mentors to mentees in their own area in cases where their expertise and knowledge of the discipline is needed, especially regarding tenure expectations in the area.

The mentee should be aware that the mentor may, at various times during the reappointment and tenure/promotion process, have an evaluative role (for example, each tenured member of an area is asked to write a review letter for reappointment and tenure/promotion; a mentee’s mentor may be a member of the RPT Committee at some point prior to the mentee’s reappointment or tenure decision; etc.)

Please visit the webpage of the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development for complete information about the University mentoring policy and for resources.