Mentoring at Stockton Brief comments for the mentor-mentee lunch, New Faculty Orientation 2015

Types of mentors In-program mentor In-program mentor –Assigned –From your program Out of program mentors Out of program mentors –Group nominated by their peers –Not formally assigned –Available as-needed OR for a more consistent mentoring relationship. Review advisor Review advisor –Tenured faculty member, chosen by end of fall semester –Can be your mentor, but doesn’t have to be

Getting off to a great start (1)* Mentors should understand: Mentors should understand: –1) new faculty members have a wide variety of needs, –2) it’s normal to have needs, –3) you don’t personally have to meet every need, and –4) the most effective mentoring you can do is to support new faculty members in identifying their needs and figuring out how to get them met by tapping into both on- and-off campus resources. *Some of the information in the next couple of slides comes from a series of articles by Rockquemore (2013) published in Inside Higher Ed (Thanks to Kristin Jacobson for sharing them.

Getting off to a great start (2) Mentees should understand: Mentees should understand: –It’s helpful to give some thought to your needs before meeting with your mentor. –Mentoring is part of our culture; you’re not a burden to your mentor. –Most of us at some point (some of us always) suffer from impostor syndrome, which can interfere with help-seeking. Don’t be afraid to ask for help—it won’t be interpreted as weakness.

Normal new faculty needs Professional development Professional development Emotional support Emotional support Intellectual community Intellectual community Role models Role models Safe space Safe space Accountability for what really matters Accountability for what really matters Sponsorship Sponsorship Access to opportunities Access to opportunities Substantive feedback Substantive feedback

What should mentors/mentees always try to do (AA retreat, 2014)? Maintain ongoing communication about their roles and responsibilities Maintain ongoing communication about their roles and responsibilities Develop mutually agreed-upon objectives Develop mutually agreed-upon objectives Respect each other’s time commitments Respect each other’s time commitments

What aspects of Stockton’s culture are best transmitted through mentoring partnerships? To explain/reinforce the egalitarian and collaborative nature of Stockton’s culture To explain/reinforce the egalitarian and collaborative nature of Stockton’s culture To help with the understanding of the General Studies curriculum To help with the understanding of the General Studies curriculum Interdisciplinarity and the importance of one’s own contribution to the University Interdisciplinarity and the importance of one’s own contribution to the University The nature of “campus citizenship” The nature of “campus citizenship” Early counseling on building tenure/promotion/reappointment file Early counseling on building tenure/promotion/reappointment file

Suggestions for preparing for mentoring Reflect on past mentoring relationships Reflect on past mentoring relationships Identify assumptions about mentoring Identify assumptions about mentoring Establish expectations for mentoring relationship Establish expectations for mentoring relationship Take time to get to know each other Take time to get to know each other

Mentoring programs Look for mentoring events this fall Look for mentoring events this fall List of out of program mentors with programs and schools available on IFD website List of out of program mentors with programs and schools available on IFD website