College of Agriculture Food, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program

1. College of Agriculture Food, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program Samantha Gill Natural Resources Management Dept. and BioResource & Agricultural Engineering Dept. College of Food, Environmental Sciences California Polytechnic State University Gill, Cal Poly

2. Outline • History/background • Goals and intent • Procedures • Forms • Comments of participants UENR conference

3. What is mentoring? • Help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work, or thinking UENR conference

4. History/background • Late 1990’s • Many newer faculty not staying at Cal Poly • Why? • Survey conducted UENR conference

5. Cal Poly: a great place UENR conference

6. San Luis County is a beautiful place to live UENR conference

7. But … • Cost of living is really high • Median home price roughly $600,000 in 2006 • Many felt their was not much support for new faculty • “good old boys network” • General lack of feeling connected with colleagues • Some women and minorities stated that they weren’t a good fit with the rest of the faculty UENR conference

8. Programs initiated • “Newish” faculty get-togethers • Monthly • Special meetings • Newish faculty list serve • “tenure challenged mentoring workshops” • Very informal gatherings UENR conference

9. Committee formed • CAFES mentoring committee formed in Fall of 2004 • Roughly one member per department • Charge • Develop and implement the faculty mentoring program UENR conference

10. Goals of mentoring program • One method of assisting new faculty adjust to life at Cal Poly • Completely voluntary • For mentor • For mentee • Distinct from Retention, Promotion, and Tenure process • Any faculty member may request a mentor • More experienced faculty have requested mentors for help with expanding research opportunities UENR conference

11. Objective of mentoring program • To aid new faculty members with the numerous challenges typically encountered in the first years of teaching at Cal Poly. This program will benefit not only the mentee and the mentor, but the CAFES in general. UENR conference

12. Administration • Overseen by a mentoring Director • Faculty member assigned a small amount of release time to coordinate the mentoring program • Mentoring committee of tenure-track faculty provides recommendations, feedback, and support UENR conference

13. Scope of mentor/mentee relationship • Mentors and mentees matched by Director • Defined by those individuals • Typically lasts one year • May be extended • “No fault” termination may happen at any time by either party • Time spent negotiable • Once week to once a quarter is common • At least once a quarter strongly encouraged UENR conference

14. Mentor/mentee meetings • Established by individuals • Can be very informal • Off campus • At homes • Over coffee, lunch, beers • Can be more formal • Always on campus • In faculty offices or conference rooms UENR conference

15. Qualifications of mentors • Tenure track faculty • Been at Cal Poly at least 3 years • Does not need to be tenured • Non-tenured or recently tenured may know RPT processes better • Exceptions have been made • Some full time lecturers have been mentors for certain areas UENR conference

16. Expectations of mentees • Mentee owns the relationship • Coordinate and arrange first meeting • Confidentiality maintained • One reason separate from RPT process • Trust is a major part of the relationship • Treated as a peer UENR conference

17. Pairings of mentors with mentees • Based on short survey • Paired based on specific areas mentees indicate where they would like assistance • Mentees may request a specific mentor • May be from same department or from another department • Mentor should not be on RPT committee • Exceptions made if both parties agree UENR conference

18. Benefits to mentee • Greater career and job satisfaction • Sense of community and belonging • Better socialization within department, college, and university • Collegial support • Enhanced self confidence and self esteem • Reduced isolation and reduced stress UENR conference

19. Role of mentee • Keep mentor informed of problems and concerns • Give mentor sufficient time to review any materials • Willingness to learn from others UENR conference

20. Expectations of mentor • Encourage and support mentee • Meet regularly with mentee • Discuss aspects of job as outlined in agreement UENR conference

21. Role of mentor • Be available to mentee • Remember what it was like to be new to Cal Poly • 100% teaching appoints UENR conference

22. Mentors assist in: • Transfer of institutional knowledge • Support transition into new job • RPT process • Help with this, although mentee-mentor relationship is NOT tied to RPT UENR conference

23. Mentors assist in: • Campus/college/department policies and procedures • Travel forms • Order books • Field trip planning • Budgets • etc UENR conference

24. Mentors assist in: • Teaching • May visit classroom • Professional development/research • Grants • Submitting publications • What is expected UENR conference

25. Mentors assist in: • Advising • Faculty have 30-150 student advisees • Computer system for checking student records • Academic holds UENR conference

26. Mentors assist in (secondary roles): • Curriculum • Learning existing • Developing • Service • Which committees to serve on • When to say “no” UENR conference

27. Mentor training • Orientation session held annually • Expectations • Roles • Limitations UENR conference

28. Feedback and evaluation • Year end evaluation form • Mentee • Mentor UENR conference

29. FORMS UENR conference

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34. What mentees have to say about the program • Comments from 2004-05 academic year • Mentors should have more incentives to serve (possibly release time) • More events (with food) for all mentees and mentors • A fun and learning experience for me • Good idea and served it’s purpose • Valuable UENR conference

35. What mentees have to say about the program continued • I have benefited greatly • My lack of involvement with my mentor is mostly a product of accessing support in other places and not feeling a “need” to connect with my mentor. Yet, I know he would have met more frequently, had I requested it. • Mentoring would have happened in my case without formal agreement UENR conference

36. What mentors have to say about the program • Comments from 2004-05 academic year • I don’t really have any training as a mentor • Avoid having people assigned – pairings should happen naturally • Continue to have structured activities and workshops • Generally a good idea, but my guess is that it is much more effective when done within a department UENR conference

37. What mentors have to say about the program continued • The program provides a welcome opportunity for each participant to view the opposite side of the academic seasoning process. Each is exposed to the challenges of the newer or experienced faculty and (re) acquires empathy for the other. Has been very positive for me. UENR conference

38. What mentors have to say about the program continued • I see a bit of an unfortunate disconnect between my comments as a mentor and expectations from our department RPT committee. (related to professional development) • Very difficult situation for all, but especially te mentee UENR conference

39. Conclusions • Mentoring program seems to be a success • Mostly positive comments • Survey • Hallway conversations • Program to continue • Almost every new faculty member participating UENR conference

40. Thank you! Questions?Comments? sgill@calpoly.edu Gill, Cal Poly