GSBS Departmental Faculty Mentoring Program

The University of North Texas has developed a Mentoring Guidebook that outlines the overarching goals and qualities of faculty mentoring. We have developed guidelines specific to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) Departmental Mentoring Program that further clarify the roles and responsibilities for Mentees and theirs Mentoring Committees.

A new junior faculty’s Mentoring Committee is intended to provide support, guidance, evaluation of grants and manuscripts, advice on teaching, and any other guidance needed, with the intention of successfully moving toward promotion. Associate and Full Professors are also encouraged to have mentors.

Junior faculty benefit from the input of diverse mentoring team, because the different mentors can provide valuable professional and personal guidance on a range of topics. The Mentoring Committee should include at least one senior faculty from within the institution and one mentor from outside the institution. The department chair will work with the junior faculty to help identify their mentors. Service as a faculty mentor should be acknowledged and rewarded because it plays a significant role in the life of the department.

Overview of GSBS Mentoring Program

The GSBS Mentoring Program will be introduced to all new GSBS faculty as part of their appointment packet and New Faculty Orientation. Furthermore, the Mentoring Program Guidelines will be included as links on the departmental website. In consultation with the department chair, the new faculty member will form their Mentoring Committee during their first year of appointment.

Mentoring Committee Guidelines

• Mentoring Committee should meet with new faculty during the 1st semester of the mentee’s appointment
• Faculty mentors should be tenured faculty
• If the focus of their research changes, the mentoring committee can be changed
• Mentoring Committees will consist of at least two mentors, with one being from outside the university (an expert in their research area)
• Mentoring Committee will formally meet twice/year, as arranged by mentee
• Additional “informal” mentoring meetings highly encouraged
• Formal mentoring committee meetings should continue as long as needed
• The P&T Committee 3 and 6 year evaluations should be shared with the Mentoring Committee
• The mentoring committee will provide written summaries of their feedback to junior faculty (within one week of the meeting) which will be shared with the department chair and could be used to formulate OKRs

Mentee’s Responsibilities

• Regularly interact with mentors (at least two meetings/year with the whole committee)
• Discuss progress, problems or concerns with mentors
• Clearly define their career goals and work to integrate them into a Career Development Plan
• Carry out agreed upon career development activities

Mentor’s Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide advice and where appropriate, review manuscripts proposals, grant development and teaching advice.
• Help with institutional socialization (provides a foundation networking and collaborations)
• Facilitate the creation of a Mentee Career Development Plan that includes:
  • A plan for academic productivity (publications, teaching, etc.)
  • A research agenda (grants, collaborations & new skills)
  • Help with developing teaching skills
  • Developing a sense of collegiality

Topics for Mentor-Mentee Discussion

• Short-term and long-term career goals and professional interests
• Publishing
• Progression towards tenure
• Tenure Process
• Collaborating on research
• Preparing OKRs
• Integration into HSC culture
• Advising/mentoring students

Role of the Department Chairs

Chairs should build a positive culture for mentoring by:

• Recognizing how important faculty mentoring is for the success of junior faculty
• Keep faculty updated on new policies or resources that concern mentoring
• Talk to faculty members about mentoring (being mentored OR being a mentor)

Chairs should encourage participation in Dean’s Office programs that:

• Provide junior faculty with information and resources for grant writing (ie, Research Café)
• Provide resources for success in teaching (ie, CIL)

Chairs should also:

• Assess the potential mentor pool – not everyone is a good mentor
• Ensure that mentors meet with their mentees regularly (even informally); this will be monitored by a departmental administrator

Evaluation

Mentor/Mentee Agreement

Formative Evaluation

• Biannual formal presentation to Mentoring Committee with additional meetings scheduled (by mentee or mentors) as needed
• Incorporated into Discussion of OKRs with Department Chair
• Annual assessment

Summative Evaluation – Annual evaluation of Mentee productivity; Assessment of Mentee’s independence conducted in year three by their department P&T Committee

Please CLICK HERE to download the evaluation forms.

STEPS IN THE MENTORING PROCESS