Mentoring
Mentoring
About Mentoring
Faculty mentorship at UWG is focused on supporting faculty growth and academic enrichment.
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The mentoring program is planned to kick-off in Fall 2022 upon the addition of Faculty Fellow Mentors to the IFE team.
The Purpose of Mentoring
Mentoring programs at the University of West Georgia seek to support, evolve, and advance the experience and training of faculty at all stages of their careers. Mentoring programs that follow best practices see all members as both learners and teachings, furthering the spirit of lifelong learning and continuous improvement. Formal mentoring programs create communities within departments and across the institution through building a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive space for all faculty members.
IFE Mentor Training & Support
- Workshops planned in early August for mentor training
- Assistance developing career goals and plans to achieve them
- Guidance regarding meetings (frequency, agenda, and deliverables)
- Guidance for constructive feedback on teaching observations
- Consultations with mentors throughout the semester
- Lessons Learned workshop planned in November (mentors & mentees)
Additional Mentoring Support from the IFE
- New Faculty Orientation (August 2, 2022)
- New Faculty Academy
Deans and chairs will determine the criteria for selecting mentors and how mentors are paired with mentees. The IFE will offer training for mentors and provide support and guidance throughout the academic year for mentors and mentees. All colleges are responsible for adhering to the following framework:
- Mentor Training Workshop: Mentors will attend a mentor training workshop at the
beginning of the fall semester. At this IFE-facilitated workshop, participants will
learn about principles and best practices for effective mentoring. Mentors will also
begin to develop a detailed plan for working with their mentees. The mentors will
be provided with resources, suggested meeting agendas and activities, and other
mentoring tools and strategies.
At the conclusion of the workshop, the mentor will sign the Mentor
Agreement. (The IFE will collect signed Mentee Agreement from the mentees). - Regular Mentor/Mentee Meetings: After the workshop, the mentor and mentee
will schedule three monthly meetings for the fall semester. The first session will
be an opportunity for the mentee to ask questions and discuss at least one
specific goal related to teaching, service, and/or scholarship that they would like
to accomplish by the end of their first year at UWG. Mentees can also outline
longer-term goals. The two subsequent fall meetings will revolve around tracking
the mentee’s goals and refining the plan.
The mentor will be responsible for documenting the meetings by reporting the
date that the meeting occurred to the IFE.
Note: The IFE will not be privy to any of the content of the meetings unless the
mentor and mentee agree to seek the IFE’s support. Any consultations with the
IFE will remain strictly confidential. - Teaching Observation: Once during the fall semester, the mentor will observe a
class taught by the mentee and write a brief observation narrative. If the mentee
teaches online only, the mentor will consult with the mentee to observe a specific
component of the mentee's course, such as a specific module of content with
corresponding activities. The mentor will document the observation by reporting
to the New Faculty & Mentor spreadsheet.
Note: The IFE will not be privy to the observation narrative unless the mentor and
mentee agree to seek the IFE’s support. Any consultations with the IFE will
remain strictly confidential. - Reflection: At the end of the fall semester, both the mentor and mentee will
complete a reflection piece that reviews how the semester has progressed and
identify opportunities to pursue for the upcoming semester. - Lessons Learned Luncheon: The IFE and Provost will sponsor an
end-of-the-semester luncheon where mentors and mentees can gather in a
relaxed setting and share their experiences from the past semester. - Regular Mentor/Mentee Meetings: In the spring, the mentor and mentee will
schedule three monthly meetings for the spring semester so that they can
continue to track the mentee's goal/s.
Note: The IFE will not be privy to any of the content of the meetings unless the
mentor and mentee agree to seek the IFE’s support. Any consultations with the
IFE will remain strictly confidential. - Teaching Observation: Once during the spring semester, the mentee's class will
be observed by a colleague other than the mentor. The mentee will have the
option to choose a colleague, who could be another mentor from the college or
department or another experienced colleague. If the mentee teaches online only,
the mentee will identify a specific component of the course to be reviewed, such
as a specific module of content with corresponding activities. The mentor will
document the observation by reporting to the IFE.
Note: The IFE will not be privy to the observation narrative unless the mentor and
mentee agree to seek the IFE’s support. Any consultations with the IFE will
remain strictly confidential. - Reflection: At the end of the spring semester, both the mentor and mentee will
complete a second reflection piece that articulates the impact that the mentoring
relationship has had on both parties and assesses whether the desired outcomes
were achieved. - Lessons Learned Luncheon: The IFE and Provost will sponsor an
end-of-the-semester luncheon where mentors and mentees can gather in a
relaxed setting and share their experiences from the past year.
Outcomes for Mentees
- Enhanced institutional and departmental knowledge
- Enhanced access to skill-building resources
- Clear sense of professional goals and timelines
- Increased confidence and sense of belonging
- Enhanced productivity for professional outcomes (teaching, scholarship, grants, publications, and education)
- Organizational and external recognition
Outcomes for Mentors
- Increased job satisfaction
- Strengthening of the program, department, and/or college
- Investment in mentee’s career as part of a legacy
- Increased collaboration (within the department, institution, and external organizations)
- Exposure to new ideas and opportunities for continuous growth
- Organizational and external recognition
- Increased retention and stability within the department
Outcomes for UWG
- Teaching, learning, and student success
- Increased faculty promotions
- Increased scholarly activity (research, grants, publications, conference presentations, etc.)
- Increased faculty retention
- Increased hires
- Decreased faculty attrition