Mentoring teams

Mentoring teams: 

Mentoring teams will be established in a meeting with the Department Head and will consist of trained faculty of the mentee's choosing. These groups will attend workshops and meet at least three times additional time per year to discuss career progress and issues (see more detail for Mentors and Mentees). 

Generally, mentoring teams will consist of faculty within departments, although it may be necessary to draw from other departments in some cases.

Term Faculty with less than 5 years of experience at UMD:

Faculty at this rank are required to have two formal mentors that are also term faculty but with more than 5 years’ experience at UMD and have undergone the initial SCSE mentoring training. This agreement must be reconfirmed with the Faculty Mentoring Agreement each year in the presence of the Department Head.

Assistant Professors:

Faculty at this rank are required to assemble a team of two formal mentors drawn from the ranks of Professor or Associate Professor preferably from within your department, although this is not always possible. This agreement must be reconfirmed with the Faculty Mentoring Agreement each year in the presence of the Department Head.

Term Faculty with more than 5 years of experience at UMD:

Faculty may reach out to mentors on or off campus according to professional needs. A mentoring agreement is not required.  Reciprocal mentoring arrangements and informal mentoring teams are strongly encouraged.

Associate Professors:

Faculty at this rank are expected to have one formal mentor at the rank of Professor in or outside of their home department.  A mentoring agreement is required but will remain valid until the relationship is terminated by either partner or by promotion.

Professors:

The most flexibility is available at this rank. Faculty may reach out to mentors on or off campus according to professional needs. A mentoring agreement is not required.  Reciprocal mentoring arrangements and informal mentoring teams are strongly encouraged.

Considerations for selecting mentors: 

Mentors are eligible for participation in this program if they attended the initial SCSE mentoring training.

The mentor’s name must appear on the Faculty Mentor List (available in the SCSE Dean's office) unless the person is not from campus.

Characteristics to consider  

  • Career interests  
  • Research area
  • Gender (gender matching has been shown to be helpful for female mentees)  
  • Race/ethnicity  
  • Age  
  • Personal chemistry (important but hard to predict)
  • Mentees of all ranks are encouraged to seek out professional support and informal mentoring from people ​from within and outside the College and also from off campus, although this is not a component of the formal mentoring program.