Mentor Responsibilities

Each mentoring team will consist of: 

  • Career Mentor who will provide oversight and mentorship around career trajectory and professional goals
  • Scientific Mentor who will provide oversight and mentorship around appropriate discipline-specific development activities to advance research
  • Networking and Personal Mentor who will provide oversight and mentorship around development of professional networks, goals and plans to acclimate to the University, and work-life balance. 

Meeting Schedule

  • Mentors and mentees should develop a meeting schedule and plan at the outset of the program.  An example meeting schedule is provided in the School of Public Health Faculty Mentoring Program Guidelines.
  • Mentors should meet with the mentee individually throughout the program. For new faculty, it may be helpful to meet more often.
  • The full mentoring team should meet with the mentor at a minimum of two to four times per year.  At the initial group meeting, mentors will review the mentee’s individual development plan outlining long-term personal and professional goals and teaching, research and/or practice, service, and personal development (networking, work-life balance) goals for the upcoming year.  Progress toward and adjustment of these goals should be discussed at subsequent team meetings.  At the meeting occurring closest to the time of the School of Public Health annual review, the mentoring team will review and provide feedback on the annual review material prepared by the faculty mentee.  
  • Mentors of faculty in the tenure stream will participate in a mid-course review in the third year of the faculty appointment to provide guidance for a successful tenure and promotion.  This meeting will include the full mentoring team, Steering Committee department members, Department Chair, Program Director/Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Associate Deans, and Dean in the third year of their appointment.  This meeting is intended to provide a constructive review of each faculty member's strengths and weaknesses, an assessment of the faculty member's progress toward tenure and promotion, and an opportunity to discuss goals for achieving tenure and promotion.  Mentors will review the faculty member's original Individual Development Plan, a current CV, annual evaluations for all years, teaching evaluations, and mentee progress toward goals, promotion, and tenure. 

General Mentor Responsibilities

  • Participate in individual mentor meeting and mentoring team meetings as outlined above
  • Participate in School of Public Health or University mentor training workshops
  • Work with the mentee to clearly define goals and develop benchmarks and timelines for achieving goals
  • Attend local meetings and seminars where the mentee is presenting, if possible
  • Review drafts of grants to assist in professional development
  • Treat all materials discussed or reviewed confidentially except with written consent from the mentee; Issues or concerns raised by the mentee could be privileged and confidential
  • Identify and link the mentee to resources and educational opportunities as well as professional networks that can assist in professional development
  • Align expectations, understand mentee needs, and clearly communicate expectations, preferable communication methods, and processes
  • Maintain a journal of issues discussed, recommendations provided, challenges, and progress to assure forward momentum for the mentee
  • Career and Scientific Mentors should help to identify Diversity Supplement opportunities and support eligible faculty in preparation of grant applications