Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the mentoring program being initiated?
Is the University of Delaware the only university to institute a formal mentoring program?
I have a question that is not addressed on this web page.  Whom can I contact?

Which colleges are participating in the mentoring initiative?
Which departments are participating in the mentoring initiative?
How were the pilot departments selected?
What criteria were used in selecting pilot departments?

Will mentoring be provided only for women and minority faculty?
Will all faculty be offered mentoring during the first year of the mentoring initiative?
What if I need mentoring?  Is there a means of being included in the mentoring initiative this year?
Why are only junior faculty being mentored?  What about associate professors?
What if I am unhappy with my assigned mentor?  Can I get a different mentor?
Does the mentee have any responsibilities in the mentoring process?
What if it is important that I address some of the issues earlier than given in the mentoring checklist?

How are mentors selected?
Why should I be a mentor?
Will there be any recognition given to being a mentor?
I don't know all of the policies at the University, so how can I be a mentor?

General

Why is the mentoring program being initiated?
The overall aim of the mentoring program is to assist every faculty member in getting resources, guidance, and support that will help them be successful.  This is particularly important for newly hired faculty.

Is the University of Delaware the only university to institute a formal mentoring program?
Faculty mentoring is quickly becoming recognized as a pressing need at many universities in the United States.  Mentoring initiatives have been undertaken at the University of Michigan, Washington State University, University of San Francisco, Northeastern University, and Georgia State University, among others.

I have a question that is not addressed on this web page.  Whom can I contact?
Please contact one of the individuals listed under "Contacts" at the top of this page; they will be happy to answer your question.

Units Participating in the Initiative:

Which colleges are participating in the mentoring initiative?
All seven colleges at the University of Delaware are participating in the mentoring initiative.

Which departments are participating in the mentoring initiative?
The following departments have been selected for the first-year pilot program of the mentoring initiative:

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Plant and Soil Science

College of Arts & Sciences
Fine Arts and Visual Communications
Black American Studies
Physics and Astronomy

College of Business and Economics
Accounting and MIS

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering

College of Health Sciences
Medical Technology

College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy
School of Education
Human Development and Family Studies

College of Earth, Ocean and Environment
Geological Studies

How were the pilot departments selected?
The deans of each College were asked to nominate departments from their respective colleges.

What criteria were used in selecting pilot departments?
In selecting pilot departments, the deans were asked to consider the number of new or relatively new faculty in the department; the goal was to have one or a few faculty from each department, but not a huge number that would overwhelm the new program.  Deans were also asked to consider including departments that had new women or minority faculty, since a goal of the University is to increase the number of successful women and minorities.

Mentees:

Will mentoring be provided only for women and minority faculty?
The mentoring effort is directed toward helping all faculty achieve success.  Although the program was initiated by the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Racial and Cultural Diversity, the mentoring program is intended for all faculty and is not limited to women and minority faculty.

Will all faculty be offered mentoring during the first year of the mentoring initiative?
In order to implement an effective mentoring program, a few departments have been selected as pilot departments for the initiation of the mentoring program.  The chairs of these departments have identified junior faculty who will be mentored.  If the number of junior faculty in a pilot department is large, then only a subset of the junior faculty will be included in the mentoring program initially with an emphasis on first-year faculty.

What if I need mentoring?  Is there a means of being included in the mentoring initiative this year?
Only a subset of departments are being formally enrolled in the mentoring program this year.  It is anticipated that as we gain experience about ensuring an effective mentoring program, the program will be extended to other departments in subsequent years.  However, you might discuss your desire for a mentor with your department chair even though you would not be part of the formal mentoring initiative.

Why are only junior faculty being mentored?  What about associate professors?
The mentoring initiative is focusing initially on assistant professors since they arrive with little knowledge of the University of Delaware, the University's policies and procedures, and the resources available to faculty.  Moreover, assistant professors face a new set of tasks that many have little experience with such as establishing a new research program or teaching a large class.  In future years, the mentoring program will be expanded to include associate professors in order to provide them with guidance and support in achieving continued professional success, national recognition, and promotion to full professor.

What if I am unhappy with my assigned mentor?  Can I get a different mentor?
If a faculty member feels that his or her mentor is not providing effective mentoring, the mentee should consult with the department chair, explain the problem, and request that the chair address the issue.  If the mentee feels that the problems are major, then the mentee should feel free to request that the chair appoint a different mentor.

Does the mentee have any responsibilities in the mentoring process?
The mentee is responsible for providing the mentor with information about the mentee and with professional items generated by the mentee that will enable the mentor to provide effective mentoring.  Examples would include the kinds of research that the mentee envisions pursuing, class material such as syllabi, drafts of proposals, etc.  The most effective mentoring is likely to occur when both mentor and mentee actively pursue a successful mentoring experience.

The mentoring checklist outlines a timetable for discussing various items.  What if it is important that I address some of the issues earlier than given in the mentoring checklist?
The mentoring checklist is only intended to ensure that important topics are not overlooked.  The mentee should feel free to consult the mentor about topics at an earlier date than those topics are listed in the mentoring checklist.  In addition, the mentoring checklist is not intended to be all-inclusive. The mentee should request help from the mentor on any aspect that will help facilitate the mentee's success at the University of Delaware.

Mentors

How are mentors selected?
The department chair is responsible for appointing mentors for a faculty mentor, taking into consideration the needs of the mentee.

Why should I be a mentor?
First and foremost, effective mentoring of a junior faculty member should provide the mentor with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in having contributed to the success of a colleague.  Oftentimes, such mentoring can lead to closer working relationships and joint projects. 

Will there be any recognition given to being a mentor?
Mentoring is part of the service component of a faculty member's workload.  Thus in distributing other service tasks equitably among a department's faculty, the department chair should take into consideration a faculty member's service as a mentor.

I don't know all of the policies at the University, so how can I be a mentor?
One of the first things a mentor should do is obtain information about the policies that are pertinent to the faculty member being mentored.  This includes items such as family leave, stop-the-clock tenure policies, the research semester for junior faculty, etc.  This information is available from the faculty handbook posted on the University of Delaware web site.