Mentorship describes the structured, intentional, and sustained relationships that guide and support an individual’s professional growth. The science of mentorship demonstrates the transformative nature of mentoring networks and relationships, leading to better academic performance, productivity, and professional reputation. High-quality mentoring is an especially powerful mechanism to retain folks form historically marginalized communities by validating the experience of the mentees and affirming their developing professional competencies. Mentoring contributes to the success of individuals throughout their careers but is especially important at moments of transition.
The Office of the Provost offers four programs to support faculty at transitional moments in their career. These programs provided tangible knowledge and support, and assist faculty in developing the needed mentorship network. These programs are designed to complement local programs in the department, division, school or college.
New Faculty Group Mentorship Program
To thrive in the academy, new faculty need to develop a mentorship network, find community, and hone the skills that will lead them to successfully promotion or tenure. The New Faculty Group Mentoring program is one of the programs we offer to support these goals.
New tenure-track or career faculty in their first, second or third year at UO are invited to participate in a group mentoring program. Each group will include three new faculty and two seasoned faculty. We will meet six times per year, and each 1.5-hour meeting will begin with a specific topic intended to help faculty thrive in the academy such as culturally responsive mentorship, early preparation for tenure or promotion, inclusive teaching strategies, equitable service, leading and mentoring others etc. The interests of the group will drive the topics selected. The remainder of the 1.5-hour meeting will include semi-structured conversations in the mentoring groups to integrate the topic more personally. Groups will also be encouraged to meet one additional time each term on their own for more informal conversation and network building.
Participants will leave the year with a community of faculty colleagues, a mentoring network map, a professional development plan, and improved clarity regarding UO’s expectations for inclusive teaching, scholarship, mentorship and leadership.
Applications are closed for the 2022-23 academic year, but will re-open in spring for the 2023-24 academic year.
As a participant, you will:
► Develop a community of peers from units across campus.
► Enhance your professional fulfillment and personal thriving.
► Collaborate on group and individual goals and expectations.
► Gain transferable skills within a leadership competency.
► Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
► Enhance active listening and communicating skills whilst avoiding the “advice trap”.
► Define and experience culturally responsive mentorship.
As a Mentor, you will:
► Experience the personal satisfaction that comes with helping someone else advance their career.
► Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
► Engage different approaches and tools for leading and mentoring others including mentoring network mapping, individual development plans, coaching skills, deep listening, etc.
As a mentee, you will:
► Develop a community of peers at a similar career stage and a community of peers at an aspirational career stage.
► Experience a mentoring network that augments what may, or may not, be available in your local unit.
► Build out a mentoring network map.
► Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive as you transition to a new stage in your academic career.
► Understand expectations around promotion/tenure and be set on a timely course for achieving promotion/tenure.
► Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
► Identify strengths and areas for development including goal setting and an individual development plan (year-long and multi-year plans).
► Describe UO’s teaching pillars – professional, inclusive, engaged and research-informed – and understand UO’s teaching evaluation practices.
► Understand University expectations for service, community engagement and leadership.
► Learn how and when to say “no”.
Recently Tenured Associate Professors Peer Mentorship Program
The moment of tenure is a celebratory occasion and often leads to introspection and questioning. Should I begin a new line of scholarship? How should I prioritize and manage the increase in service and leadership requests? What new teaching methods might I explore? What is required to successfully be promoted to full professor? Our peer mentorship program has been designed to support faculty at this important moment of transition.
Faculty tenured in the last three years are invited to participate. We will meet six times per year, and each 1.5-hour meeting will begin with tangible information on a topic that the group has identified as helpful and important. The remainder of the 1.5-hour meeting will include semi-structured conversations with a trio of peers to integrate the topic more personally. Trios will also be encouraged to meet one additional time each term on their own for more informal conversation and network building.
Participants will leave the year with a community of faculty colleagues, a mentoring network map, a professional development plan, and increased knowledge of the topics the group chose to focus on.
Applications are closed for the 2022-23 academic year, but will re-open in spring for the 2023-24 academic year.
As a participant, you will:
► Develop a community of peers from units across campus.
► Experience the professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction that comes with helping a peer advance in their career.
► Collaborate on group and individual goals and expectations.
► Gain transferable skills within a leadership competency.
► Define and experience culturally responsive mentorship.
► Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
► Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive as you transition to a new stage in your academic career where you are poised to take on local leadership roles.
► Engage different approaches and tools for leading and mentoring others.
► Experience a mentoring network that augments what may, or may not, be available in their local unit.
► Build out a mentoring network map.
► Identify strengths and work on areas for development including goal setting and an individual development plan (year-long and multi-year plans).
► Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
► Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
► Enhance active listening and communicating skills whilst avoiding the “advice trap”.
Recently Promoted Career Faculty Peer Mentorship Program
The first promotional step for a Career Instructor, Career Researcher, Clinical Professor or Librarian is an exciting moment for recognition and celebration. It is also a time that many career faculty are ready to further develop themselves as a leader, and to connect with other career faculty outside of their home unit. Our peer mentorship program has been designed to build support and community across campus for career faculty and to provide a forum to discuss leadership interest and potential.
Career faculty who have achieved their first promotional step in the last three years are invited to participate. We will meet six times per year, and each 1.5-hour meeting will begin with tangible information on a topic that the group has identified as helpful and important. The remainder of the 1.5-hour meeting will include semi-structured conversations with a trio of peers to integrate the topic more personally. Trios will also be encouraged to meet one additional time each term on their own for more informal conversation and network building.
Participants will leave the year with a community of faculty colleagues, a mentoring network map, a professional development plan, and increased knowledge of the topics the group chose to focus on.
Applications are closed for the 2022-23 academic year, but will re-open in spring for the 2023-24 academic year.
As a participant, you will:
► Develop a community of peers from units across campus.
► Experience the professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction that comes with helping a peer advance in their career.
► Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
► Enhance active listening and communicating skills whilst avoiding the “advice trap”.
► Define and experience culturally responsive mentorship.
► Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
► Identify strengths and work on areas for development including goal setting and an individual development plan (year-long and multi-year plans).
► Engage different approaches and tools for leading and mentoring others.
► Experience a mentoring network that augments what may, or may not, be available in their local unit.
► Build out a mentoring network map.
► Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive as you transition to a new stage in your academic career where you are poised to take on local leadership roles.
► Collaborate on group and individual goals and expectations.
► Gain transferable skills within a leadership competency.
► Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
Peer Leadership Coaching Program
Beginning a new leadership role, as a department head, program director, associate dean, center director, major committee chair etc., is typically a challenging transition. Relationships that were once collegial can become fraught. New expectations can be difficult to negotiate. New habits and behaviors may need to be formed. It is a time of intense personal development, which is best done in the company of a coach who listens deeply, asks clarifying questions and provides a space for your own wisdom to emerge.
This program leverages the talents of the UO Leadership Academy graduates as peer coaches, and pairs them with faculty in the first or second year of new leadership position. The program will begin with a kick-off event 9:00am – 1:00pm on Friday October 21st 2022, with Academic Impressions Professional Coach Jennifer Askey to frame the expectations for the program engage in activities to support leader-coach matches, and onboarding for the peer coaches. Coaching pairs will be encouraged to meet every 2-4 weeks, with a check in from the coordinators each term. Coaches will be supported across the year with the Gather & Grow meeting series for UO Leadership Academy graduates.
Peer coaches will leave the year with further development of non-directive leadership and listening skills – important competencies for leading from where you are. New leaders will leave the year having benefitted from time that is completely dedicated to them and their needs through non-judgmental deep listening.
Applications are closed for the 2022-23 academic year, but will re-open in spring for the 2023-24 academic year.
As a participant, you will:
► Develop a community of leaders from units across campus.
► Enhance your professional fulfillment and personal thriving.
► Gain transferable skills within a leadership competency.
► Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
► Enhance active listening and communicating skills whilst avoiding the “advice trap”.
► Define and experience culturally responsive mentorship and coaching.
As a Coachee, you will:
► Develop a community of peers who are also new in leadership roles, but from units across campus.
► Experience a trusting peer leadership coaching partnership with a graduate of the UO Leadership Academy.
► Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive as you transition to a new stage in your career.
► Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
► Experience the gift of being deeply heard, understood and supported by a peer.
As a Coach, you will:
► Receive personal satisfaction that comes with helping someone else advance their career.
► Practice and build on the skills developed in the UO Leadership Academy.
► Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
► Develop your deep listening skills and engage new approaches for leading and mentoring others.