Purpose: To ensure that all junior faculty, and any other faculty who desire,
have access to mentorship for the purpose of professional growth and enrichment
Policy: All junior faculty (Instructor or Assistant Professor) are encouraged to
participate in a personal mentorship program. This will entail the selection of
two mentors in a field of the faculty member’s interest, one within the College
and one outside of the College. An outside mentor from another university is
preferred but the faculty may choose a mentor at Florida State University under
special circumstances (e.g., a faculty member in another college or school who
is a leading figure in the field of interest).
Goals of the Mentoring Program
- Learn about FSUCOM, its programs, facilities, faculty, students, and staff
- Adjust to the new environment and become an active member of the COM community
- Gain insight into the elements of a successful academic career
- Develop connections and relationships on a national level to others with
similar interests
- Have access to senior faculty to discuss any issues of personal importance
Choosing a Mentor
Ideally, the internal mentor should not be one who has direct supervisory or
evaluative functions over you. It is best someone who knows the College and
University well, who has been successful in his or her chosen area of expertise,
and someone for whom you have respect. If the person also has an area of
interest that is similar or related, that may also be beneficial. However, it is
often important to choose a mentor whose interests are not so directly related
in order to get a “fresh view” of your ideas.
The external mentor should be a leader in your area of expertise. It may or may
not be a member of the same discipline. Because the mentor will most likely be
off campus, it is important that the mentor be committed to maintaining
communication through a variety of mechanisms, including meeting at conferences,
telephone, and email.
Mentee Responsibilities:
- Make time for the mentoring relationship
- Keep your mentor informed of your academic progress
- Discuss openly you ideas, concerns, questions, and doubts about your plans
- Listen to suggestions, provide feedback, seek clarification when needed
- Read the “Faculty Mentoring Guide” from the VCU School of Medicine (link below
or located in the “Geriatrics” folder on the S-drive)
Mentor Responsibilities:
- Take the initiative to contact your mentee and stay in touch
- Make time to meet with the mentee
- Offer advice, challenge assumptions, provide feedback to his/her ideas and
plans
- Share your knowledge and experience of the academic environment
- Maintain confidentiality of the information shared by the mentee
- Read the “Faculty Mentoring Guide” from the VCU School of Medicine (link below
or located in the “Geriatrics” folder on the S-drive)
Additional Points:
Though the mentorship program is voluntary, it is highly recommended. If the
mentee chooses to participate, it will be noted in his/her Assignment of
Responsibilities. If the mentee decides to sever a mentorship relationship,
he/she should notify the mentor and chair of the decision.
All senior faculty are encouraged to accept a mentorship role if asked and offer
mentorship to junior faculty. If a faculty member chooses to engage in a
mentorship relationship, that activity will also be added to the mentor’s
Assignment of Responsibilities. The willingness to provide mentorship to junior
faculty is considered an important component of promotion decisions. Chairs have a duty to support mentorship activities by their faculty. The
chair’s evaluation will include an evaluation criterion on mentorship
development and support.
Role of Evaluation and Supervision in Mentorship Relations
Ideally, the mentorship role is separated from those of direct supervision and
evaluation. This is more easily accomplished in large colleges. In the FSUCOM it
is more difficult, especially if “360 evaluations” are used. In general, mentees
should know that the purpose of mentorship is not for providing evaluation of
their role as a faculty member. Mentors should carry out their role with the
knowledge that they hold a special relationship that requires trust and openness
with the mentee. Allowing that role to become focused on evaluation will inhibit
the proper function of a mentor-mentee relationship.
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