Mentoring a Diverse Faculty HERC Conference

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Mentoring a Diverse FacultyHERC Conference

• November 7, 2008
• Mary Childers, Ombudsperson
• Dartmouth College

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What Mentoring Systems Should Include

• Substantive information
• Institutional support
• Identification of obstacles and resources
• Reality testing
• Group networking opportunities
• Flexible individual matches
• Alternative microclimates

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Preferred Institutional Context

• On-going commitment to recruitment
• Frank discussion of campus climate issues
• Visible senior leadership support for mentoring
  program

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Case Western Reserve University - NSF-ADVANCE
Grant ACES Major Initiatives, Multiple Levels
Commitment of Senior Administrators
Provosts Annual Leadership Retreat
Accountability of Deans
Climate Change Committee
Departmental Grants
Faculty Development
Search Committee Supports
Faculty Grants
New Structures, Policies Procedures
Distinguished lectureships
Monthly student pipeline
Hotline coaching
Student bias training
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Case Western Reserve University, II

• Climate assessments and faculty exit survey
• Executive coaching for women faculty, faculty of
  color, deans, and others
• Faculty Development Workshops
• Courtesy of Amanda Shaffer, CWRU

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Different Types of Mentoring

• Natural mentoring
• Situational mentoring
• Supervisory mentoring
• Formal facilitated mentoring
• Peer Mentoring

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What Mentor Should Understand

• Relevant institutional policies
• Complexity of multiple identity challenges
• Racial and ethnic bias
• Potential consequences of hyper visibility
• Unrewarded service tax on minority faculty
• Possible tensions between needs of individual and
  institution

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Campus Norms and Differential Impact

• Rank-based hierarchy
• Untenured Faculty Silence
• Individualism
• From The Impact of Social Interaction and
  Reward System Norms on Underrepresented Faculty,
  Annie Gubitosi-White, from Diversity Web
  (www.diversityweb.org)

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Grassroots I

• RACE (Researchers and Critical Educators)
• California State University, Fullerton
• 2002 a group of then untenured faculty of color
  convened
• Maintains a campus recruitment and retention
  website
• Monthly mentoring and social luncheons for
  untenured faculty
• Partnering with a senior associate dean, support
  from provost and president
• Leveraging location on a majority minority
  campus

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Grassroots II

• University of Illinois at Chicago
• Initiated by Black and Latino faculty
• Documents the needs of Black and Latino faculty
• Structured mentoring opportunities for
  under-represented faculty through community
  building, peer support, and professional
  development
• Ongoing feedback to departments, college and
  university leaders
• Assists faculty with the challenges of
  institutional racism, job satisfaction,
  isolation, and productivity

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Grassroots III Alternative Microclimates

• Complementary to departmental microclimates
• Can emerge from rewarding service outside
  department
• Potential for collective action against bullies
• Fosters mentoring relationships
• Faculty Microclimate Change at Smith College
  see Ackelsberg in resources

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References

• Keeping Our Faculties Symposium, University of
  Minnesota,
• Conference V March 12-14, 2009
  http//www.cce.umn.edu/conferences/kof/
• Keeping Our Faculties Symposium, University of
  Minnesota, Conference IV April 12-14, 2007
  (includes Amanda Shaffer Presentation)
  http//www.cce.umn.edu/conferences/kof/background/
  index.html
• Diversity Web www.diversityweb.org (Includes
  Annie Gubitosi-White abstract at
  http//www.diversityweb.org/diversity_innovations/
  faculty_staff_development/recruitment_tenure_promo
  tion/underrepresented.cfm)
• University of Michigan ADVANCE Program
  Publications and Reports http//sitemaker.umich.ed
  u/advance/publications_and_reports
• References on Chilly Climate for Women in Academe
  http//dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/chillyclimate.html
  
• Duke Mentoring of Faculty Principles and
  Practice http//www.provost.duke.edu/policies/Facu
  lty_Mentoring_Initiative.htm
• Ackelsberg, Martha, Jeni Hart, Naomi J. Miller,
  Kate Queeney, and Susan Van Dyne. Faculty
  Microclimate Change at Smith College.
  Forthcoming in Reconstructing The Academy
  Faculty Take the Lead. ed. Winnifred Brown-Glaude
  Rutgers University Rutgers University Press,
  2009.
• Stanley, Christine A., and Yvonna S. Lincoln.
  "Cross-Race Faculty Mentoring." Change 37.2 (Mar.
  2005) 44-50.