MENTORING WITHIN DEPARTMENT
The Center for Teaching Excellence and Biblical Foundations for Faith and Learning (CTE) mentoring program is designed to intentionally support the development of new professors in the area of Biblical Foundations for Faith and Learning. The areas of emphasis include faith and learning through Foundational Fusion: the planning of instruction that naturally infuses faith within the teaching and learning experiences, as well as research, community service, and the culture of Southern, known as the “Southern Experience.”
In most cases each school/department will assign a faculty member in the school/department
to serve as an in-house mentor to new faculty. In-house mentors are responsible for
orienting new faculty to the specifics of the school/department. Mentors assigned
through the CTE will be a confidential liaison and an introduction to the more global
aspects of working at Southern.
"The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and
the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9 (NKJV)
A mentor serves as a guide to the institution. He/she has the responsibility to serve as a:
- Mentor for Foundational Fusion: the planning of instruction that naturally infuses faith within teaching and learning experiences
- Support person for professional growth offering collegiality, positive encouragement, trust, and the opportunity for confidential conversations and advice as the new professor adjusts to his/her new role
- Advocate for new professors by representing his or her needs and interests to experienced colleagues to ensure fair treatment at a stressful and thus vulnerable time in a new professor’s academic life
- The political structure of the university, so professors understand the context of major issues and how decisions are made through Ad Council, Senate, and University Assembly
- Introductions to colleagues and identifying excellent teachers who could be observed by new professors
- Teaching load and general teaching expectations: syllabi analysis, pacing of instruction, the value of getting assignments graded and returned to students at regular intervals, and the evaluation of learning through formative, on-going, and summative evaluation
- Student advisement leading to degree completion
- Potential referral to the Student Intervention Committee
- Resources available for their students: the Writing Center, Student Support Services, McKee Library, Online Campus, and eClass Support
- People, services, and opportunities outside the department available to support the professional development of the new professor: the Center for Teaching Excellence and Biblical Foundations for Faith and Learning, McKee Library, Online Campus and the eClass Help Desk
- The reappointment process including the development of the professional portfolio and the use of the Achieve Database
- Identification of opportunities for collaborative work: team teaching, research, and activities with other professors
Mentors will be invited to meet as a group prior to being assigned to a mentee. During this meeting, mentors will be given the guidelines for mentoring and share in discussions of application, resources, and dealing with differing personalities, in addition to other relevant information and training. Mentees will be assigned to Mentors as they are employed.
Mentors will be invited to attend and sit with their mentees during New Professor Orientation. Activities for building relationships will be a part of the New Professor Orientation. Mentors will help the mentee integrate into the university culture during this time.
Mentors should include the new professor in informal professional activities whenever possible, sit with them at Faculty Showcases, meet for lunch, and invite them to attend University Assembly. In addition, it is recommended that Mentors meet formally at least four times during the new professor’s first year.
We want to let our new professors know that we looking forward to their arrival. One of the best ways to do that is to be sure we are ready for them when they arrive. The items below are important to nonverbally say, “Welcome! We are glad to have you on our team!”
Because some of the items in the attached checklists may be covered by in-house mentors the CTE Mentor should check with the mentees to see if the following items have been covered by their in-house Mentor. If questions arise contact the CTE faculty.
In-Department Mentors
Suggested Meeting Times
- Make sure the office is ready for the new professor when they arrive.
- The office has been cleaned.
- The office is properly furnished.
- There is a working phone.
- A computer is available that is already pathed to needed drives and printers.
2. Identify the procedure for obtaining:
- necessary key access—get all door numbers needed for mentee
- access to the professor’s mailbox
- the copy code number for the copy machine, if applicable
3. Check to see if all textbook desk copies and support materials are available. If not, assist in ordering these.
4. Get a copy of the latest syllabus on file for each course the mentee will be teaching and have it ready for them.
- Discuss questions that may have arisen following New Professor Orientation.
- Explore important dates in the calendar, including:
- Employee Fall Picnic
- Employee wellness dates
- Bietz’s Welcome Party
- Technology Interactives
- Professor Study Circles
- University Senate and Assembly
- President’s Town Hall
- Dean’s Luncheon
- Apple Festival
- Community Service Day (MLK Day)
3. Describe the services available to professors, including:
- Center for Teaching Excellence and Biblical Foundations for Faith and Learning (Schedule an appointment for the mentee to meet with CTE Staff.)
- eClass Help Desk
- Information Systems and Card Desk
- McKee Library
- Southern Online Campus support team
- Student Support Services
- The Writing Center in McKee Library
4. Go over Southern's Calendar and professor expectations:
- Last day to add or drop a class
- Required attendance before and after breaks
- Student attendance policies including canceling classes due to inclement weather
- Tornado warnings while class is in session
- Final examination schedule and policy
5. Discuss student advisement issues as appropriate:
- Go over advising procedures and policies.
- Go through the Advising Notebook to point out important areas and answer questions, including requirements for courses identified as “W” writing courses and “S” service courses.
- Orient mentee to navigating the Student Academic Profile pages on www.Southern.edu.
6. Discuss the importance of using student feedback from course evaluations at the end of each semester and how to document teaching effectiveness for the professional portfolio.
7. Review course syllabi and common course components:
- Include required syllabi modules such as grading feedback timetables and accommodations for disabilities statement; see Syllabus Checklist from the Academic Administration web site.
- Connections to Biblical foundations for faith and learning
- Preparing the course calendar
- Posting syllabi on eClass and the Course Schedule
8. If your mentee will be teaching a section of a multiple-section course shared by other professors:
- Put them in contact with the other full-time professors of the course.
- Make sure they understand the necessity of strong working relationships among the partnering professors.
9. Review grading practices including:
- Distribution and posting of grades using eClass or MicroGrade—help for both can be obtained from the eClass Help Desk
- Use of the Writing Scoring Guide and explanation sheet rubric
10. Explain university policy on intellectual integrity and the use of Turnitin.
11. Discuss general academic policies:
- Workload
- Professor office hours
- Reporting and ending dates for professors
- Encourage attendance at university functions including Thursday Convocations, and stress we do not schedule departmental meetings during that time.
- Seeking approval for off campus trips
- Highlight the purpose and process for spending Professional Development Funds
- Encourage mentee to join a professional organization and subscribe to a professional journal
- Help mentee fill out employee expense report when necessary
12. Prepare for the first day of class:
- Discuss class devotions, make suggestions for appropriate length and possible resources
- Give guidance to structuring the first day of class in each course
13. Explore from a personal perspective any questions regarding:
- A church home
- Other community service/membership in community projects
- Highlights about living in Collegedale:
i. The Biology Trail
ii. Renting equipment from Outdoor Education Department
iii. The Student Cave
iv. Hulsey Wellness Center Benefits
v. University Health Center for clinic appointments or drawing blood
- Discuss grading practices:
- Encourage mentees to get the grades out to students at regular intervals.
- Show how to enter mid-term grades into Datatel; remind them of the due dates received from the Records and Advisement Office.
- Discuss posting final grades and process for changing grades.
2. Remind mentees of Student Support Services programs for at-risk students. Help mentee identify any student that should be referred for:
- Tutoring
- Writing Center
- Student Intervention Committee
3. Share information about Southern's Research Day and research practice/requirements at Southern.
- Discuss teaching strengths, insights, and areas for improvement based on the mentee’s experiences with his/her fall courses
- Go over Course Evaluations looking for areas to improve during second semester
2. Discuss professional portfolio expectations:
- Explore Southern’s professional portfolio rubric and discuss the necessity of regularly updating and gathering necessary data
3. Discuss yearly updating any changes to their Curriculum Vitae and the Achieve Database
-
- Advisee Notebook (See Sharon Rogers.)
- Center for Teaching Excellence and Biblical Foundations for Faith and Learning (See Cynthia Gettys)
- eClass Help Desk (See Greg Merchant.)
- Human Resources Website for:
- Employee Handbook
- Employee Forms
- Payday and Holiday Schedule
- Southern Online Campus
- Undergraduate and/or Graduate Student Handbook and Planner for:
- Official University Calendar (See Kari Shultz)
- University Website for:
- Paycheck stubs (EFTs and Statements) on university website
- Building and Department Location Information and Campus Map
- Academic Administration section—for resources and forms, including:
--- Writing Scoring Guide and explanation sheet found on the Academic Administration under Strategic Plans and Assessments
--- Research information and forms for Academic Research Committee (ARC)
--- Institutional Review Board (IRB) – On eClass
4. Course Schedule to post syllabi prior to start of the semester
5. Curriculum Forms from the Academic Administration Site on www.southern.edu