Department Mentors
Departments administer their internal mentoring programs and designate department mentors. It is expected that faculty on the tenure track and lecturers, as well as visitors who are teaching at Amherst for two continuous years or more, will be provided with a department mentor. Department mentors are tenured faculty and/or senior lecturers within the mentee's department and can include the department chair (more information below). Co-teachers can serve as assigned mentors, but this is not advisable because the two faculty members already have formed a significant relationship with one another.
Department mentors meet one-on-one with their mentees at least twice a semester. The mentor works with a tenured-track mentee until the person stands for tenure, with lecturers until the person stands for promotion to senior lecturer, and with visitors until they leave campus.
If a department would like to have a mentoring committee rather than single mentor, there should still be a point person in charge of both making sure meetings are scheduled and communicating with the chair.
Jointly appointed faculty are assigned a mentor or two mentors representing their departments. They are only assigned a college mentor by request. Faculty with joint appointments who would like a college mentor should email Pawan Dhingra, associate provost and associate dean of the faculy.
Department mentoring is a form of service and should be considered as such by departments. Department mentors do not receive additional compensation for mentoring. Meals, books, and other expenses tied to mentoring are covered by the provost's office for up to $200 per year for each mentor/mentee pairing. Email Pawan Dhingra about this support.
The mentor is expected to participate in the mentee’s annual conversations, as outlined in the department handbooks.
Helpful Links Regarding Department Mentorship
Information for departments about the process for designating department mentors
More information about expectations for department mentors
More information for department chairs about their role in departmental mentoring
Tips for departments, mentors, and mentees for successful mentoring sessions and relationships
College Mentors
The provost's office administers this mentoring program and designates college mentors. Mentees, all of whom are tenure-track faculty, are normally paired with one or more mentees and possibly with more than one mentor to form groups of three or more. There is no formal division between the goals of the department mentor and college mentor relationships. Having said that, the department mentor can more likely provide guidance about department issues and advancing within the mentee's (inter)discipline. The college mentor can provide feedback that may not be available within a faculty member's department, including a space for conversations for which mentees want a second opinion or may not feel comfortable asking within their department. Confidentiality is expected but not guaranteed with mentors. Confidentiality is expected but not guaranteed with mentors.
College mentors are expected to meet with their mentees at least twice a semester.
The provost's office checks in with college mentors and mentees once a semester to ensure that meetings are taking place and to see how the relationships are going. The goal is not to learn what is being discussed, but to offer an opportunity to hear any possible concerns or other feedback. If either the mentor or mentee requests a change, the provost's office will work to maintain the relationship if it is feasible to do so, or will facilitate a transition. Mentees should be told that they can reach out to the faculty equity and inclusion officers or to Pawan Dhingra to discuss their mentoring relationship.
College mentors receive $500 per year per mentee as a stipend. Meals, books, and other expenses tied to mentoring are covered by the provost's office, up to $200 per year for each group of college mentors and mentees. Contact Pawan Dhingra about this support.
Helpful Links Regarding College Mentorship
More information about expectations for college mentors
Tips for departments, mentors, and mentees for successful mentoring sessions and relationships
Information about the process for designating college mentors