Developing Faculty Mentoring Programs

Book excerpt: A well-defined mentoring program is essential to faculty productivity and success. As institutions seek increase faculty diversity, adopt increased standards for faculty productivity, and become more aware of the benefits of extending mentoring beyond early-career, it's crucial to bring rigor and definition to your department's mentoring efforts. David Kiel, who worked with faculty leaders to design mentoring programs for all of UNC-Chapel Hill's professional schools and the College of Arts and Sciences, draws on years of research and experience to bring you this uniquely comprehensive handbook. This book includes practical strategies from a wide range of institutions, from community colleges to research universities. This nearly 600-page handbook covers not only what works but how to do it: Get a comprehensive primer for launching or improving mentoring programs for early-career, mid-career, and late-career faculty. And get 200+ pages of worksheets, checklists, templates, and assessments to help you refine your mentoring services. "Mentoring programs for faculty have long proven to be one of the most effective strategies colleges and universities have to promote career development, increase engagement, improve the level of student success, and foster innovative research. In Developing Faculty Mentoring Programs: A Comprehensive Handbook, David Kiel provides an in-depth look at best practices in how to design, develop, and maintain a systematic approach to faculty mentoring and answers every question about how to ensure the effectiveness of these programs. Based on practice experience and exhaustive research, this book is the blueprint that everyone interested in successful faculty mentoring should follow." - Jeffrey L. Buller, Senior Partner, ATLAS Leadership Training "Developing Faculty Mentoring Programs by David Kiel delivers fully on the promise of its sub-title to provide a Comprehensive Handbook on this important and productive practice in supporting the success of academics throughout their careers. This is a welcome addition to the literature on mentoring and will serve both faculty and administrators in their efforts to provide high quality and effective mentoring programs for their colleagues." - Deborah DeZure, Ph.D., Assistant Provost for Faculty and Organizational Development Emerita, Michigan State University