Best Practices for Mentors

Best Practices for Mentors

BestStandardWorst

Mutually agreed-upon goals, boundariesDiscussion of goals, boundaries No discussion of goals, boundaries

As needed

Understands mentee’s roleSeeks clarification of mentee’s roleNo understanding, clarification of mentee’s

And limits of that roleas neededrole

Encourages students’ research interestsDoesn’t interfere with students’ interestsThwarts students’ research interests

Prompt, constructive feedbackNot always timely, constructiveNo feedback, or deceptive/destructive feedback feedback

Proactively exposes mentee to academicOccasionally offers opportunitiesNever offers opportunities

And professional opportunities

Long-term commitmentCommitment during degree programNo commitment during or after degree

Program

Best Practices for Mentees

BestStandardWorst

Mutually agreed-upon goals, boundaries Discussion of goals, boundaries as neededNo discussion of goals,

Boundaries

Understands mentor’s role and limits of Seeks clarification of mentor’s roleNo understanding or clarification

That roleof mentor’s role

Understands one might have to contributeJust works on mentor’s research programRefuses or performs marginally on

To mentor’s research program while alsoanything unrelated to one’s own

Working on one’s owninterests

Accepts and builds on constructive criticismHears but does not build on constructiveDoes not hear, resists, discards

Criticismconstructive criticism

Long-term commitmentCommitment during degree programNo commitment during or after

Degree program

Best Practices for Departments & Organizations

BestStandardWorst

Train junior faculty in mentoringGive mentoring advice to jr. faculty as neededNo guidance for junior

Faculty

Written policy on mentoring with proper Unspoken practice, no trainingArbitrary mentoring activities

training

In-house mediation process available toDeal with problems as they come upHide problem, does not deal

Both parties with representatives fromwith it

Both groups

Prompt attention and support for studentsPersistent, vocal students get attentionNo support for students with

With bad mentoring experiencesbad mentoring experiences

Reassignment, special arrangements forStudents figure out how to recover fromNo provisions made for

Students with failed mentor relationshipsfailed mentor relationshipsstudents with failed mentor

Relationships

Positive support for mentee reassignmentsMay or may not support mentee reassignmentsRetaliation for reassignments

Support, help for bad mentorsNo support, help for bad mentorsPunishment with no help or

Second chance for bad

Mentors

Thorough investigation, fair to both sidesMinimal investigationNo investigation, or one- sided investigation