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A single conversation with a wise teacher is better than ten years of

study.

~Chinese Proverb

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Table  of  Contents  

A  Word  from  Dean  Childers........................................................................................................3  

Introduction  and  Acknowledgements.....................................................................................4  

Developing  Relationships  with  Mentors ................................................................................5  What  Is  Mentoring  and  Why  is  it  Important?..................................................................................5  

Why  a  Formal  Mentoring  Program?.........................................................................................7  How  to  Prepare  for  a  Meeting  with  a  Mentor..................................................................................8  

How  to  Increase  Your  Chances  of  Getting  Good  Mentoring .......................................... 10  

Clarifying  Roles  and  Responsibilities................................................................................... 11  

How  to  Be  a  Good  Protégé ........................................................................................................ 12  Being  a  Responsible  Mentee .............................................................................................................. 13  

What  to  Do  if  Problems  Arise .................................................................................................. 15  

Mentorship  Issues  within  a  Diverse  Community.............................................................. 17  Common  Themes  Across  Groups...................................................................................................... 18  Themes  Particular  to  Specific  Groups ............................................................................................ 22  Women  Graduate  Students ...............................................................................................................................22  Lesbian,  Gay,  Bisexual,  Transgendered,  Queer  (LGBTQ) .....................................................................25  Underrepresented  Minority  Graduate  Students ......................................................................................27  International  Graduate  Students ....................................................................................................................31  Graduate  Students  with  Family  Responsibilities.....................................................................................33  Graduate  Students  with  Working-­‐Class  Backgrounds ..........................................................................35  Graduate  Students  with  Disabilities..............................................................................................................37  Non-­‐Traditional  Returning  Graduate  Students........................................................................................40  

Mentoring  Issues  Facing  Underrepresented  Faculty ...................................................... 42  

Looking  Ahead:  Growing  Your  Mentoring  Team  for  Years  2-­5.................................... 44  

Graduate  Division  Contacts ..................................................................................................... 50  

Academic  Integrity  Guidelines ............................................................................................... 53  

Works  Cited  and  Consulted...................................................................................................... 55    

 

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A  Word  from  Dean  Childers  

Dear Graduate Students:

Congratulations on being selected to UC Riverside’s Peer Mentor Program. I

am excited to welcome you to a project I see as essential to the success of

graduate students across the curriculum.

This guidebook for graduate students reflects UCR’s acknowledgment

of the important role mentoring plays within graduate education; here

at UCR, faculty members have always embraced that responsibility.

This year, we are fortunate to have the resources to create mentoring

teams that include both faculty and graduate students. In doing so, I

believe we have begun to create a kind of mentoring relationships that will

help our diverse population achieve great successes.

In this year of your mentoring program, I urge you to track carefully your processes,

progress, and successes so that we can share the details of your path through graduate school

with incoming students. All of your feedback is important both to me and to those others

whose work has contributed to this beginning, a beginning I hope together we can turn into

an ongoing championing of the graduate community.

I appreciate the time you take to read this guide, your commitment to your education, and

your dedication to a successful graduate experience.

 

 

Joe Childers Graduate Dean UCR

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Introduction  and  Acknowledgements    

An important part of the mission of the Graduate School is to improve the quality of the

graduate student experience. To that end, we constantly seek innovations that will support

our student body and help us develop our student programs. The Mentoring Program offers

curriculum, student, and faculty support that could potentially transform the graduate student

experience.

In putting together this UCR mentoring handbook, we consulted resources and materials

from multiple peer institutions. We leaned heavily on the work of the Rackham School of

Graduate Studies, but we also drew from handbooks from University of Nebraska, Lincoln,

Washington University, and others. Their themes resonated well with our own campus

experience. UCR’s graduate students, faculty, and staff were likewise instrumental in adding

to our handbook their insights and experience. Finally, much of this information was

borrowed from the UCR website.

Like most programs, ours is subject to change. We hope to gain from this foray into

mentoring the kind of information only available from the ground zero perspective. This

handbook will change and grow as our program develops and our goals and outcomes

become clearer. It will improve as both mentors and mentees provide us with accounts of

triumphs and failures, of challenges and solutions, of ideas and innovations. We invite you to

add your voices to those reflected in future versions of this handbook by sharing your

thoughts with us. To that end, please contact Kim Palmore Director, Professional

Development at kim.palmore@ucr.edu or call her at 951-827-6113.

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Developing  Relationships  with  Mentors  

As you read through this section, bear in mind that each department

and program has its own culture, requirements for a degree, and career

trajectories. Because of the wide variability that exists, you will find

that specific items we discuss in this section may or may not pertain to

your particular situation. For instance, in some programs students

choose an advisor when they decide to come to UCR; in others, they are assigned an advisor

for their first year; in still others, it is possible that graduate students can progress through

much of their graduate career without formally connecting with faculty members.

What  Is  Mentoring  and  Why  is  it  Important?  A mentoring relationship is a close, individualized relationship, formally established between

graduate students and peer and faculty mentors. A mentor is a knowledgeable and

experienced guide, a trusted ally and advocate, and a caring role model. An effective mentor

is respectful, reliable, patient, trustworthy, and a very good listener and communicator. The

role of mentor is centered on a commitment to advancing a student’s career through an

interpersonal engagement that facilitates sharing guidance, experience, and expertise.

As you may know by now, graduate school is vastly different from your undergraduate

experience. One of the main differences is that as an undergraduate, the goal was to obtain

knowledge, while in graduate school your goal is also to contribute to a field of knowledge.

Graduate school is the professional training ground where you learn the skills you need both

to be successful in your field and to gain an understanding of how your discipline works.

Mentoring is important to graduate students not only because of the knowledge and skills that

are learned, but also because of the many other aspects of socialization, professional ethics,

and personal support that are needed to facilitate success in graduate school and beyond.

• Mentors support your advancement in research activity, conference presentations,

publication, pedagogical skill, and grant writing.

• With a mentor, you are less likely to feel ambushed by bumps in the road, having been

both alerted to them and provided resources for dealing with these stressful or difficult

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periods in your graduate career.

• Mentors help you to accrue experiences and networks of professional contacts that may

improve your prospects of securing professional placement.

• The knowledge that your mentors are committed to your progress, give you solid

advice, and advocate for you, helps to lower stress and build confidence.

• Constructive interaction with a mentor and participation in collective activities he or

she arranges promote your engagement in the field.

Research shows that students who have mentoring relationships have higher productivity

levels, a higher level of involvement with their departments, and greater satisfaction with

their programs (Green & Bauer, 1995).

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Why  a  Formal  Mentoring  Program?  

 

Both faculty and advancing graduate students have numerous demands and responsibilities. It

is often difficult for them to take time from busy schedules to talk to new graduate students.

Even those with the best intentions find themselves steeped in their own projects and unable

to break for spontaneous interactions with students. A formal mentoring program stresses the

importance of guiding and supporting incoming students. Both faculty and peer mentors

schedule formal mentoring time into their yearly planners. Though they may seem quite

busy, keep in mind that they have planned to help you throughout this first year. Those

mentors engaged in this project readily acknowledged the many ways they benefit from

mentoring graduate students, including keeping abreast of new knowledge and new

techniques and reaping the personal joys and satisfactions inherent in the mentoring

relationship.

In the UCR program, you will be assigned to both a faculty and peer mentor. These two

people will likely be within your college and may be from within your discipline. The three

of you will work closely to help you conquer cultural, personal, and academic issues that

arise when a student undertakes all that comes with going to grad school.

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Establishing  a  Mentoring  Relationship

It is not unusual for graduate students to feel hesitant about the first interaction with a

mentor, particularly a faculty mentor. Before your first meeting, make a thorough self-

appraisal.

Figure out what will help you to thrive as a graduate student. Use this information right away

to help establish your relationship with your initial faculty and peer mentors. Use it later on

to match yourself with faculty or others who can provide you with what you need. Ask

yourself these questions:

• What are my objectives in entering graduate school?

• What types of training do I desire?

• What are my strengths?

• What skills do I need to develop?    

• What kinds of research or creative projects do I want to work on?

• How much independent versus hand-in-hand work do I want to do?

• What type of career do I want to pursue?

Avoid Judging your Mentors

Although such characteristics as race, gender, nationality, and sexual orientation are

significant aspects of your identity, they constitute only some of the qualities you should

consider when selecting a mentor. Don’t judge your assigned faculty or mentors too hastily,

especially if you are doing so based only on identity factors. Mentors who are different from

you can contribute valuable insights to you and your work. Research clearly shows that the

keys to good mentoring are sharing mutual interests and having good rapport (Atkinson,

Neville, & Casas, 1991; Faison, 1996; Ragins & Scandura, 1991; Struthers, 1995).

How  to  Prepare  for  a  Meeting  with  a  Mentor  You will likely meet both your faculty and peer mentors during orientation, but the first

private meeting can still be difficult. Your peer mentor will contact you to establish times for

weekly meetings, but you may have to initiate meetings with your faculty mentor. Arriving at

the first meeting can be daunting, and some graduate students are

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reluctant to even make an appointment. To make this easier, gather your materials, ideas, and

questions. Remember, you have a lot of insight to guide you if you have first examined your

own academic and professional goals.

The goals of your initial meetings with all current or potential mentors are to make a positive

impression and to establish a working rapport. You may also want to assess whether a

particular faculty member will be a good academic fit for you later on in your graduate

career.

The list that follows may give you a better understanding of how to present yourself and what

topics to discuss with them. Do not follow this list verbatim; instead, use it to trigger ideas

about what topics of conversation are most important to you. Keep in mind that the

mentoring relationship is one that evolves over time and oftentimes begins because of a

particular need.

Mutual Interests: Share your prior academic, professional, or personal experiences. Ask

your mentors about their recent work. Discuss with them ways in which their interests

intersect with yours.

Motivation and Direction: All mentors want motivated students who are eager to move

onto the next level of their professional growth. State your goals as you see them right now.

Ask about ways you can further explore these goals – what courses you should take and what

projects you should link to.

Initiative: Be proactive. For instance, seek further conversations with mentors about

academic, social, or logistical issues. Ask them for suggestions about other

people and experiences that will help you develop your skills and

knowledge.  

Skills and Strengths: Show them why they should invest in you. Let them

know what qualities you bring to this relationship — research or language

skills, creativity, analytical techniques, computer skills, willingness to learn, enthusiasm, and

commitment.

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In any meeting with mentors, keep the following in mind:

Respect their time. Be sure you know how much time they have available to

give you and be aware of how quickly time is passing. If you need additional

time, schedule another meeting to discuss the remaining topics.

How  to  Increase  Your  Chances  of  Getting  Good  Mentoring  Have Realistic Expectations

As stated previously, in order for you to develop mentoring relationships, you must be

proactive. It is your task to initiate conversation about issues you wish to discuss with your

mentors.

You also need to have a realistic idea about what any single mentor can do for you.

Faculty are more likely to respond to requests for specific types of assistance. Analyze what

you need from your mentor or another specific faculty member and explicitly ask for help

with those tasks or with reaching those goals.

Finally, remember that part of your job as a graduate student is to develop and demonstrate

your abilities to be an independent scholar. If you ask for an excessive amount of help, you

run the risk of having that faculty member feel they are doing your work. What is determined

to be excessive will vary by professor and discipline.

Discuss this with the professor if you have any concerns.

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Clarifying  Roles  and  Responsibilities  Problems in mentorship most often come about because of misunderstandings about the

expectations the parties have of one another. Although you do not need to set up a formal

contract, some people find it helpful to specify mutual agreements about their respective

roles and responsibilities. Discuss expectations with both your initial team mentors and

anyone else you may solicit later as a mentor. Pay particular attention to the expectations

you have of your advisor and that your advisor has of you.

Goals: Develop a work plan that includes both short-term and long-term goals as well as a

timeframe for reaching those goals. At meetings, discuss your progress, as well as any

additional training and experiences you need in order to achieve your goals. If modifications

are necessary, inform your mentors and agree upon a new work plan.

Meetings: Decide how often you will meet face-to-face, being sure that you request the

amount of time you need in order to succeed. You will meet with your peer mentor each

week the first year, and you will likely meet with your faculty

advisor several times each quarter. Discuss whether e-mail is okay

for certain issues or questions that might arise between meetings.

Find out under what circumstances, if any, the mentor feels it is

appropriate to be called or texted, and let the mentor know if you

have any restrictions as well.

Feedback: Clarify how often the mentor will give you feedback about your general work and

your progress. For feedback on specific work, if this is appropriate to your relationship with

your mentor, find out how long it typically takes them to get back to you.

If you and your mentor agree to discuss your papers and projects, make sure you provide him

or her the text or project well in advance of any other due dates. Inquire about current

workloads and whether he or she can manage within your timeframe. Find out if your

mentors tend to provide a lot of comments or very few, so that you won’t be taken aback

later on.

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How  to  Be  a  Good  Protégé  Having thoughtfully established your relationship with your mentoring team, you must then

maintain these relationships in a professional manner. It is imperative to show by your

attitude and actions that you are a responsible junior colleague. Here are a few tips on how to

be a good protégé.

Be Efficient in Your Interactions with Faculty and Peer Mentors

Meetings

• Show up for scheduled meetings on time.

• Meetings will be most productive when you accept responsibility for “running” the

meeting. Your role is to raise the issues and questions while the mentor’s role is to respond.

• For each meeting, be prepared with an agenda of topics that need to be discussed - and

prioritize them so you are asking your most important questions first.

• At the conclusion of the meeting or through e-mail, summarize any agreements that have

been reached. Also restate what you will be doing and what they committed themselves to

doing for you. Ask them to respond if they disagree with anything you have stated.

• If your mentor is facing a work emergency at the time of your meeting, offer to reschedule

the meeting, shorten it, or handle the matter over email.

Be flexible, but remain committed to getting what you need in a timely manner.

• If you need to cancel a meeting, make sure that your message is left in a manner that

reaches the mentor. Do not rely solely on e-mail, since many people do not check their e-mail

every day.

Respect Boundaries

Although friendship is not a necessary component for mentorship, friendships between

faculty and peer mentors and graduate students can and do develop. This can be especially

true with junior faculty who may feel they have more in common with graduate students than

with their new faculty colleagues. Although such relationships can have lifetime benefits for

both parties, some faculty have voiced concerns about potential problems that can arise.

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Sometimes it is more difficult for graduate students to accept criticism of their work from

faculty they consider to be their friends.

• Be mindful that although you may have a friendship with a particular faculty member, a

hierarchical arrangement still exists. One can even say it exists for your benefit since your

faculty mentors need to be critical in order to help you do you best work.

• Do not be tempted to drop in on mentors for casual conversation without their approval

each time. Periodically check to see whether you are overstaying your welcome.

Being  a  Responsible  Mentee   Papers, Proposals or Creative Works

• Do not ask faculty mentors to give you feedback on work that you have not carefully

developed, revised, and edited. Ask a friend or peer mentor to read your paper first. Ideally,

this person should be familiar with the topic so s/he can remark on the content and style.

• Do not ask mentors to re-read an entire paper if only certain sections have been revised.

Instead, mark the new or edited sections by underlining them, putting them in boldface, or by

using a different font.

• Create or join a group in which students present their work to each other for feedback.

Recommendation Letters

• Provide updated copies of your curriculum vitae.

• Leave clear written instructions as to when the letters are due and to whom to send them.

Attach a stamped and addressed envelope for each letter. If you have several letters, create a

calendar for your mentor that lists application deadlines.

• Provide a short description about the fellowship, grant, or program for which you are

applying.

• Provide details about how you are structuring your application and what points you would

like your mentor to emphasize.

• Submit these materials with enough advance time for your mentor to write a letter.

• In case the professor misplaces the application materials, keep extra copies of all forms.

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Take Yourself Seriously

Make the transition from thinking of yourself as a bright student to seeing yourself as a

potential colleague.

• Attend departmental lectures and other activities.

• Join professional associations and societies.  

• Attend conferences and use these opportunities to network with others.

• Seek out opportunities to present your work (in your department or through outside

conferences, publications, performances).

• Attend teaching workshops and discipline-specific pedagogy classes.

Receive Criticism the Right Way

Accept critiques of your work in a professional manner. If you disagree with a particular

criticism, demonstrate that you are willing to consider that point. If after thinking about it for

some time you still disagree, demonstrate your ability to defend your ideas in a professional

and well-thought-out manner.

Be Responsible

It is your responsibility to update your mentors about your progress and your struggles. Take

charge and own your education. Never give the impression that you are avoiding your

mentors.

Demonstrate Your Commitment to the Profession

Professors talk about commitment in terms of “being involved in your work,” “embracing the

work as your own,” or “deciding you want to be the world’s expert in a

particular area.”

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Follow Your Mentor’s Advice

Read the books or articles your mentors suggest, and let them know what you thought about

those suggestions. Mentors want to know that the time they spend with you goes to good use.

What  to  Do  if  Problems  Arise

If the terms of a mentoring relationship have been clearly established at

the outset, there should be few problems between you and your mentors as

you move through your graduate program. But occasionally situations do

arise which hinder timely completion of degree work, such as the birth of a child or a family

crisis. If this happens to you, be sure to take the initiative and contact your mentors. Discuss

your situation with them, providing the information you feel they need to know. As soon as

possible, get back to them with a new timeline for completing your projects, papers, or

degree. Be sure the revised plan is realistic and that you can meet the new deadlines.

By the same token, remember that situations occasionally arise for mentors that could impede

their ability to help you. If something like this happens repeatedly, you should talk about this

with the faculty mentor involved. Do this in person, when it first becomes evident that there

is a problem. Face-to-face meetings can lead to more satisfactory results than e-mail, since

one’s tone and message can be easily misconstrued when communicating online or even by

phone.

Sometimes mentors can give you advice on how to deal with problematic issues that arise

with one of your professors. Here you can see one of the best reasons to develop a team of

mentors to support your efforts in graduate school. If you want someone to intercede on your

behalf, faculty mentors can often provide guidance about how to proceed.

Departmental staff such as the administrative assistants or grad coordinators also can clarify

departmental expectations and standards, and they may be able to provide suggestions on

how to resolve problems based on past experience. Administrative staff also should know

about other people or offices on campus that can assist you.

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Finally, if you are not able to resolve issues with your professors or mentors on your own, or

with the advice of other faculty and staff, you may find it advisable to talk to the graduate

chair or your department chair. At any point, you may find it helpful to talk things over with

staff or faculty in the UCR Graduate Division. Please contact Kim Palmore, Director,

Professional Development (951-827-6113 or kim.palmore@ucr.edu) about ideas and

strategies for resolving problematic mentoring issues.

   

 

 

 

 

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Mentorship  Issues  within  a  Diverse  Community    

UCR is a diverse campus and supports that diversity in its many

manifestations. A diverse graduate student population greatly

enriches the scholarly, cultural, and social activities at the

University. The Graduate School is therefore committed to

examining the issues that students from historically underrepresented or marginalized

populations face, with the expectation that ultimately this will be of assistance to all of our

graduate students. The purpose of this section is to present the experiences of a diverse array

of graduate students.

Many common issues surface in different populations of graduate students. Yet there are also

issues of greater concern to one set of students than another. Moreover, not all students from

a particular group share the concerns listed. Indeed, a great deal of variability exists within

each group in regard to their perspectives and experiences. Therefore, when we note such

problems as “women can find it difficult to speak up in class,” we refer to common problems

found in that community.

If you recognize your experiences in what you read below, we want you to take comfort in

knowing that you are not alone. Realize that the concerns you face are not due to any

personal deficiency, but are issues that others face as well. On the other hand, if you do not

share the experiences described, we hope the following material will provide you with insight

into issues facing others who are different from you.

After detailing each issue, we offer a list of actions you can take to help to improve the

graduate experience for yourself and other students. We consider this to be just the start of

possible recommendations. We would appreciate hearing from you about other ideas so that

we can share these with the graduate community as well

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Common  Themes  Across  Groups  The Imposter Syndrome

At one time or another nearly every graduate student

wonders about his or her competence. “Sure, I got into

grad school, but it is just a matter of time before (insert bad

news here: I am exposed, I get kicked out, they find their mistake, or I fail.) I am obviously

not as smart as everyone else, and that will soon become obvious.”

Often, even new faculty members suffer from the imposter syndrome, wondering if the first

or the second published article was a fluke, if it is possible to repeat this kind of success. The

impostor syndrome runs rampant in academia—and women and minority students are

especially prone to it.

The impostor syndrome is the feeling of being an intellectual fraud, and it is particularly rife

among high achieving persons. It is characterized by the inability to accept one’s success:

denying accomplishments, awards, and academic excellence as well as dismissing success as

simply luck, good timing, or perseverance. Those who suffer from Imposter Syndrome

believe that they have only fooled people into accepting them into their university or

program. They deem themselves less capable than others believe. This, of course, is not true.

What it is, however, is damaging to a graduate student’s self-esteem, and therefore, his or her

productivity. The Imposter Syndrome perpetuates an unwillingness to contribute to

discussions or to take reasonable risks in research projects for fear of being found out.

Suggestions

• Taking realistic and accurate assessments of your performance is key to moving past the

impostor syndrome. Such assessments, however, are difficult. With each success, take time

to jot down the specific actions that led to success as well as what experience and qualities

underlies your success at completing each action.

• Perhaps more important is to realize that you are not alone. Talk with other students. Talk

about how you're doing and you'll learn about their successes, failures, and concerns. Social

comparison can help you see that others are in the same boat—we all question our abilities at

  19  

one time or another. The tough part is to not let those questions detract from our work and

our sense of competence.

Need for Role Models

Students from historically underrepresented or marginalized groups have a harder time

finding faculty role models who might have had experiences similar to their own. As some

students say, they want to find “someone who looks like me;” “someone who immediately

understands my experiences and perspectives;” “someone whose very presence lets me know

I, too, can make it in the academy.”

Suggestions

• Work with your faculty mentors to get names of other people in your department, across the

university, or at other universities who may have had experiences similar to yours.

• Don’t lose sight of the fact that you can receive very good mentoring from faculty who are

of a different gender, race, or culture. After all, past generations of minority scholars did just

that. As one professor of color pointed out: “It is important to develop ties and networks

irrespective of race and gender but based on what people can offer.”

• When job openings arise, work within your department or program to identify qualified job

candidates who represent diverse backgrounds. Attend the job talks and meet these potential

faculty mentors.

Questioning the Canons

Students from underrepresented or marginalized groups, particularly those in the social

sciences and humanities, sometimes find that their perspectives or experiences do not fit into

the current academic canons. At the worst extreme, some students from other universities

have reported that when they select research questions focusing on race, gender, or sexual

orientation, professors deem their work irrelevant. More commonly, underrepresented

students find that their experiences are missing from current theory and research. These

students need safe environments where their thoughts can be shared and valued, as they

explore, and possibly challenge, traditional inquiry.

  20  

Suggestions

• Be prepared to show a faculty member the value and relevance of new lines of inquiry.

Formulate a strong argument about the importance of this question to the growth of your

field. Introduce a scholarly article or essay as an example of the work you would like to do.

Test your argument by talking with peers and others who could give you helpful feedback.

Unfortunately, not all students meet with success in doing this. Some students are able to find

other faculty who are receptive; others change the focus of their dissertations with plans to

resume this interest after they complete their degrees; while still others change their

departments or choose to go to other universities.

• There are many interdisciplinary programs and research centers across campus that may

provide you with a community of scholars with interests similar to your own.

Fear of Being Categorized as a “Single-Issue” Scholar

Some students are concerned that by selecting dissertation topics that focus on such issues as

gender, race, or sexual orientation, others will see them as being only interested in these

topics for the rest of their professional careers.

Suggestions

• Throughout your graduate school career, demonstrate the breadth of your intellectual

curiosity through your contributions in classes, seminars, brown bags and lectures.

• As you develop your mentoring relationships, be clear with the faculty about the range of

your research interests.

• When you go out on the job market, be sure to talk about your other research

Feelings of Isolation

Students from historically underrepresented groups can feel

particularly isolated or alienated from other students in their departments, especially if the

composition of a program is highly homogenous.

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Suggestions

• Ask mentors or peers to introduce you to students and faculty with similar interests.

• Investigate organizations within or outside the University that might provide

you with a sense of belonging. Some examples are cultural and religious

groups, as well as reading groups and professional associations.

Burden of Being a Spokesperson

Students from underrepresented groups often expend a lot of time and energy

speaking up when issues such as race, class, gender or sexual orientation arise

or are being ignored. These students point out how most of their peers have an

advantage in not carrying such a burden.

Suggestion

• Seek out support and strategies from others facing this same situation. Plug into other

networks in your department or across campus. Perhaps one of the many student groups can

help you.

Seeking Balance

Students observe that professors need to devote large parts of their lives to work in order to

be successful in the academy. Students from all disciplines say that they feel faculty expect

them to spend every waking minute of their days on their work.

Suggestions

• Look for workshops or panel discussions exploring the topic of balancing work and home.

• Seek out role models whom you can talk to about how they balance the

many sides of their lives.

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Themes  Particular  to  Specific  Groups  

Women Graduate Students Assertiveness

While traditionally females have been raised to be polite and soft-spoken, it is clear that

successful graduate students need to assert themselves in classroom discussions. Many

women report the difficulties they have in speaking up in class. Too often, they find that in

order to say something in class, they have to interrupt another student. Women often see

interjecting themselves in this manner as being rude and disrespectful. Some fear

that their lack of participation in discussions will be wrongly interpreted as their

not having any thoughts at all. On the other hand, other women tell us that when

they assert themselves, they are subjected to criticism in a way that men are

not—even though it is the same behavior.

Competitiveness

Research has verified that many students, but especially women, can feel alienated by the

competitive and critical atmosphere that pervades many graduate programs. Women are

certainly capable of being critical of others’ work when they think it is appropriate, but they

see some students as being overly critical in order to appear intellectually superior. Women

too often see that the system does not reward one for praising the contributions of other

scholars. Some women students suggest that graduate school would be less competitive if

there were more opportunities to do collaborative work.

Importance of Positive Feedback

Both male and female students can find that they do not receive much clear positive feedback

on their work in graduate school. Although this is problematic in its own right, it also appears

that the lack of positive feedback leads women, more so than men, to end up doubting their

capabilities (Nerad, 1992). In addition, women graduate students tend to think that any

negative experiences they have in graduate school are due to personal deficiencies in

themselves, while men tend to attribute negative experiences to insufficient guidance or to

problems within the department (Nerad and Stewart, 1991). Moreover, men are more content

  23  

than women with mentors who are impersonal but offer instrumental advice. Women tend to

interpret a professor’s distance as an indication that the professor has a negative opinion of

them.

Suggestions

• Consider talking to the professor about what is going on in his or her classroom that makes

it difficult for you to participate. Suggest specific ways he or she could make it easier for you

to participate in class discussion. For instance, you may find it helpful if the professor directs

a question to you about what you think about a particular topic. In addition, think of ways to

participate that do not require someone else’s intervention. Write down your questions or

points you want to make in class. This will make it easier to see when an interjection is

appropriate. Or, consider starting the class discussion by making an initial comment.

Learning to manage the floor will be of service to you throughout your academic career.

• If you find that a professor only engages in brief conversations with you about the task at

hand, do not jump to the assumption that this person does not value you as a student.

Understand this may just be the way this person is, or that s/he may not have time for more

interaction, and this is not necessarily a reflection on you. Don’t forego the types of

assistance this person may be able to give you. Take his or her assistance and look elsewhere

for more personal types of support. Remember that the task at hand is typically the first

priority.

For more information on Women’s Resources

Women's Resource Center

The Women's Resource Center (WRC) at the University of California, Riverside offers programs and services which provide awareness and proactive response on female and male students’ issues and concerns, connecting theory, research, experiential learning, co-curricular development, and practical application. The WRC promotes student retention, safety, equal opportunity, and knowledge and skill development. The Center enhances quality of life through advocacy, educational programs, counseling, enrichment activities, support groups, and referrals.

  24  

260 Costo Hall Riverside, California 92521 (951) 827-3337 Adrienne Sims, Director (951) 827-3466 drasims@ucr.edu http://wrc.ucr.edu/

Department of Women's Studies 2033 CHASS Interdisciplinary Building University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA 92521 Phone: 951-827-6427 Fax: 951-827-6386 http://www.womensstudies.ucr.e

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer (LGBTQ) Graduate Students

Homophobia

LGBT students maintain that it is not uncommon to

encounter homophobia in the classroom—either as a

student or as a graduate student instructor. Remarks

can range from the blatantly offensive to the less

obvious such as “that is so gay.”

Heterosexism

LGBT students often hear professors and students in classes or in social settings discuss a

given subject with the unconscious assumption that everyone is heterosexual.

Even faculty and students who are aware of gender and racial issues may be unaware of

their tendency to think about the world from an exclusively heterosexual perspective. As

a result, LGBT students may find their experiences are not represented in research or in

discussions.

Disclosing

Being out as an LGBT student (or faculty) is not a one-time event, but instead is a

decision the person experiences each time s/he enters a new

situation. LGBT students face a burden of having to assess

the personal, social, and political ramifications of

disclosing their sexual orientation each time they do so.

Since heterosexual students do not have to disclose their

sexuality, only LGBT students face these physically and

emotionally draining experiences.

  26  

Suggestions

• Only you can assess your environment and know when and where it is comfortable for

you to be out. However, you may find it helpful to talk with other LGBTQ graduate

students and/or faculty.

For more information on GLBTQ Resources

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center The LGBT Resource Center provides support, education, and advocacy regarding sexual orientation and gender identity for the UC Riverside campus community. 245 Costo Hall University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 http://out.ucr.edu/

  27  

Underrepresented Minority Graduate Students Students of color speak passionately about many issues, most of which are covered in the

section entitled “Common Themes Across Groups.” Among

these issues, the one most often cited was their lack of role

models. The lack of faculty of color reduces their chances of

finding someone in their fields who “looks like them.” Low

numbers of faculty of color convey the message that the

academy remains an unwelcoming environment for many who

are not white. Students report that many underrepresented

students, especially African American and Latino students,

sometimes feel other students and faculty assume they are less

qualified to be in graduate school. On the other hand, Asian

American students are burdened by the “model minority” myth, which assumes they are

exemplary students particularly in math and science. Stereotyping in either direction has

negative consequences for students of color.

Sometimes underrepresented students are or feel overlooked for Graduate Student

Instructor and Graduate Student Research Assistant appointments. As a result, these

students have fewer opportunities to interact with faculty or to experience the formal and

informal mentoring that occurs for student instructors or research assistants. They also

miss the teaching and research experiences that strengthen their graduate work and their

curricula vitae.

Suggestions

• Even though you may know you are competent, be aware that stereotyping can

undermine your confidence in your own abilities. Should you start to feel a dip in your

self-confidence, discuss these feelings with a fellow student (or a group of students).You

may also find help from a trusted professor or perhaps a counselor.

  28  

Office of Affirmative Action

The Office of Faculty & Staff Affirmative Action at UCR provides comprehensive

services to the campus addressing questions and concerns regarding equal employment

opportunity and affirmative action in employment. The Office strives to eliminate

inappropriate barriers in accordance with Federal and State laws, as well as University

policies. Services provided to the campus include policy development and updating of the

campus’ Affirmative Action Plan, investigations of complaints, mediation of disputes, as

well as advising the campus on laws, rules, regulations, and issues affecting equal

opportunity and affirmative action. In addition, the office monitors the recruitment and

selection of faculty.

Surge Building 339

900 University Ave

Riverside, CA 92521

951-827-5604

AffirmativeAction@ucr.edu  

African Student Programs

Born from the historic struggles against oppression in all forms, African Student

Programs was created in 1972 to sustain a socially just and inclusive campus community.

As people of the African Diaspora, we honor our multiple identities and cultures and

advocate for their inclusion in defining the values of the university.

133 Costo Hall

Riverside, CA. 92521

Phone: 951-827-4576

Fax: 951-827-3995

http://asp.ucr.edu/

Asian Pacific Student Programs

The Asian Pacific Student Programs Office strives to promote a diverse learning

environment, providing the UC Riverside community with opportunities to learn from

and about the Asian and Pacific Islander student population. We support students in their

  29  

pursuit of academic excellence, and as they contribute to the growth of our campus. We

strive to maximize each student's leadership potential, promoting their involvement in

defining their own issues and advocating for their own concerns. We promote an

educational dialogue that respects and embraces the unique histories and experiences of

ethnic communities, and incorporates these values into the development of the cultural

fabric of the institution.

244 Costo Hall

University of California, Riverside, CA 92521

951- 827-7272

http://www.apsp.ucr.edu/  

Chicano Student Programs

Chicano Student Programs was founded on campus in 1972. It remains the only existing

Chicano student services department in the UC system. The “official” purpose of

Chicano Student Programs was to “create a vehicle for professors to become active with

the Chicano community.” But Chicano faculty along with students and staff on campus

were already reaching out to the community so the need to solidify these efforts was

addressed by creating Chicano Student Programs.

Estella Acuña

Director

E-mail: estella.acuna@ucr.edu

Phone: 951- 827-3822

http://csp.ucr.edu/

Native American Student Programs

The Native American Student Programs office provides educational, cultural, and social

support for American Indian students. This office coordinates a variety of activities

designed to expand education awareness for American Indian students as well as the

campus community. NASP encourages the development and enhancement of leadership

and interpersonal communication skills through active participation, which makes it

  30  

possible to plan and implement innovative programs, that promotes and educates the

campus community about the uniqueness of American Indians.

Office Hours: M-F 8a.m. - 5p.m.

Phone: 951-827-4143 951-827-4396

Joshua Gonzales- joshuag@ucr.edu

John Valdez- john.valdez@ucr.edu

Mailing Address:

Native American Student Programs

University of California, Riverside

229 Costo Hall

Riverside, CA 92521

www.nasp.ucr.edu

  31  

International Graduate Students Issues of Culture and Language in the

Classroom

Choosing to study in the United States means

that many of our international students now

need to function in a second language and adjust to a new set of cultural and educational

norms (Trice, 1999). For instance, many international students find American classes to

be unnecessarily competitive. Students from East and Southeast Asia, who were trained

in educational systems where the student’s role is to be passive, are shocked to see

American students speaking up without being called upon and challenging the remarks of

professors and peers.

They fear that if they do not exhibit these behaviors, the faculty will judge them to be less

capable and/or less intelligent. Many international students also state they are unclear

about academic rules and regulations. Lastly, some international students have expressed

disappointment with the fact that their classes incorporate very little in the way of

international perspectives and that American faculty and students undervalue the

experiences they bring into the classroom.

Social Stresses

While many graduate students experience the stress of having moved away from families

and friends, international students have an even greater sense of displacement.

International students who bring their partners and children with them have worries about

how well their families are adjusting to American life overall and to Riverside in

particular. In addition, a significant number of international graduate students cite the

following as concerns: loneliness, not knowing how to socialize with Americans, and

being unable to find people patient enough to speak with them (Trice, 1999). A further

complication is that upon returning home, international graduate students find that

  32  

because of their different dress, talk and behavior, they have become “foreigners” in their

own countries.

Suggestions

• Ask advanced international students for advice.

• Talk with faculty about your past training and point out the new demands you face from

the American educational system. If it is hard for you to jump into classroom discussions,

ask if they will help you acclimate by temporarily calling on you for specific responses,

or suggest some other strategy.

• If you find it difficult to converse over e-mail, let faculty know that seeing facial and

body expressions helps your understanding. Remember that most faculty will be willing

to accommodate your needs, but first they must know what those needs are.

• Although you may be tempted to spend all your social time with peers from your home

country, seek out as many opportunities as possible to interact with other students as well.

If you are still learning English, these interactions will provide you with opportunities to

practice and improve your language skills.    

For more information on Resources for International Students

The International Education Center offers support services to those interested in

opportunities abroad, assists international students, and promotes intercultural programs.

We also make arrangements for protocol and international guests, present foreign

speakers, and house an international resources library of catalogs, books, maps, and

videos on various options for international study, work, volunteer and internships.

Statistics Computer Building, Room 1669.

Riverside, CA 92521

Tel: (951) 827-1012

Tel: (951) 827-4113

http://internationalcenter.ucr.edu/

  33  

Graduate Students with Family Responsibilities While this section was written with students who have parenting

responsibilities in mind, many of the same issues pertain to those who

are responsible for the care of their parents or other dependents.

Dual Commitments

Students with parenting responsibilities are committed to being

successful graduate students and feel they can succeed by being highly organized and

intensely focused during the blocks of time they carve out for their studies, lab work, and

other academic duties. Unfortunately, they all too often feel that some professors perceive

them as lacking in commitment to their fields because they have another priority in their

lives. This situation is exacerbated when an emergency arises, such as an ill child, and

makes it impossible for them to attend classes or meetings. The intensity of childcare

demands does not stop once a child enters school because then there are concerts, sports,

and classroom activities in which parents need to be involved.

Isolation

Because of family demands, students may not be able to attend some social, academic,

and professional functions. As a result, they can feel isolated from others in their cohort

and from their departments as a whole.

Time Constraints

Students with family responsibilities typically need to be home in the evenings to tend to

those in their care. Difficulties can emerge in a group project since commonly other

students find the evenings the best time to meet. In addition, it is often difficult for

students with parenting responsibilities to come back to campus for evening lectures or

departmental meetings.

  34  

Suggestions

• Meet other graduate students who can share the strategies they employ for balancing

academic and family demands. They can connect you to a network of other students and

point you to helpful resources.

• Try to find faculty who have children and are highly involved in their children’s lives–

or who appear to be very understanding. Often departmental staff will know who these

people are. In addition, when you are in a professor’s office look for pictures of children.

Listen for faculty members who incorporate stories about their children in their classes or

discussions. Look to these faculty members as people who can provide advice and

possible support to you.

• When working on a group project, suggest that the meetings take place at your house, if

you find this would be easier for you.

• Consider bringing your children to some departmental social functions and/or into the

office. Most likely you will find that your peers enjoy the opportunity to interact with

children and that you then have the chance to engage in some adult conversations.

Furthermore, until your classmates and professors see your children, they will not

understand what your family life is like.

• If you use a cell phone as a means of being connected with your child care provider or

your teenage children in case of an emergency, discuss this with your course professors.    

  35  

Graduate Students with Working-Class Backgrounds Economic Concerns

Students from working-class backgrounds often do not have family

members they can turn to for monetary support through graduate

school. In addition, some students have the responsibility of

financially supporting parents, siblings, or other relatives.

Access into Professional Networks

These graduate students are aware they may not have or know how to develop

professional networks as effectively as their peers who come from more advantaged

backgrounds (especially those who grew up within academic families). This disparity is

most visible when they attend conferences or when they seek summer employment.

Summer Professional Opportunities

These graduate students also see a progressive disparity in what they and their more

advantaged peers can do during the summer. The latter, because of their families’

financial assistance and their enhanced access to professional networks, can more easily

afford and secure internships which provide them with further professional development.

In contrast, students from working-class backgrounds may need to work in better paying

jobs which are far removed from their graduate studies. Thus, students from working-

class backgrounds feel they are falling behind in their graduate careers by not having

more relevant job experiences over the summer. In addition, they fear some professors

may not understand their financial situations and mistakenly assume they are less

seriously involved in their academic work than more advantaged students.

Difference in Background Experiences

Students from working-class backgrounds also told us how intimidating

it can be to hear about the past travels and experiences of some of their

fellow students. Students, especially those in the arts, humanities and

  36  

social sciences, can feel vulnerable knowing that some of their peers have traveled to, or

even lived in, the foreign countries they are studying.

Disjunction with Family and Friends

Once socialized into their disciplines, students can often find it more difficult both to talk

to their families and old friends about their work and for

families and friends to understand their new endeavors. This

communication gap can make students feel like they are no

longer able to live within their old worlds, but they are not yet

comfortable in their new worlds.

Suggestions

• You will need to be creative and resourceful in order to find a suitable summer position

or combination of positions. Understand that you will need to initiate this strategizing.

Plan far ahead and don’t wait until spring to begin this conversation with mentors and

others.

• Look up places and events to which other students refer so that the next time they come

up in discussion or conversation, you are not left out.

• Work to maintain your relationships with family and old friends as you learn to navigate

the university. Invite them into your academic life by sharing what you are learning, but

remember, it is hard for them not to fear that you are leaving them for another world, one

they often see as inaccessible to them.

  37  

Graduate Students with Disabilities Obviously students with disabilities have different needs and concerns

depending upon the types of disability they have. For example, a

student who is visually impaired has needs different from the student

who uses a wheelchair or a student with a learning disability. Yet

students’ needs will also vary depending upon whether they have had their disabilities

since birth or whether their disabilities developed later in their lives. In this section, we

try to deal with issues confronting those students with physical disabilities, those with

learning disabilities (such as attention deficit disorder and dyslexia) and those with

psychological illnesses (such as depression and bipolar disorder).

Reluctance to Ask for Help

Students with disabilities often fear that they may appear to be too dependent—or

become too dependent—if they ask for help. This is especially true for those who have

experienced a fairly recent onset of a disability and are unaccustomed to asking for help,

as well as for those who have disabilities that are invisible to others, such as individuals

with learning disabilities or chronic psychological illnesses.

Effort Exerted Just to Keep Up

For those with physical and learning disabilities, meeting the basic requirements demands

much more time and energy than it does for students without disabilities. Some students

find they cannot participate in certain professional activities (such as submitting papers

for conferences) as much as they would like because they need to devote all their time

and energy to meeting the deadlines of their programs.

Problems that Arise from Last Minute Changes

Changes in reading assignments can be very difficult for students who are visually

impaired. At the beginning of the semester, students who are blind or severely visually

impaired have their readings converted into Braille. Any readings added on at a later date

mean they need to make special emergency trips to have these new materials translated in

  38  

a short period of time. Changes in room locations are also a hardship for visually and

physically challenged students.

For students with disabilities

• It is best if you communicate your needs to your professors and mentors, otherwise they

will not know how to help you or that, in fact, you are in need of help. You should do this

at the beginning of the semester so that the faculty member can make proper

accommodations. If your situation changes, update those who need to know.

• Avoid taking a grade of “incomplete” if at all possible. If you have to take an

incomplete, commit to finishing the work within a couple of weeks. Bear in mind that the

incomplete stays on your transcript—even after you receive a letter grade.

• Use the summers to catch up on unfinished work if necessary and to get an early jump

on your work for the fall.

• If you are having difficulty keeping up with the readings for a class, ask your professor

to prioritize them for you. You can trust that all the

other students in the class will benefit from this as

well.

• Especially for those with psychological disabilities:

Find a professional practitioner that you trust. Bear in

mind that various types of social support will be crucial during your graduate student

days, so strongly resist any urge to isolate yourself.

• Be very realistic about how much work you can take on. During your first semester,

take the lightest load possible so that you can adapt to your new environment.

• As one student told us, “Demonstrate your abilities, not just your disabilities.”

For instance, if you have a physical disability, be sure to write on the board or use

overhead projectors if you can do so (especially in job interviews).

  39  

Student Special Services Every student at UC Riverside deserves to have the opportunity to make the most of their

university experience. That’s why we ensure that students with disabilities have equal

access to educational programs and can fully participate in all aspects of campus life. Our

department is also a safe haven for Veterans and their families.

Whether you’re affiliated with the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines, you’re a UCR

Highlander now and we want to help you obtain all of the educational benefits you’ve

proudly earned.

Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to

5:00 p.m. The office is open year-round except for University Holidays.

125 Costo Hall.

Riverside CA 92521

http://specialservices.ucr.edu/

  40  

Non-Traditional Returning Graduate Students It is common for non-traditional age students (i.e., “the chronologically advantaged”) to

be more focused and aware of what they want out of graduate school

than their younger colleagues. Perhaps one of their biggest assets is

they are not intimidated by the prospects of engaging in discussions

with faculty. Yet older students often face their own types of problems.

Devaluation of Life Experiences

Many older students have returned to school after spending a

considerable number of years either running a business, working in industry or the public

sector, or raising a family. One of the most difficult issues these students face is

sometimes finding that their relevant ‘real life’ knowledge is of little use or value in the

classroom. This is particularly frustrating when their vast array of experiences contradict

the research and theory they are studying.

Fear of Having “Rusty” Skills

Older students who have been out of school for a number

of years can fear competing with their younger

counterparts. They may see the younger students as being

more up-to-date on the current issues within their

disciplines and as having more computer experience.

Invisibility in the Classroom

Older students commonly describe how bad they feel when a professor refers to

something from several decades back and then says, “And of course none of you would

remember that.” Although not intended in a harmful way, this remark makes older

students feel as though their presence in the classroom is not being acknowledged.

  41  

Isolation from Fellow Students

Because of the age differences between them and their peers, many older students feel

somewhat socially isolated. Although friendships can develop with their younger

colleagues, older students are aware that some of their fellow students are the ages of

their own children. Furthermore, many of the older students tell us they no longer want to

be in the places where younger students go to relax and socialize.

Awkwardness with Faculty

Non-traditional age students can be close in age or even significantly older than their

professors. These students report that some faculty are much more comfortable with the

younger students than with them.

Suggestions

• Don’t be afraid to ask younger students about suggestions for readings or other

assistance as you develop new skills.

• Initiate social activities such as dinner parties. Begin and end them at hours that are

reasonable for you.

  42  

Mentoring  Issues  Facing  Underrepresented  Faculty  

Women and minority faculty also face special issues. Although this may not be an

exhaustive list, we include this information so that you can be aware of some of the

faculty issues as well.

I. Double Duty

Minority and women faculty often mentor a higher number of graduate students than

their peers. Students seek them out not only because of their

research and professional interests, but also because of their

gender, race, or orientation. As the number of women faculty and

faculty of color remains low, these few faculty attract many

students.

Suggestions

Be sensitive to the heavy mentoring load of minority and female

faculty by always being efficient with the time they give you.

II. Problems Mentoring from a Marginalized Position

In contrast to the problem above, faculty of color, female faculty, and LGBTQ faculty are

aware that some graduate students do not select them as advisors or committee members

because of their marginalized positions in the academy. Graduate students perceive that

these faculty wield less power and influence inside and outside their departments.

Historically marginalized faculty are therefore seen as being less effective in providing

the types of instrumental assistance graduate students need.

Suggestions

Remember, by having a team of mentors, you will not be harmed in any way if you work

with someone who truly has limited access to powerful networks of your discipline.

  43  

By working with faculty who have been historically marginalized in the academy, you

can help to raise their status. Your current and future productivity will positively impact

their reputation in your field.

Use opportunities both within and outside the University to highlight the academic work

and mentoring skills of a faculty member who is undervalued in your department.

III. Double Standards

Women faculty can feel that some female and male students expect them to be more

nurturing and emotionally supportive than their male counterparts. Junior faculty are in

an especially difficult situation because excessive time spent in mentoring jeopardizes the

amount of time they have to carry on the work needed for promotion.

Suggestions

Ask yourself whether you are demanding more of women faculty than men faculty. If

you feel disappointed with the way a woman faculty member interacts with you, ask

yourself whether you would have the same reaction if the professor were a man. Respect

the fact that not every female professor will be able to provide the amount of emotional

support you want. Don’t let this deter you from obtaining and appreciating what she is

willing to offer you.

IV. Needing to Prove Their Legitimacy

Some women professors and faculty of color feel that certain students question their

legitimacy as professors because of their race or gender. These faculty state that students

challenge their authority in the classroom, and generally do not accord them the same

level of respect that they give to other faculty.

Suggestions

Do you have higher esteem for certain categories of faculty than for others? If you are

being critical of a faculty member, could it be that you are reacting to a style, an accent or

a speech pattern that makes you consider them in a critical light?

  44  

Looking  Ahead:    

Growing  Your  Mentoring  Team  for  Years  2-­5    

You, your peer mentor, and your faculty mentor make up

your initial mentoring team. It is likely that you will also interact with other mentors from

your mentoring tree. You will certainly meet one or more other graduate students from

your college that are in the mentoring program. This team will support you while you

find your feet at UCR. While you have this benefit of selected faculty and peer mentors

during this first year, it is possible that these mentors won’t be aligned closely enough to

your specific research interests to guide you in some of the ways you will need after your

first year. Therefore it is important that you also begin to think about how to choose

additional mentors that will support you later and throughout your graduate career.

Rather than trying to find one mentor, think of building a new mentoring team that may

or may not include some or all of your current mentors.

Carefully selecting a team of mentors that fits your needs increases the likelihood that

you will receive the experiences and support you desire. In addition, it is to your benefit

to have multiple faculty members who are knowledgeable about your work and can speak

to its quality. A team can also serve as your safety net in case any one of the professors

you work with leaves the University or if you later realize that a particular faculty

member isn’t the best fit for your work.

Be creative about whom you include on your team. Although this guide focuses on

faculty and peer mentors from your college at UCR, we also encourage you to consider

departmental staff, retired faculty, faculty from other departments, faculty from other

universities, and friends from outside the academy as potential mentors.

All of these people can help fulfill your needs and serve as part of your professional

network.

  45  

Considerations for Forming a Mentoring Team

At a large research university like UCR, you need to understand that it is your

responsibility to seek out interactions with faculty members. It is unrealistic to expect that

a professor will come along and take you under his or her wing.

As you get started in your search for faculty mentors, try to look for a balance of both

junior and senior faculty and advanced graduate students since all

can be of assistance to you, although possibly in different ways. For

instance, while senior faculty may be more likely to help you with

networking, junior faculty may be better in touch with the stresses

and strains associated with being a graduate student. Advanced

graduate students have valuable information about lab etiquette, graduate student

dynamics, and social resources. Also, seek out faculty members outside of your

department who have interests related to yours. (Remember, eventually you will need

someone as a cognate member for your dissertation committee.)

Choosing Faculty Mentors

You can identify potential faculty mentors within or outside your department using a

variety of formal and informal means:

• Familiarize yourself with professors’ work to gain a sense of their past and current

interests and methodologies.

• Immerse yourself in departmental academic and social activities. Observe how faculty

interact with colleagues and graduate students.

• Enroll in classes being taught by faculty who most interest you. Attend their public

presentations.

• Ask advanced graduate students about their advisors and mentors. Share your interests

and ask them for suggestions about whom you should meet.

  46  

Availability

• To understand how much time the professor will be able to give to you, inquire about

his or her other commitments. Also find out how much time the faculty member normally

gives his or her students. Will that amount of time be sufficient for you?

• Ask about the faculty member’s plans at the University. Does the professor anticipate

being at the University during the entire time in which you are a student here? Will s/he

be away from the department for extended periods (on sabbatical or on a research project)

and if so, what arrangements could be made to stay in communication?

Communication

• Are you able to clearly understand the professor?

• Do you feel you are able to effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas?

• Do you think you will be able to work closely with this person?

• Do you think you will be able to accommodate to his or her professional and personal

style?

Expectations

• What does the professor consider to be a normal workload? How many hours does he or

she think you should be spending on your research or creative project per week?

• How often does the professor like to meet one-on-one?

• Does the professor have funds to support you? Will these remain available until you

complete your program?

• Especially for those in the sciences and engineering: Is there potential for developing a

dissertation topic from the professor’s research project that you would find interesting?

  47  

Does the professor have appropriate space and laboratory equipment for your needs?

What is the size of the professor’s research group and is this optimal for you?

Publishing

• Does the professor co-author articles with graduate students? If so, be sure to ask about

their philosophy on first authorship.

• Is the professor willing to help you prepare your own articles for publication?

• What publishing contacts do they have that might be of assistance to you?

In addition to telling them about yourself, you need to seek further information about

these faculty members. You are choosing to work with them, just as they are choosing to

work with you. In order to assess the amount and type of support you can expect to

receive from a particular faculty member you will need to familiarize yourself with the

following:

Presentations for performing and visual arts

• Does the professor collaborate with students in public performances or exhibitions?

• Does the professor have time available to work with you to prepare your projects for

public presentation?

• Does the professor use his or her professional contacts to assist students in presenting

their own work to the public?

Reputation with Graduate Students and Departmental Staff

• Does the professor have a history of giving proper attention to his or her

protégés?

• Can the professor provide such things as teaching and research

opportunities, access to financial resources, guidance for completing your dissertation,

access to professional networks, and assistance in career development?

• Have former graduate students completed their programs in a timely fashion?

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• Who are the other scholars who have been mentored by the professor, and where do

they stand within the field? Ask yourself if this is where you are interested in being.

• Is the professor comfortable talking about issues that are of a personal nature?

• If you are interested in nonacademic careers, what is the professor’s attitude about

training and funding someone who is not necessarily going into the academy?

Reputation within the Field

• Talk with others in your field both inside and outside the University. What are common

opinions about the professor’s work?

• Look at reviews of their work.

Talk to Professors

The most effective way to help yourself find a mentoring team is to talk to professors.

Email the ones you are interested in, even mildly, prepare

yourself for the meeting by doing some research on the faculty

member, and then show up on time with your own credentials and

goals in order. You will find that UCR professors are ready and

willing to engage with you in your graduate studies pursuits.

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Wrapping  it  up  

Certainly, not every person from the groups we have discussed feels the same way about

all of these issues. We are all products of our environments; we are each unique, but we

hope that those issues we have pointed to will help mentors and mentees alike understand

as legitimate those feelings and positions described here.

While it may seem that we make accommodations for underrepresented and non-

traditional students, let us remember that the original scholar had his accommodations

built into the academic system as it developed. It was a program created to serve a certain

select sector of the public. We condone neither lowering academic standards nor offering

special favors; rather, now we work to expand the service area of the university to

accommodate the vast array of students who have opportunities that only a few once

enjoyed.

We have much to learn from our students here at UCR. We want to encourage ongoing

conversation about mentoring and diversity issues within the Graduate School, and we

welcome your participation in that discussion. Feel free to contact Kim Palmore,

Director, Professional Development by phone at 951-827-6113 or by email at

kim.palmore@ucr.edu with any comments and suggestions you have.

Graduate school, and life as a whole, can at times be very stressful. We hope this

handbook has made you aware that there are various ways students can obtain

professional assistance for issues that may arise.

 

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Graduate  Division  Contacts    

Deans 100 University Office Building 951-827-4302 Joseph W. Childers Graduate Dean graddean@ucr.edu Ken Baerenklau Associate Dean, Graduate Academic Affairs Responsibilities include petitions, employment, grievances, academic integrity and professional development. ken.baerenklau@ucr.edu Leah Haimo Associate Dean, Recruitment and Outreach Responsibilities include graduate student recruitment and outreach, supervision of UCLEADS and AGEP programs. leah.haimo@ucr.edu Dean’s Office Kennet Lai Assistant Dean Chief staff officer, budget control (graduate student financial aid and departmental budget) kennett.lai@ucr.edu Amanda Wong, Analyst amanda.wong@ucr.edu Sherry Gonzalez, Analyst sherry.gonzalez@ucr.edu Yung Phung Senior Administrative Analyst Graduate Support Management Manages fellowship budgets and works with programs to provide financial reporting and data analysis relating to fellowships and recruiting yung.phung@ucr.edu

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Academic Affairs140 University Office Building 951-827-3315 The Academic Affairs section of the Graduate Division is the unit within the Graduate Dean’s Office that handles all matters pertaining to the academic record, employment, and fellowships of graduate students. We work closely with the Graduate Advisers and Graduate Program Assistants on problems that may arise in these areas with their graduate students helping them to interpret the rules and regulations of the Office of the President, Academic Senate, and Graduate Council. The division also approves all student petition, dissertation, thesis, and qualifying exam committees for the Dean, approves all advancement paperwork and all theses and dissertations. Additionally, we provide the certificate of completion of all degree requirements. If the student needs assistance in finding financial support this office provides help. Linda G. Scott Director Oversees all matters relating to graduate academic affairs, employment and TADP  gdivls@ucr.edu    

Karen Smith Administrative Analyst Oversees graduate student employment and fellowships; processes petitions for leaves, Withdrawals, half-time status and ESL issues karen.smith@ucr.edu    

Kara Oswood Administrative Analyst Responsible for degree progression issues and petitions, including committee approval, advancement to candidacy, dissertation/thesis formatting, and graduation kara.oswood@ucr.edu    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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GradPREP  GradPREP launched in graduate division this year. It includes well established programs: the Teaching Assistant Development Program (TADP) and the One to One TA Mentor Program; developing programs: The English Language Development Program (ELDP), The Graduate Student Mentoring Program (GSMP), and The University Teaching Certificate Program (UTC); and introduces this year The Graduate Student Writing Center (GSWC) and The Graduate Student Resource Center(GSRC). The GradPREP concept engages faculty, departments, and graduate division in an effort to provide professionalizing opportunities to UCR graduate students. The programs supported through GradPREP offer support services, work experience opportunities, and career help. GradPREP both establishes a community for UCR graduate students and encourages them to realize their full potential. Kim Palmore Director, Professional Development  Oversees GradPREP Programs. Assists in development of special projects and grant proposals pertinent to graduate student professionalization.  kim.palmore@ucr.edu  

Academic Preparation and Outreach Academic Preparation and Outreach is a vital component of the Graduate Division (and the campus as a whole) and strives to diversify and increase our graduate student population by facilitating the recruitment and retention of highly qualified students in UCR's 45 graduate programs. Maria Franco-Aguilar Director Conducts graduate student outreach and recruitment activities. Coordinates diversity fellowship competitions, Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program, UC LEADS and AGEP. Assists in development of special projects and grant proposals pertinent to graduate student recruitment. maria.franco-aguilar@ucr.edu

 

 

 

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Academic  Integrity  Guidelines   (Taken from Academic Senate Policies: www.senate.ucr.edu)

At the University of California, Riverside (UCR) honesty and integrity are fundamental values that guide and inform us as individuals and as a community. The academic culture requires that each student take responsibility for learning and for producing work that reflect their intellectual potential, curiosity, and capability. Students must represent themselves truthfully, claim only work that is their own, acknowledge their use of others’ words, research results, and ideas, using the methods accepted by the appropriate academic disciplines and engage honestly in all academic assignments. Misunderstanding of the appropriate academic conduct will not be accepted as an excuse for academic misconduct. If a student is in doubt about appropriate academic conduct in a particular situation, he or she should consult with the instructor in the course to avoid the serious charge of academic misconduct.

CHEATING Examples include but are not limited to:

· copying from another student's examination, quiz, laboratory work, or homework assignment

· possession or use of pre-prepared notes or other resources, during an examination · allowing others to conduct research or to prepare work for you

· submitting for academic advancement an item of academic work that you have previously submitted for academic advancement

PLAGIARISM

Includes the copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing (explicitly or implicitly) the work to one’s own efforts. Plagiarism means using another's work without giving credit. Examples include but are not limited to: · copying information from computer-based sources, i.e., the Internet

· allowing another person to substantially alter or revise your work and submitting it entirely as your own

UNAUTHORIZED COLLABORATION Examples include but are not limited to:

· working with other students to do work, review books, or develop a presentation or report without permission or direction from the instructor to do so

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· making information available to a student who did not attend the class · submitting a group assignment, or allowing that assignment to be submitted, representing the project is the work of all of the members of the group when less than all of the group members assisted substantially in its preparation

FACILITATING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Examples include but are not limited to: · intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another student to commit an act of academic misconduct · permitting your academic work to be represented as the work of another

· signing in or substituting for another student in order to meet an academic requirement · providing specific information about a recently given test, examination, or assignment to a student who thereby gains an unfair advantage in an academic evaluation

INTERFERENCE OR SABOTAGE Examples include but are not limited to:

· destroying, stealing, changing, or damaging another’s lab experiment, computer program, term paper, exam, or project

FABRICATION

Examples include but are not limited to: · falsifying the results of any academic work or fabricating any data or information

· falsifying, altering, or misstating the contents of documents or other materials related to academic matters

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH RESEARCH REGULATIONS:

Failure to comply with research regulations such as those applying to human subjects, laboratory animals, and standards of safety.

As a student you should be familiar with the policies and guidelines.

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Works  Cited  and  Consulted  

Adams, H. G. (1992). Mentoring: An essential factor in the doctoral process for minority

students. The GEM Program, Notre Dame.

Anderson, M. S. (Ed.). (1998). The experience of being in graduate school: An

exploration.

Atkinson, D. R., Neville, H., & Casas, A. (1991). The mentorship of ethnic minorities in

professional psychology. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 22(4),

336-338.

Bowen, W. G., & Rudenstine, N. L. (1992). In pursuit of the Ph.D. Princeton: Princeton

University Press.

Brainard, S. G., Harkus, D. A., & St. George, M. R. (1998). A curriculum for training

mentors and mentees: Guide for administrators. Seattle, WA: Women in

Engineering Initiative, WEPAN Western Regional Center, University of

Washington.

“Graduate Student Peer Mentoring Handbook.” Graduate Student Senate. Washington

University. Missouri. 2002.

Hesli, V., Fink, E., Duffy, D. (2003, July). Mentoring in a positive graduate student

experience: Survey results from the Midwest region, Part I. PS: Political Science

and Politics, 36(3), 457

“How to Mentor Graduate Students: A Guide for Faculty” Rackham Graduate School.

University of Michigan. <http://www.rackham.umich.edu/

StudentInfo/Publications>.ac

King, M. F. (2003). On the Right Track : A Manual for Research Mentors. Washington,

DC: Council of Graduate Schools.

Lee, A., Dennis, C., & Campbell, P. (2007). “Nature’s Guide for Mentors.” Nature, 447,

791-797.

Mentors Peer Resources. Peer Resources-Learn About Mentoring. [On-line] http: www.

mentors. ca/learnmentor.html

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“Mentoring Handbook for Students.” UNL Graduate Studies. www.unl.edu/gradstudies/

current/dev/mentoring/

Murrell, A. J., Crosby, F. J., & Ely, R. (Eds.). (1999). Mentoring Dilemmas:

Developmental Relationships within Multicultural Organizations. Mahwah, NJ:

Erlbaum.

National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of

Medicine. (1997).

Omatsu, Glenn. Coordinator c/o Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Peer

Mentoring Resource Booklet. California State University at Northridge.

<http://www.csun.edu/eop/ htdocs/peermentoring.pdf>.

Paglis, L. L., Green, S. G. & Bauer, T. N. (2006, June). “Does Adviser Mentoring Add

Value? A Longitudinal Study of Mentoring and Doctoral Student Outcomes.”

Research in Higher Education, 47(4), 451-476.

Rose, G. L. (2005, February). “Group Differences in Graduate Students’ Concepts of the

Ideal Mentor.” Research in Higher Education, 46(1), 53 -80.

Scott, Elizabeth. “Build Friendships with Good Listening Skills.” Stress Management.

<http://stress.about.com/od/relationships/ht/howtolisten.htm>.

Tenenbaum, H. R., Crosby, F. J., & Gliner, M. D. (2001). “Mentoring Relationships in

Graduate School.” Journal of Vocational Behavior, 59, 326-341.

UCRiverside. Home page. <www.ucr.edu>.