Project PromoteBuilding an Online Community for Mentoring

Early Career Higher Education Faculty

http://it.coe.uga.edu/~lrieber/aera2007

Lloyd Rieberlrieber@uga.edu

Greg Clintongclinton@uga.edu

The University of Georgia

Project Promote

• What is it and why did we build it?

• How does it work?

• Evaluation of the first year’s implementation

“This idyllic career poses hazards; its attractiveness is

matched only by its risks of failure - especially at the

outset.”

- Boice, 2000

The University Faculty CareerThe University Faculty Career

The Early Career Faculty Experience

• Absence of that wonderful support network found in graduate school

• A new environment

• A need for information

• The solution? Mentoring!! But …

The Early Career Faculty Experience

• A sense of vulnerability• Senior colleagues have a certain amount of

power over early career faculty.• As one early career faculty put it,

“The real mentoring happens outside of official programs.”

• Early career faculty can have burning questions across a range of issues …

The Early Career Faculty Experience

• For example:– “There seems to be little money for materials in my

department. Is this the same everywhere?”– “I want to post an op-ed piece on my office door that

some may find controversial. Is this ok?”– “I know my instruction needs to improve. But should I

admit this to my colleagues?”– “I think my colleague is having an affair with a

student. Should I be concerned?”– “I’ve caught a group of students cheating on my

exam. Should I follow university policy to the letter?”

This Is a Job For …

An Online Resource for Mentoring Early Career Faculty at the University

of Georgia

Noteworthy Features

• Confidentiality– Option only for early career faculty– Senior faculty’s identity always known

• Q&A features– Browsing the Database– New Question Status– Spotlight Question Status

• Communicating Priority to Senior Faculty

• Automated Email

How was it built?

• Phase 1 – Birth of concept & development of original project specs

• Phase 2 – Input from early and senior faculty

• Phase 3 – Design & Develop prototype

• Phase 4 – Beta testing of prototype

• Phase 5 – Develop version 1.0

• Phase 6 – Release to UGA community

• Phase 7 – Administration & Maintenance

2005March-August

August2006

March2006

We built it, but will they come?

Membership Statistics

59 members:40 early career faculty

16 senior faculty

3 other faculty

14 QuestionsPosted by Early Career

Faculty

Example Question

I think I am a little weak in one of the components of my appointment. When indicating interest in concentrating more on this component, my chair steers me away from it (kind of). S/he says I am doing fine, and that I have no reason to worry (just verbally - I have asked for a written communication, but it never materializes). I have been told that this chair will retire soon. This means that s/he won't be able to back me up when tenure/promotion comes. How do you suggest I document being told not to increase my efforts in that area?

Example AnswerIf you think this could be an issue, I'd email him or her, referencing your earlier conversations, your concerns and say something like "I just want to be sure we're on the same page. If there is something that I need to be doing more, please be sure to email me back and let me know what it is." This way, you have some record of the conversations without putting the onus on them to write a response. If they send you back and note and say 'sure', you have a record of it. If they don't, you can continue to email and keep copies of those emails to show you continued to try and get answers but didn't... but you'd have a record.

The mother of a former dean of ours had this wonderful saying: "If you ever have to choose between vindictiveness and laziness, it's almost always the latter." The point being that they aren't really trying to hurt you, just not paying attention or too preoccupied to deal with it.

I just want to add that I might also want to talk to some other senior faculty about the issue. This would server as a second documentation, they might end up being the next department head with recognition and institutional memory, or they might also be able to advise you about the strength of your progress.

Example Question

Hi: I am a new Assistant Professor and have two questions related to allowable expenses and expiration date for salary returns from research grants that would appreciate your insights. Can salary returns be spent on professional membership dues? I have been getting conflicting responses from our College accounting staff. Does the university have a policy/document that lists the types of expenditures that are allowed or is the policy college-specific? Is it typical that salary returns for a year will expire in Spring of the same year? I have a grant that provides academic year salary for 2007 and our accounting office told me that the salary return for this grant will expire in March 2007. That doesn't provide much time in using the funds. Thank you very much in advance for your advice.

Example Question

I teach a large intro section and by the time the midpoint withdrawal deadline rolls around I have given 2 (of 5) exams. What I find is that students who are failing the first 2 exams start asking me if I will assign a W or WF if they withdraw. This semester I have given W's, but am starting to reconsider. What are your thoughts? Should a student who is failing (sometimes miserably) be allowed to have that wiped from their record? Are they just dropping all classes that they aren't doing well in?

The Level of Activity During the First Year has been

Disappointing

Why is it so?

April 2-4, 2007Survey of Early Career

Faculty

17 out of 40 responded

If you have not posted any questions for senior faculty, what do you think are the most likely reasons for this?

3 - I really couldn't think of anything to ask.5 - I was too busy.6 - I felt I could get all of the information I

needed from other sources.2 - I was concerned about whether my

privacy would be protected on this Web Site.

Are there any questions you wanted to ask, but you did not feel comfortable posting?

3 – Yes

13 – No

“In my opinion, the guidelines for P&T are written in very vague terms, why is this the case? Are there 'unwritten' expectations for teaching, research, and service? If so, what are these?”

“I am still confused about policies relating to family leave for the birth of a child. I found one previous question about this, but the answer and resources on HR still leave me perplexed. I'd love to know more about the details of how family leave works.”

Early career faculty can conceal all or part of their identity when posting a question. How important do you feel this feature is?

4.65 – Very Important.

1 – Not important at all.

Do you feel this feature offers enough protection to encourage early career faculty to ask questions, especially those of a sensitive nature?

14 – Yes

3 – No

“Thought I don't doubt that the website is secure and that no names would be revealed, there are only a limited number of tenure track faculty at any given time. The specifics of the question itself could be enough to identify an individual.”

“Sometimes, you have a unique situation and it is possible for department members to identify you. And because they are on your P&T committee, it is difficult to be totally open.”

Do you trust the Project Promote procedures, policies, and the people who run it to keep your personal information confidential when you choose to make it confidential when you ask a question?

4.55 – Absolutely yes.

1 – Absolutely no.

Other Comments by Early Career Faculty

“A good supplement and possible alternative but not a replacement for effective mentoring from within a department. Unfortunately, that isn't always available.”

“I think it's a great idea and am appreciative that it exists. Some of the questions I've had concern negotiating politics in this new academic setting, but the particulars of my questions would necessitate revealing the department/college in which I work--and Project Promote mentors are from these department/colleges and would likely know more about my situation. While I trust that they would keep things confidential, I still don't feel completely comfortable asking these questions in a public forum like this. But, other than this, I appreciate these efforts, and will try to take better advantage of it.”

April 2-4, 2007Survey of Senior Faculty

7 out of 16 responded

If you have posted no or few answers to questions, what do you think are the most likely reasons for this?2 – I really didn’t have any answers.1 – I was too busy.3 – I felt the answer/s already posted answered

the question sufficiently and I didn’t feel I had anything to add.

0 – I was uncomfortable answering a question knowing that my identity as a senior faculty is always revealed.

Other Comments by Senior Faculty

“I have to admit that the fact my identity (as a senior faculty member) was not hidden did affect my willingness to answer certain questions.”

“I think the concept is excellent, but given time constraints, I wonder what percent of new faculty have time to get on line.”

Would you recommend colleagues to join Project Promote?

Early Career

12 – Yes

5 – No

Senior

7 – Yes

0 – No

Next Steps

Project Promote: Next Steps

• Worth continuing, despite disappointing activity during first year.

• Be more active in recruiting new members.

• Allow anonymous posting of questions.

• Prediction: Once “critical mass” is reached, activity on the site will be continuous with little need for prompting.

– Activity begets activity.

http://it.coe.uga.edu/~lrieber/aera2007

http://www.promote.uga.edu/

Lloyd Rieberlrieber@uga.edu

Greg Clintongclinton@uga.edu