February 27, 2009

Faculty Senate Approves Key Mentoring Initiatives

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The Faculty Senate unanimously voted Thursday to endorse a mentoring guidebook for faculty, generated by the Graduate Student Senate, and to encourage a culture of mentoring at the university.

The book, A Mentoring Guidebook for Faculty: Helping Graduate Students Grow into Respected Professionals and Trusted Colleagues, was developed during the 2007-2008 academic year in an effort led by last year's Graduate Student Senate President Kevin Speer and mentoring committee Chair Craig Rudick. The document was approved by university President Barbara R. Snyder. The Faculty Senate on Thursday enthusiastically acknowledged the efforts of Graduate Student Senate and supported the distribution of the guidebook.

"The hope is that a process of mentoring on campus will become more visible," said Alan Levine, a School of Medicine professor and chair of the Faculty Senate Graduate Studies Committee.

The faculty guidebook can be viewed online. A guidebook for student mentees is expected to be forthcoming.

In other business:

  • Senate President Glenn Starkman reported that the Board of Trustees approved a university conflict of interest policy. The policy, which covers all faculty and staff, is available online .
  • As part of ongoing efforts to streamline faculty oversight for undergraduate education and life, Faculty Senate voted at its January meeting to replace the Undergraduate University Faculty body with a Senate committee. The change is expected to lead to more effective governance and improve the committee's connection to the rest of faculty governance. The proposal now must be approved by the full faculty and, then, by the Board of Trustees. That process is ongoing.
  • Changes to the faculty bylaws for the Weatherhead School of Management were approved.
  • The academic calendar for the upcoming five years was submitted for the body's review and was approved.

Posted by: Kimyette Finley, February 27, 2009 01:51 PM | News Topics: Provost Initiatives, Students, news

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