YEARS 2 THROUGH 6 TENURE TRACK FACULTY

Semesters: Fall and Winter

Meeting Schedule: Three or four meetings per semester

• Because there are multiple Years 2—6 groups, please refer to the table above for specific meeting dates/times.

Description: A small-group mentoring opportunity for faculty beyond their first year of teaching at GVSU. Groups meet monthly, or as desired, over a meal or coffee to discuss topics such as teaching, professional development, scholarship, and service opportunities. In past years, participants have reported that they appreciated getting to know faculty outside their disciplines and to talk about faculty life in a relaxed and confidential settings. This mentoring program is meant to complement departmental mentoring. Mentoring groups are organized separately for tenure-track and visiting/affiliate faculty.

Through participation in this Mentoring Group, faculty will:

• Learn from and with faculty from across disciplines and the university
• Explore teaching and learning topics of interest to the group
• Establish short-term and long-terms professional goals

YEARS 2 THROUGH 6 VISITING & AFFILIATE FACULTY

Semesters: Fall and Winter

Meeting Schedule: Three or four meetings per semester

• Because there are multiple Years 2—6 groups, please refer to the table above for specific meeting dates/times.

Description: A small-group mentoring opportunity for faculty beyond their first year of teaching at GVSU. Groups meet monthly, or as desired, over a meal or coffee to discuss topics such as teaching, professional development, scholarship, and service opportunities. In past years, participants have reported that they appreciated getting to know faculty outside their disciplines and to talk about faculty life in a relaxed and confidential settings. This mentoring program is meant to complement departmental mentoring. Mentoring groups are organized separately for tenure-track and visiting/affiliate faculty.

Through participation in this Mentoring Group, faculty will:

• Learn from and with faculty from across disciplines and the university
• Explore teaching and learning topics of interest to the group
• Establish short-term and long-terms professional goals

MID-CAREER FACULTY MENTORING COMMUNITY

Semesters: Fall and Winter

Meeting Schedule:  Three or four meetings per semester; options to meet in person or virtually.

Description:  This group is intended for those Associate Professors who have achieved promotion and tenure and who wish to gather to discuss issues specific to mid-career faculty. Often, faculty at this stage have the opportunity to be more selective about the focus of their work while at the same time facing greater leadership responsibilities in their departments. 

Through participation in this Mentoring Group, faculty will: 

• Reflect on their path to tenure with a strengths-based perspective 
• Consider goals and direction for post-tenure teaching, scholarship, and service 
• Explore connections within the GVSU university community, as well as disciplinary professional connections 
• Reflect on professional development and strategies for long-term career satisfaction 

APPROACHING RETIREMENT FACULTY MENTORING COMMUNITY

Semesters: Fall and Winter

Meeting Schedule:  Three or four meetings per semester; options to meet in person or virtually.

Description: This group is intended for those  faculty who who wish to gather to discuss issues specific to  consideration of retirement. Often, faculty at this stage have the opportunity to be more selective about the focus of their work while at the same time facing greater leadership responsibilities in their departments. Discussion may include issues of mentoring others, legacy work, changing workload priorities, and  university opportunities.

Through participation in this Mentoring Group, faculty will: 

• Reflect on their path to retirement with a strengths-based perspective 
• Consider goals and direction for retirement and beyond
• Explore connections within the GVSU university community, as well as disciplinary professional connections 
• Reflect on professional development and strategies for long-term career satisfaction 

OTHER FACULTY-TO-FACULTY MENTORING

Semesters: Fall and Winter

Meeting Schedule:  Three or four meetings per semester; options to meet in person or virtually.

Description: Other Faculty-to-Faculty Mentoring communities include:

• Building an Undergraduate Research Mentorship Practice
• International Faculty
• STEM Faculty
• Women in Higher Ed Faculty

In each group, issues, challenges, and strategies will be explored together in 3-4 meetings each semester. Mentors will work with group members to select topics and/or readings. Overall, building a space to be heard, seen, and supported is the ultimate goal. Groups work best when attendance is consistent to build relationships and create community.

These mentoring communities are self-organized groups and open to all faculty and staff. All who what to form a self-organized group are welcome.

Consistent with its commitment to antidiscrimination efforts and fairness, Grand Valley State University supports its stakeholders’ constitutional rights to freely associate and engage in protected speech by empowering employees and students who choose to self-organize for the purpose of finding community and advancing causes personal to its members. Any dismissal of an individual’s sincerely held desire to promote the cause of and learn and benefit from participation in such self-organized groups on the basis of that person’s race, ethnicity, identity or gender is prohibited discrimination.