Mentoring Program Committee

The Department Mentoring Program was established by Dr. Norman Wong in January 2005. Previous Program Directors include Dr. John Cairns (2010 – 2018) and Dr. Diane Lacaille (2018 – 2020). Dr. Sharlene Gill assumed this role in October 2020. The Program Director has overall responsibility for the Program and is directly accountable to the Department Head. The Director chairs the Department Mentoring Committee, which provides support, advice and oversight. The program envisages every new tenure track, grant tenure track or partner track department member will have a welcoming and supportive relationship with an established academic mentor throughout the initial years of their appointment and until their achievement of tenure and/or promotion to Associate Professor. The mentor will establish a secure and confidential environment of trust within which to share their wisdom and experiences, and to coach, challenge and sponsor their mentee.

Terms of Reference

Purpose

The committee provides support, advice and oversight to the Department Head including but not limited to:

• Review and update current mentoring program and materials.
• Revise the Mentoring Program and define roles and expectations of mentors while making the mentoring process more flexible, incorporate new approaches.
• Clearly define roles and expectations of mentors.
• Get buy-in from mentors, rewards, program/processes
• Get buy-in from mentees.
• Engage Division heads in the mentoring process.
• Work with Department Head to :
  a) assign mentors to all existing Assistant Professors in the Department.
  b) Ensure all newly recruited Assistant Professors are matched with a mentor before their position start dates
  c) Define a feasible mentoring plan during the recruitment process and specify it in the recruitment letter
• Track the mentor: mentee pairs to ensure regular meetings are occurring and that the relationship is functioning to the satisfaction of each member of the paid.
• Report to the Department Head, Department Executive and the Recruitment and Resources Committee (link) from time to time as appropriate

Mandate and Role

The Chair reports to the Department Head. The committee will meet quarterly. The committee will be supported by the Mentoring Program Assistant.

Role of Mentoring Program Assistant

• Schedule meetings; prepare agendas, take minutes, book rooms, etc.
• Assist in the preparation of the letters and packages for mentors and mentees
• Keep track of the status of mentor: mentee pairs
• Assist in the updating of the mentoring program web page

Membership

All committee members are expected to:

• Attend a minimum of four meetings each year. Attendance by teleconference is acceptable.
• Participate in meetings with a focus on developing, implementing and evaluating strategies to optimize equity and diversity.
• Provide input into completion of these tasks.
• Participate in dissemination of results of initiatives.

Mentoring Program Committee Members as of October 2023

Link to Mentorship Meeting Documentation form page*