The Dean of Faculty’s Office is happy to offer an external mentoring program for pre-tenure faculty. This mentoring program, which is entirely optional, is intended to support the research and professional development of pre-tenure faculty, by making it possible for pre-tenure faculty members to establish and/or advance a mentoring relationship with a scholar outside the college. All pre-tenure faculty are eligible to participate in this program, anytime after their first year on the tenure-track and prior to the academic year in which they are considered for tenure.
Williams will provide an honorarium of $1000 a year, for up to three years, to a mentor of the Williams faculty member’s choice. Up to an additional $1,000 will be made available over the course of that three-year period to support meetings, travel, and/or other activities associated with the mentoring relationship.
External mentors should be experts in the field(s) of scholarship being pursued by the pre-tenure faculty member. Faculty members seeking an external mentor are responsible for identifying an appropriate colleague to serve in that capacity, and inviting them to serve in this role. Faculty members should keep in mind that external mentors will not be able to serve as external reviewers in the tenure process. It is recommended that you consult with your unit chair about your selection of a mentor.
Faculty members who wish to apply for external mentoring support should submit a one-page letter describing their interest in a mentor and their goals for this relationship, and providing the name and CV or short biography of the proposed mentor, to Neil Roberts, Associate Dean of the Faculty. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Once the Dean of Faculty’s Office approves this, the pre-tenure faculty member will reach out to the potential mentor and ask them if they would be willing to serve in this capacity. Your request should include this description of this program. Please notify the Dean of the Faculty’s Office once the mentor accepts your invitation.
Before June 1 of every academic year in which you work with your mentor, you will be asked to submit a brief report on your work to the Dean of Faculty’s Office, who will then arrange payment to your mentor.
Should you need to be reimbursed for costs associated with meetings, travel, or meals associated with this relationship, please submit receipts for those incurred expenses (maximum of $1000 over three years) before June 1 each year.