Statement of Purpose: The purpose of peer mentoring is peer guidance and counsel leading to tenure and/or promotion. Mentoring is approached from a positive and supportive perspective by the individual faculty's Mentoring Committee, the chair and the dean. All are dedicated to the success of the faculty member

1. Mentoring for Tenure-Track Faculty
The department chair, through consultation with each tenure-track faculty member, will establish a Mentoring Committee of tenured faculty, which may include faculty outside the department with specialized expertise. The composition may flexibly change as appropriate. The Mentoring Committee is to meet with the Tenure-track faculty before December 1 of the faculty member's first year of service and continue at least through the second year. The Mentoring Committee may continue to work with the faculty member until the application for tenure is filed.

The Mentoring Committee will help acclimate the faculty member to the environment of the university community and will assist with his/her professional development. The committee will provide counsel with regard to the expectations of a new faculty member relative to teaching, research/creative endeavor and service, as well as provide assistance with the preparation of the promotion and tenure case. Specifically, the committee will advise the faculty member on the case with regard to its content, organization and quality.

2. Informal Mentoring for Tenured or Tenure-track Faculty
Any faculty desiring advice in tenure and/or promotion case preparation may request formative review of their case by the VPA P&T Committee at any time except in the year of formal case submission. The case will be provided to the P&T Committee by February 1. The committee will provide feedback directly to the faculty member.

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