CFD Faculty Mentoring & Support 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A new faculty member feels isolated in a predominantly online department. Which mentoring approach best addresses this challenge?
- Assign extra course loads to build confidence
- Facilitate virtual community of practice with regular structured check-ins (Correct answer)
- Suggest the faculty member attend off-campus conferences independently
- Limit communication to formal annual reviews
Correct answer: Facilitate virtual community of practice with regular structured check-ins
Virtual communities of practice with structured check-ins reduce isolation by creating consistent collegial connections.
Question 2: In a co-mentoring model, what distinguishes it from traditional one-on-one mentoring?
- A senior mentor provides all guidance unilaterally
- Multiple mentors and mentees share knowledge reciprocally across experience levels (Correct answer)
- The mentee is responsible for scheduling all meetings
- Only department chairs can serve as co-mentors
Correct answer: Multiple mentors and mentees share knowledge reciprocally across experience levels
Co-mentoring involves reciprocal knowledge sharing among participants at various career stages rather than a single directional relationship.
Question 3: Which formative support strategy is most effective when a faculty member receives consistently poor student evaluation scores?
- Remove the faculty member from teaching duties immediately
- Conduct a classroom observation followed by a structured reflective debrief (Correct answer)
- Send a memo listing evaluation scores without context
- Assign a peer to rewrite the faculty member's syllabus
Correct answer: Conduct a classroom observation followed by a structured reflective debrief
Classroom observation paired with reflective debrief provides specific, actionable feedback grounded in direct evidence.
Question 4: A faculty developer notices that mentoring relationships in their institution disproportionately exclude faculty of color. What is the most appropriate systemic response?
- Create optional diversity workshops only for mentors
- Audit mentoring assignment processes and implement equity-focused matching criteria (Correct answer)
- Ask faculty of color to self-identify and self-advocate for mentors
- Defer action until the next accreditation review
Correct answer: Audit mentoring assignment processes and implement equity-focused matching criteria
Auditing and revising assignment processes addresses structural inequity rather than placing the burden on marginalized faculty.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a mentoring compact or written agreement at the start of a mentoring relationship?
- To create a legally binding employment contract
- To establish shared expectations, goals, and communication norms between mentor and mentee (Correct answer)
- To document the mentor's credentials for HR records
- To replace the need for periodic check-in meetings
Correct answer: To establish shared expectations, goals, and communication norms between mentor and mentee
A mentoring compact clarifies mutual expectations and goals, providing a foundation for a productive relationship.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes developmental network mentoring for faculty?
- A single senior colleague provides all career advice
- Faculty cultivate diverse relationships with multiple mentors offering different types of support (Correct answer)
- Mentoring is limited to research productivity goals
- Developmental networks are managed exclusively by department chairs
Correct answer: Faculty cultivate diverse relationships with multiple mentors offering different types of support
Developmental networks recognize that faculty benefit from multiple mentors who provide different types of support across career domains.
Question 7: A mid-career faculty member reports feeling unchallenged and stagnant. Which mentoring intervention is most appropriate?
- Encourage the faculty member to seek employment elsewhere
- Collaborate to identify stretch goals, new leadership roles, or scholarly projects aligned with their interests (Correct answer)
- Reassign the faculty member to introductory courses only
- Schedule performance improvement plan documentation
Correct answer: Collaborate to identify stretch goals, new leadership roles, or scholarly projects aligned with their interests
Identifying stretch goals and new roles addresses stagnation by reconnecting the faculty member with growth opportunities.
CFD Faculty Mentoring & Support 2
A new faculty member feels isolated in a predominantly online department.
Which mentoring approach best addresses this challenge?