Faculty Mentoring in a Community College: An Evaluation

Is it worth a community college's time to invest in a faculty mentoring program? This report describes the implementation of one and follows up with an evaluation of it, with lessons learned:

The positive impact of a mentoring program is directly related to the investment in the front-end work: literature review, needs assessment, design, and development. Scheduling ample time for these phases will help ensure that (a) the correct faculty performance issues are identified and analyzed; (b) the core components needed for a successful mentoring program are identified and accounted for in the program design; and (c) the most appropriate activities are developed for inclusion in the mentoring program. While information on program evaluation is currently limited, a plethora of resources are available to guide you through the process of program development. We found Murray (2001) especially helpful. Also, standardized tools are available that measure the psychosocial effects, such as increased personal and job satisfaction, on participants. See Stromei (2001) for a description of the tool she developed.