Dr. Reiser noted that this year's strategic thinking session discussions will focus on tactics and strategies that will help in the follow up on last year's sessions. Dr. Reiser opened the session with a discussion of the ancient Greek origins of the mentoring role as an ethically significant relationship in which the need to unburden oneself in confidence to another was fulfilled. It was decided that all types of mentoring would be addressed but the main focus would be on faculty and student mentoring. The group next identified questions and issues regarding mentoring. Questions and associated points of discussion are summarized below.
Comments represent the opinions and ideas of individual attendees.
There was inadequate time to address all questions generated by the group. There is a significant relationship between mentoring and recruiting. A specific department may have needs for a certain type of mentor and should recruit with that need in mind. During recruiting, prospective faculty members could be informed that mentoring would be a significant portion of their job responsibility. Alternatively, prospective faculty members might be apprised during their interview of certain shortcomings which would need to be addressed through the mentoring process if they were hired by the university.