Influences on the Content of Interactions in Faculty Mentorship Networks

• In Event: 16.061 - Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: 16.061-13 - Partnerships, Mentorships, and Other Faculty Development

Abstract

The tenure process is complex, and a successful progression through the process can be contingent on the support of both peers and senior faculty. While mentoring is often an informal expectation, research universities rarely value or reward faculty engaged in mentoring activities in the promotion and tenure process (Johnson, 2007). In this study, we investigate the mentoring experiences of 163 tenure-track faculty members through a social network analysis at a large, public university. Specifically, we pose the following research question: What do the mentorship networks of tenure-track faculty members look like, and to what extent do these faculty members differentiate their interactions with different mentors?

Authors

• Dan Berebitsky, Southern Methodist University

• Sarah Kiersten Ferguson, Southern Methodist University

• Molly K. Ellis, Southern Methodist University