Strategies for Supporting Early-Career Academics
Cultivating mentoring networks is a key strategy for supporting early career faculty.
by H. Lauren Phillips
University of North Carolina Greensboro
One of the biggest challenges facing new faculty pursuing an academic career is the limited preparation they receive in their graduate programs for the range of responsibilities they will face as faculty members (Austin, 2010). The literature over the past decade indicates a growth in institutional and departmental supports for new faculty; however, “these structures do not always provide the variety of supports that may be needed to navigate the complexities of transitioning to the world of academia” (Pegg, et al., 2014, p. 48). This awareness has prompted more holistic approaches to developing supports for early career academics that help navigate the multiple dimensions of academic life and balance those with personal and family life (Boice, 2000; Foote, 2010; Solem, Foote, Monk, 2009). Additionally, the literature suggests the importance of supports that take into consideration the varied needs of individuals—in particular, faculty of color and women (Fowler, 2017; Sorcinelli & Yun, 2007). A review of the literature on supports for early career academics reveals two broad areas that may aid in the long-term success of new faculty in academia. These key areas include mentoring networks and departmental supports.
Mentoring Networks. There is a vast amount of literature that explores the numerous benefits of mentoring as a strategy for developing career knowledge and skills (Fowler, 2017). A mixed-methods study conducted by Fowler & O’Gorman (2005) identified eight functions of mentoring: coaching, advocacy, role modeling, learning facilitation, strategies & systems advice, career development facilitation, friendship, and personal & emotional guidance. Traditional models for mentoring are often framed as one-to-one hierarchical relationships between new and experienced faculty (Pegg et al., 2014; Sorcinelli & Yun, 2007) in which a single mentor might be expected, or feel obligated to uphold these multifaceted mentoring roles. More recent models suggest the value of developing mentoring networks “by engaging multiple ‘mentoring partners’ in non-hierarchical, collaborative, cross-cultural partnerships to address specific areas of faculty activity, such as research, teaching, working towards tenure, and striking a balance between work and life” (Sorcinelli & Yun, 2007, p. 58). Additionally, Pegg et al. (2014), highlight the importance of developing peer-mentoring networks with colleagues at other institutions. This reimaging of “mentorship” as “reciprocal partnerships” opens up new possibilities for communities of practice in academia.
Departmental Supports. In addition to helping new faculty develop mentoring networks, departments have the potential to provide meaningful and consistent professional development opportunities as well as guidance related to teaching and pedagogical skills (Austin, 2010; Foote, 2010; Fowler, 2017; Remmik, Karm, Haamer, & Lepp, 2011). In their study, Thomas, Lunsford, and Rodrigues (2015) identified seven topics for professional development needs: “Developing a plan for career advancement, grant writing, understanding promotion and tenure, identifying funding, instructional support, identifying local and community resources, and dealing with difficult students” (p. 324). Workshops, trainings, brown bag lunches, seminars, colloquia speakers, as well as web-based resources are valuable departmental strategies for addressing professional development needs of early career academics (Austin, 2010; Foote, 2010). Additionally, a study by Remmik et al. (2011), found that many new faculty express confidence in their subject discipline but not in teaching and pedagogical practice. Departmental-specific faculty learning communities (FLCs) offer early career academics a practical, collaborative, and reflective space for developing stronger teaching and pedagogical skills.
References
Austin, A. E. (2010). Supporting faculty members across their careers. In K. J. Gillespie & D. L.
Robertson (Eds.), A guide to faculty development (pp. 363–378). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Boice, R. (2000). Advice for new faculty members: nihil nimus. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Foote, K. E. (2010). Creating a community of support for graduate students and early career academics. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 34(1), 7-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098260902954087
Fowler, J. L. (2017). Academics at work: mentoring in research, teaching, and service. International Journal for Academic Development, 22(4), 319–330. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2017.1310105
Fowler, J. L., & O’Gorman, J. G. (2005). Mentoring functions: A contemporary view of the perceptions of mentees and mentors. British Journal of Management, 16(1), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2005.00439.x
Pegg, J. M., Adams, A. E., Risser, H. S., Bottoms, S. I., Kern, A. L., & Wu, K. (2015). Finding FRiENDs: Creating a community of support for early career academics. Brock Education Journal, 24(1), 47-54. https://doi.org/10.26522/brocked.v24i1.450
Remmik, M., Karm, M., Haamer, A., & Lepp, L. (2011). Early-career academics’ learning in academic communities. International Journal for Academic Development, 16(3), 187-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2011.596702
Solem, M., Foote, K., & Monk, J. (2009). Aspiring academics: a resource book for graduate students and early career faculty. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Sorcinelli, M. D., & Yun, J. (2007). From mentor to mentoring networks: mentoring in the new academy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 39(6), 58–61. https://doi.org/10.3200/CHNG.39.6.58-C4
Thomas, J. D., Lunsford, L. G., & Rodrigues, H. A. (2015). Early career academic staff support: evaluating mentoring networks. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 37(3), 320–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2015.1034426
University of North Carolina Greensboro
One of the biggest challenges facing new faculty pursuing an academic career is the limited preparation they receive in their graduate programs for the range of responsibilities they will face as faculty members (Austin, 2010). The literature over the past decade indicates a growth in institutional and departmental supports for new faculty; however, “these structures do not always provide the variety of supports that may be needed to navigate the complexities of transitioning to the world of academia” (Pegg, et al., 2014, p. 48). This awareness has prompted more holistic approaches to developing supports for early career academics that help navigate the multiple dimensions of academic life and balance those with personal and family life (Boice, 2000; Foote, 2010; Solem, Foote, Monk, 2009). Additionally, the literature suggests the importance of supports that take into consideration the varied needs of individuals—in particular, faculty of color and women (Fowler, 2017; Sorcinelli & Yun, 2007). A review of the literature on supports for early career academics reveals two broad areas that may aid in the long-term success of new faculty in academia. These key areas include mentoring networks and departmental supports.
Mentoring Networks. There is a vast amount of literature that explores the numerous benefits of mentoring as a strategy for developing career knowledge and skills (Fowler, 2017). A mixed-methods study conducted by Fowler & O’Gorman (2005) identified eight functions of mentoring: coaching, advocacy, role modeling, learning facilitation, strategies & systems advice, career development facilitation, friendship, and personal & emotional guidance. Traditional models for mentoring are often framed as one-to-one hierarchical relationships between new and experienced faculty (Pegg et al., 2014; Sorcinelli & Yun, 2007) in which a single mentor might be expected, or feel obligated to uphold these multifaceted mentoring roles. More recent models suggest the value of developing mentoring networks “by engaging multiple ‘mentoring partners’ in non-hierarchical, collaborative, cross-cultural partnerships to address specific areas of faculty activity, such as research, teaching, working towards tenure, and striking a balance between work and life” (Sorcinelli & Yun, 2007, p. 58). Additionally, Pegg et al. (2014), highlight the importance of developing peer-mentoring networks with colleagues at other institutions. This reimaging of “mentorship” as “reciprocal partnerships” opens up new possibilities for communities of practice in academia.
Departmental Supports. In addition to helping new faculty develop mentoring networks, departments have the potential to provide meaningful and consistent professional development opportunities as well as guidance related to teaching and pedagogical skills (Austin, 2010; Foote, 2010; Fowler, 2017; Remmik, Karm, Haamer, & Lepp, 2011). In their study, Thomas, Lunsford, and Rodrigues (2015) identified seven topics for professional development needs: “Developing a plan for career advancement, grant writing, understanding promotion and tenure, identifying funding, instructional support, identifying local and community resources, and dealing with difficult students” (p. 324). Workshops, trainings, brown bag lunches, seminars, colloquia speakers, as well as web-based resources are valuable departmental strategies for addressing professional development needs of early career academics (Austin, 2010; Foote, 2010). Additionally, a study by Remmik et al. (2011), found that many new faculty express confidence in their subject discipline but not in teaching and pedagogical practice. Departmental-specific faculty learning communities (FLCs) offer early career academics a practical, collaborative, and reflective space for developing stronger teaching and pedagogical skills.
References
Austin, A. E. (2010). Supporting faculty members across their careers. In K. J. Gillespie & D. L.
Robertson (Eds.), A guide to faculty development (pp. 363–378). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Boice, R. (2000). Advice for new faculty members: nihil nimus. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Foote, K. E. (2010). Creating a community of support for graduate students and early career academics. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 34(1), 7-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098260902954087
Fowler, J. L. (2017). Academics at work: mentoring in research, teaching, and service. International Journal for Academic Development, 22(4), 319–330. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2017.1310105
Fowler, J. L., & O’Gorman, J. G. (2005). Mentoring functions: A contemporary view of the perceptions of mentees and mentors. British Journal of Management, 16(1), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2005.00439.x
Pegg, J. M., Adams, A. E., Risser, H. S., Bottoms, S. I., Kern, A. L., & Wu, K. (2015). Finding FRiENDs: Creating a community of support for early career academics. Brock Education Journal, 24(1), 47-54. https://doi.org/10.26522/brocked.v24i1.450
Remmik, M., Karm, M., Haamer, A., & Lepp, L. (2011). Early-career academics’ learning in academic communities. International Journal for Academic Development, 16(3), 187-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2011.596702
Solem, M., Foote, K., & Monk, J. (2009). Aspiring academics: a resource book for graduate students and early career faculty. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Sorcinelli, M. D., & Yun, J. (2007). From mentor to mentoring networks: mentoring in the new academy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 39(6), 58–61. https://doi.org/10.3200/CHNG.39.6.58-C4
Thomas, J. D., Lunsford, L. G., & Rodrigues, H. A. (2015). Early career academic staff support: evaluating mentoring networks. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 37(3), 320–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2015.1034426