Faculty members at Columbia University
are among the most productive and distinguished scholars and scientists in the
world, and they have a long history of helping their students achieve similar
success. It is the Graduate School’s hope that this statement of best mentoring
practices will both remind everyone of what Columbia’s faculty do best and stimulate a
conversation about exemplary mentoring within the GSAS community.
The following points are designed neither to be exhaustive nor to establish
regulations that would govern mentoring relationships. The Graduate School understands that there are many
ways to mentor, and that the best mentoring often responds in unquantifiable
ways to the needs and personal characteristics of students. Nonetheless,
the Graduate School here stresses some activities that
seem to provide a crucial foundation for mentoring relationships. The
best faculty mentors
· know the proper sequence of courses and requirements that students
must complete to move satisfactorily through a program; remain current on the
department’s course listings
· keep professional norms and expectations in mind and do everything
possible to introduce their advisees into professional practice in the
discipline
· indicate clearly how work will be evaluated; read and return work
promptly with appropriate comments
· help students to develop research skills and methodologies that will
enable them to become capable, independent scholars
· talk with students about preparation for qualifying examinations;
help them to create realistic reading lists
· pay attention to the development of skills such as writing,
conceptual analysis, statistical analysis, and oral presentation
· help students think constructively about the ethical implications of
their research; make sure they receive and understand appropriate professional,
federal, and university guidelines
· clarify collaborative issues of scholarship such as ownership and
sharing of data and laboratory notebooks, attribution of contributions to the
research, and policies on patents and copyrights; acknowledge students'
contributions fairly
· treat students as junior colleagues, not as technicians or advanced
undergraduates
· help students think about how to prepare abstracts for conferences
and manuscripts for publication
· work closely with students to define meaningful, up-to-date, and
professionally viable thesis topics
· provide timely, thoughtful, and specific letters of recommendation
for students
· provide encouragement and active support for students seeking
positions when they complete their degrees
· teach in a manner that encourages students to undertake rigorous,
creative, and independent projects
· facilitate networking for their students at conferences and other
professional gatherings
· promote the diverse range of career
opportunities open to new M.A.s; learn about nonacademic job opportunities for
students in their disciplines and provide advice for students interested in
these opportunities; continue to provide active support beyond graduation.
| 
