Mentoring and Advising Practices

The Council of Graduate Schools (2010) identified the following “Promising Practices” for mentoring and advising (p. 36):

Regularity and uniformity of progress review

Implement regular advisor/advisee meetings and progress reports
Encourage programs to set up annual student performance review systems
Develop “best practices” for tracking student progress in relation to the amount and type of student financial aid
Institute a modified report on students’ plans for the remainder of the academic year to be completed immediately upon their advancement to candidacy

Require each first-year student to have an advisor or advisory structure; conduct regular evaluations of progress
Encourage the participation of graduate students of color and women in programs that support members of underrepresented groups in graduate education
Initiate a “Navigating the System” seminar program to address the theme of inclusion and diversity
Establish administrative structures for the early identification of, and interventions aimed at retaining students
Create omsbud position to support first-year students

Offer workshops for faculty on mentoring
Make such workshops part of the new faculty orientation
Develop materials / handbooks and online resources for faculty on mentoring
Offer mini-grants to help faculty develop initiatives aimed at improving the quality of mentoring
Recognize excellence in mentoring through faculty awards

Train peer mentors and ensure that all new students are assigned a trained peer mentor
Provide students with external mentors

Reference

Council of Graduate Schools. (2010). Ph.D. Completion and Attrition: Policies to Promote Student Success.