LAS-OVCDEI Collaborative Mentoring Network (CMP)

Overview

In partnership with the OVCDEI, LAS is piloting a program to provide collaborative mentoring grants in support of mid-career tenure-track and instructional specialized faculty (teaching or clinical associate professors). The 2023-2034 program is the second of three years.

The program’s main objective is to prepare faculty members for the next promotion. Submissions are particularly encouraged from groups underrepresented in the associate professor ranks, such as women and faculty of color. Team and individual proposals will be accepted, as well proposals from academic units. Collaborative mentoring teams and academic units will receive up to $5,000. Individual proposals will receive up to $1,500.

Collaborative and unit proposals should consist of 3-4 members working in a peer-to-peer interdisciplinary team. Teams may also include team members from outside campus to participate. The grants will be distributed June 1, 2023 and conclude by June 1, 2024. Team proposals may include funding for professional development travel, expenses for a collaborative mentoring partner outside the institution, honoraria for external in-person mentoring or mentoring public events, editing services, or professional coaching.

Faculty may also submit individual proposals that are not limited to but may include funding for professional development travel, expenses for a collaborative mentoring partner outside the institution, honoraria for external in-person mentoring or mentoring public events, editing services or coaching.

What is a Collaborative Mentoring Network?

The CMP program is based on the NSF-funded Advance Project at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst on mutual mentoring. Mentoring networks are substantially different from traditional departmental one-on-one, senior-junior mentoring. Instead, CMN encourages reciprocal, collaborative work with each person making a unique contribution to the network in terms of research, teaching or other expertise. The relationships within the network should be mutually beneficial to all of the teams’ participants.

Proposals should make clear how the CMN will enhance productivity for professional outcomes in the areas of scholarship, grant applications, publications, or community outreach. Projects may also consist of developing and achieving teaching excellence through the development of new pedagogical practices, developing new courses, interdisciplinary curricula, and student outcomes. Finally, proposals may also address work-life barriers and strategies for addressing issues that may limit professional advancement at Illinois.

Proposal Requirements and Application Form

Proposal should not exceed 1,500 words and should include a budget for the funds requested.

The proposal will be evaluated by the LAS Dean’s Office using the following criteria:

  1. Quality of project that differs in compelling ways from traditional mentoring activities already supported by the departments or university. The project should detail the specific activities and desired outcomes and align with the priority mentoring areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
  2. The activities should be well planned and realistically accomplished in 12-months.
  3. The proposal should describe how the project will benefit each team member’s professional goals and career advancement. The professional benefits for each member should be clearly articulated.
  4. Projects should describe how it will impact or promote equitable practices and enhance the college and campus goals of building a diverse and inclusive campus community.
  5. Proposals should demonstrate research, teaching or engagement excellence through creating research/writing plans, collaborating on internal and external funding and grants, setting up and running laboratories, innovative pedagogy, cultivating relationships with potential external reviewers, community organization, etc.
  6. The budget should be reasonable and request for funding justified.

Please submit your PDF proposal with budget here by 5pm on April 7th.

Questions?

For more information, contact Lloyd Munjanja. For more information on the UMass Advance Project on mutual mentoring, visit here.