External Mentor Program for Early, Mid-Career and Minoritized Faculty

Established in 2014 to support the work of UO tenure-track faculty who are early career and under-represented on campus or whose research or creative activity focuses on diversity-related issues, the Division of Equity and Inclusion’s Center for Diversity and Community (CoDaC) provides competitive funding for faculty through its External Mentor Program.

This program now supports the research, creative activity and professional development of UO tenure-track, NTTF, and tenured faculty who seek to establish and/or advance a mentoring relationship with a scholar at a peer institution.

Faculty members seeking an external mentor are responsible for identifying an appropriate colleague to serve in that capacity, who should be an expert in the faculty’s field(s) of scholarship. The expectation is that the mentor will offer advice and support, with a focus on the faculty member’s scholarship and professional development. Faculty members are advised to consult with their UO department head in selecting an external mentor.

Mentors will provide assistance, facilitate research efforts, and, where appropriate, be themselves examples of accomplished faculty. Selected mentors should be those who can extend, enhance, or enrich the awardee’s knowledge or ability with in particular research and creative activity domains, or enhance the awardee’s prominence and reputation within their shared discipline.

Note: The external mentor cannot have been the graduate advisor or the postdoctoral advisor of the applicant.

The proposal should include a detailed plan for engagement with the external mentor over the course of the proposed engagement.

Plans should include:

• A frequency and a method of communication (e.g., training in instrumentation or laboratory technique, video or phone calls, etc.)
• Goals for the engagement (e.g., feedback on a manuscript or grant proposal, reviews of data or research protocols; career networking, etc.)
• Detail any travel and/or research-related expenses that would enhance the success of the engagement with the external mentor.

Funding:

Typical awards range from $2,000 to $3,500 per year depending on the location of the mentor and length of the proposed engagement. Appropriate items to include in the budget:

1. Honorarium for the external mentor; $2,000 a year up to three years
2. Travel expenses (flight, hotel, ground transportation, meals, etc.);
3. Related research expenses (for example, editing services, or travel to a research center or mutually beneficial conference).

The amount allocated for travel and research related expenses should not exceed $1,500 in one year.

Required Deliverables and Expectations:

The proposed use of funds must demonstrate a significant intention of providing career advancement opportunities for the UO faculty member who receives the award.

At the end of each year, and within three months of completion of the proposed activities, recipients must provide a brief report on their experience with the External Mentor Program, including information about progress toward the original engagement plan, insights gained through both the in-person and distance consultations, and impact on the overall career.

Deadline:

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until program funds for the fiscal year are exhausted. If you plan to submit, please contact the CoDaC Director, Dr. Charlotte Moats-Gallagher to ensure that current year funds are still available and to discuss your proposal.

Proposal Format: 

To be considered, please submit an application by email to budgetinclusion@uoregon.edu which includes the following information:

• Cover sheet:
  • Applicant’s name, title, department.
  • Proposed mentor’s name, title, department.
  • Time frame for completion of the activities (e.g. when the “year” starts and ends).
• Proposal:
  • A detailed mentoring engagement plan as described above, not to exceed one page. The plan should include a specified timeline (e.g. travel date approximations).
• Budget: 
  • A detailed budget as described above. Clearly distinguish between travel, honorarium, and other incidental costs.
• Letters of support / commitment: 
  • The request must be accompanied by a letter of commitment from the proposed mentor and a letter of support from your department head.

Review Process:

A committee will review applications and select recipients. Successful proposals will include:

• potential for the proposed initiative to further the professional development of the faculty
• potential for the project to enhance the research productivity, success, and advancement of the faculty
• relevance to advancing the work of underrepresented faculty and/or faculty whose work focuses on issues of diversity.

Questions: Dr. Charlotte Moats-Gallagher, Assistant Vice President and Director, Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC)

Division of Equity and Inclusion
54 Susan Campbell Hall
codac@uoregon.edu
541-346-9367
 

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