All About Mentoring Spring 2011 - SUNY Empire State College

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Now, a few months later, this student has
chosen a focus and is progressing along in
her degree plan. I’ve learned from this and
a few other similar experiences that it can
be worth it to take the time to explore away
from the known degree path, which students
often take as a way of default. I think the
fun and joy that comes from the experience
fuels both mentor and student and is well
worth it, although I’m also aware our
student loads prohibit us from doing this as
often as we might like. Some students will
respond to this exploring, and some won’t.
It can be in the timing or in the wording.
Or it can be in trying out new ways to
encourage students to find the phrases and
ideas that are lingering beneath the surface,
waiting to be discovered and turned into
something unique, and perhaps more deeply
reflective of who they are. Like poetry.
Center for Mentoring and
Learning Faculty Reassignments
Katherine Jelly, Center for Mentoring and Learning
The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) sponsors two faculty reassignments with the Center for Mentoring and Learning
(CML) each year. These reassignments, funded by the Empire State College Foundation, support projects related to
mentoring, teaching and learning, and offer an opportunity for faculty to further their professional development and
share their work with colleagues within and beyond Empire State College. Each reassignment provides a quarter-time release from
regular mentoring responsibilities over a period of one year beginning and ending in July.
We encourage applicants to discuss project ideas with the director of the Center for Mentoring and Learning, Katherine Jelly,
the college professor of adult learning and mentoring, Alan Mandell, or members of the CML Advisory Board (for a listing
of members, please visit http://cml.esc.edu/advisory_board). Applicants should also consult their deans early in the process of
developing a proposal. After consulting his/her dean, the applicant submits the application along with a current curriculum vitae to
the dean, who forwards these materials, accompanied by his/her recommendation, to OAA.
Upon completion of the reassignment, the faculty member submits a report to the director of the Center for Mentoring and
Learning, with copies to the dean and provost, regarding the outcomes of the project. In addition, we encourage faculty to publish
this report in All About Mentoring.
This year’s (2010-11) recipients are:
Kate Forbes (Central New York Center)
Frank Vander Valk (Center for Distance Learning)
Diane Gal* (School of Graduate Studies)
*funded through OAA but working with CML.
Please see the CML website for descriptions of their projects at http://cml.esc.edu/programs/current_faculty_reassignments.
This reassignment opportunity and details for applying are explained in the collegewide announcement from the provost’s office,
“Sabbaticals, Reassignments and Other Faculty Development Applications.” Applications are due by Sept. 15, 2011.
suny empire state college • all about mentoring • issue 39 • spring 2011