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Published: October 22, 2024

Section 1 – Description

The Administrative & Professional (A&P) Association Mentorship program is designed to pair staff members of less experience with those who have more experience; in an effort to share institutional knowledge and foster meaningful professional relationships between A&P members. The mentorship program will create pairings between members based on the criteria outlined in section four with the expectation that the mentor and mentee will meet regularly to discuss career goals, professional aspirations, institutional history and other relevant topics.

Participation in the mentorship program is voluntary, and those selected may withdraw at any time with written notice to the A&P Executive Board.

Section 2 – Timeline

1. Pairings between mentors and mentees will be done twice per year, once in the fall term and again in the spring term.
2. The mentorship program will run for a full calendar year from when the pairings are made (fall pairings will run until the following fall and spring pairings will run until the following spring.)
3. Participants will be given the official start and end dates of their mentorship pairing in a written communication from the A&P Executive Board.
4. Participants are required to meet at least once per month for at least one hour but may choose to meet more than once per month if both participants agree to do so. Meetings may be virtual or in-person.
5. The mentorship pairing will not be extended formally beyond one year, but pairings may agree to continue meeting informally upon completion of the program.

Section 3 – Participant Criteria

Mentor Eligibility Criteria

1. Mentors must be classified as a current, full-time A&P employee in good standing with the University.
2. Mentors are required to have more than seven years of experience in a full-time º£½ÇÉçÇøstaff or º£½ÇÉçÇøfaculty role by the start of the program.
   1. This experience does not have to be in an A&P position, but the staff’s current position must be classified as A&P.
   2. Experience working for other employers does not count towards these criteria.
3. Exceptions to these criteria may be made on a case-by-case basis through a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee.

Mentee Eligibility Criteria

1. Mentees must be classified as a current, full-time A&P employee in good standing with the University.
2. Mentees may not have more than seven years of experience in a full-time º£½ÇÉçÇøstaff or º£½ÇÉçÇøfaculty role by the start of the program.
   1. This experience does not have to be in an A&P position, but the staff’s current position must be classified as A&P.
   2. Experience working for other employers does not count towards these criteria.
3. Exceptions to these criteria may be made on a case-by-case basis through a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee.

Section 4 – Mentorship Pairing Procedures

1. The A&P Executive Board will first solicit submissions from potential mentees and will collect information from potential participants regarding their individual goals and expectations from a mentorship.
   1. The A&P Executive Board will communicate a clear deadline for mentee submissions to participate in the mentorship program.
2. Once the deadline for submissions has passed, the Executive Board will then solicit submissions from potential mentors using the goals and expectations provided by the potential mentees to guide selection.
   1. The A&P Executive Board will communicate a clear deadline for mentor submissions to participate in the mentorship program.
3. The A&P Executive Board will then create the pairings between mentees and mentors based on the submissions.
4. Upon the pairings being made, the Executive Board will notify participants of their pairing and provide them with instructions on how to proceed.

Guidelines for Pairings

1. The A&P Executive Board shall decide on pairings between mentors and mentees.
2. The A&P Executive Board shall attempt to create pairings between all who submit requests to participate in the mentorship program, but cannot guarantee a pairing for everyone.
   1. Potential participants that were unable to be paired shall be given priority in the next available round of mentorship pairing, however applicants must indicate interest again in the next available semester.
3. Pairings should be made between individuals who are not in the same division at the University.However, if participation is limited, individuals in the same division may be paired together.
4. Mentees may apply for the mentorship program multiple times so long as they are eligible, however priority will be given to applicants who have never participated in the mentorship program previously.
5. A mentor may have up to three mentees if they agree to do so.
6. A mentee may not have multiple mentors in the same calendar year.
7. A mentee cannot be paired with their direct supervisor as their mentor.
8. A mentee cannot be paired with a mentor who shares the same direct supervisor.
9. A mentee cannot be paired with their spouse or relative.
10. Participants cannot request a specific individual to be their mentor or mentee.
11. A mentee or mentor may request a new pairing at any time, however changes are not guaranteed and the participant may be asked to defer their participation to a later semester.
    1. This request must be submitted in writing to the A&P Executive Board.
12. Exceptions to these guidelines may be made with a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee.

Section 5 – Program Goals & Expectations

The A&P Mentorship Program is designed to be flexible and to accommodate the needs of individual participants. Participants are encouraged to make the most of their relationships and do what works for them while adhering to the overall mission of the program.

Goals for Mentees

Mentees should work with the mentors to set unique goals for their mentorship; however, all mentees should seek to accomplish the following goals upon completion of the program.

1. Establish a lasting professional relationship with their mentor.
2. Learn about UNF’s institutional history.
3. Understand the different areas of the university, their function, and why they are important to the institution’s overall mission of serving our students.
4. Gain a clearer picture of their future plans and understand the next steps needed to take towards achieving their long-term goals.

Goals for Mentors

Mentors should impart as much of their institutional knowledge and professional experience unto their mentee as possible, while adapting to the unique needs and desired outcomes of their mentee. Mentors should work with their mentees to set unique goals, however all mentors should accomplish the following goals upon completion of the program.

1. Establish a lasting professional relationship with their mentee.
2. Share their own career journey and experiences including their accomplishments and challenges encountered along the way.
3. Provide meaningful professional advice and guidance to their mentee.
4. Ask their mentee questions and help them identify long-term goals and assist them in understanding the steps needed to accomplish those goals.

Expectations for Mentors & Mentees

1. Communicate regularly with their mentor/mentee. This includes sharing accomplishments, asking questions, seeking advice on professional matters, etc.
2. Attend regular meetings with their mentor/mentee at least once per month.
3. Comply with established University policies and regulations.

Section 6 – Program Rules

1. The A&P President or designee may suspend a mentorship pairing at any time if it is deemed in the best interest of the participants and/or the University.
   1. If suspended, the A&P President or designee will notify the participants in writing with the reason for the suspension and inform the participants of their right to appeal the suspension.
   2. This decision may be appealed in writing to the A&P Steering Committee within five (5) business days of receipt of the decision. The A&P Steering Committee may overturn the President’s decision by a simple majority vote.
      1. The Steering Committee shall notify the appellant(s) in writing of their decision within fifteen (15) business days.
      2. The decision of the Steering Committee is final.
2. Participation in the A&P Mentorship Program is limited to those currently in an A&P position. Faculty and USPA staff are not eligible to participate.
3. Participants must work with their direct supervisors to make scheduling accommodations to participate in this program during business hours.