GPS Faculty Development Workshops

The quality of the mentorship relationship is one of the strongest predictors of doctoral student success.  The way that relationship begins can influence the trajectory of that relationship.  Problems between mentors and mentees often arise from misunderstandings of expectations and/or changing expectations over time.  In this workshop, we will discuss how to establish mutually beneficial expectations and how to clearly communicate those expectations to mentees.

Register (Tuesday, September 10, 3:30-4:30 PM)

Good communication is essential to the success of any relationship, and mentoring relationships are no exception.  We tend to know good communication when we hear it, but it’s important for mentors to practice these skills with our mentees. 

In this workshop, we will discuss how to:

1. Provide constructive feedback
2. Develop multiple strategies for improving communication
3. Engage in active listening

Register (Tuesday, September 24, 3:30-4:30 PM)

For mentees to be successful, it is critical that they understand what we are trying to teach them.  However, it can be difficult to know when and why a mentee lacks understanding of core concepts and processes. 

In this workshop, we will discuss how to:

1. Assess mentee understanding of core concepts and processes
2. Identify reasons for lack of understanding
3. Strategies for enhancing mentee understanding

Register (Tuesday, October 1, 3:30-4:30 PM)

The goal of a graduate school advisor is to help the student become an independent scholar, but we often don’t define what that looks like.  In this workshop, we will discuss what it means for a student to be independent, and we will share tools to foster independence in our trainees.

Register (Tuesday, November 5, 3:30-4:30 PM)

Each of our trainees brings a unique background, education, and knowledge base to the mentor-mentee relationship.  In this workshop, we will learn to identify, reflect upon, and engage with the differences our trainees bring to our groups.

Register (Tuesday, November 19, 3:30-4:30 PM)

Mentors have an important role in teaching about and modeling ethical behavior.  In this workshop, we will reflect upon and discuss ethical issues we should consider when we are in a mentoring relationship.

Register (Tuesday, December 3, 3:30-4:30 PM)

Recorded January 2022.  See recording here.   

Evidence shows that graduate students are six times more likely than the general population to experience mental health challenges, which means that mental health is a significant factor for many of our own students at Baylor. While graduate faculty should not be involved in diagnosing mental health issues or attempting to provide care, graduate faculty should be aware of how to report potential concerns and to support their students. Join us to learn the resources available at Baylor for helping students overcome barriers to getting the effective care they need. 

Recorded October 2021.  See recording here. 

Academic Analytics collects data from PhD graduates, and the insights gleaned on alumni employment, salary, and location can be a valuable tool for our PhD programs.   Learn how to get the most out of Academic Analytics data in this recorded workshop.   GPDs of PhD programs may sign into Academic Analytics through the single sign-in on Baylor’s website here.

Early conversations between advisors and advisees that establish professional relationship expectations can make mentoring relationships more successful. The Graduate School strongly suggests that advisor/advisee pairs utilize a mentoring agreement to structure expectations, build mutual trust and respect, and establish appropriate boundaries. Mentoring agreements do not serve as a legal document, but rather as an agreement between advisor and advisee. This workshop will explore the rationale behind mentoring agreements and provide the framework for establishing successful mentoring agreements.  Departments interested in a presentation on this topic can contact sara_dolan@baylor.edu.

Working with graduate students often means having difficult conversations with graduate students. This workshop will provide skills to help graduate faculty navigate conversations from personal crises to adviser conflict to academic progress. It will provide guidelines on how to handle these conversations well, and will include advice from experienced graduate faculty.  Departments interested in a presentation on this topic can contact sara_dolan@baylor.edu.

We have noticed an increase in the early dismissal of graduate students from programs and dissatisfied graduate students turning to legal recourse to settle disputes with programs and mentors. While sometimes this will just happen, there are also clear steps departments and mentors can take to reduce the number of student dismissals and lawsuits. This workshop will combine legal advice with practical advice to provide graduate faculty and programs the strategies needed to prevent and/or deal with these difficult situations.  Departments interested in a presentation on this topic can contact sara_dolan@baylor.edu.