Paramarsh - Our Mentoring Portal

Teacher, Role Model, Friend
"On Being a Mentor to Students"

1. Mentoring Definition:

Mentoring, as defined by Eric Parsloel, is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they maximize their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.

2. Importance of Mentoring in Sharda University:

Student mentoring in Sharda University is important for the following reasons:

Diverse student community with varying linguistic, socio-cultural, economic and academic backgrounds,
International students belonging to different countries face challenges in coping with the Indian Culture as well the academic environment both inside and outside the classroom,
Students embarking on their academic career at the university come with many expectations and apprehensions about learning in a new environment,

Thus, it is essential that students get guidance, hand-holding and support to facilitate their adjustment into the academic environment, Campus life and culture. The guidance is required for enhancements in academic performance and move beyond studies, Overall, mentor role is manifold; focused for academic growth and well-being of students in a new paradigm.
The type of student's mentoring depends upon scholastic level of the program:

Undergraduate students: The focus will be on academic foundation, career development and tackling personal problems. These students are also made aware of the university policies and encouraged to participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
Postgraduate students: Focuses is on consolidating of given subject and generate interest in research. Mentor guidance and groom towards right career path,

foundation in a role is to provide 1"The Manager as Coach and Mentor" by Eric Parsloe r).

3. Mentoring Program of Sharda University: It is designed to serve the following:

Acclimatize students from diverse backgrounds about the University educational system and learning environment.
Provide a space to the students for their academic and personal challenges arising in a new environment
Identify the reasons that lead to shortfall in attendance and/or class participation and help students address those issues,
Help students to face challenges to keep pace with the academic environment in keeping pace with the academics in the classroom.
Extend support beyond the classroom for improvement of student development and maximize their potential,

4. Mentoring Policy

Every student is assigned a faculty mentor on day-one of the concerned School shall take necessary steps for the same.
The mentor will remain same throughout the course of the study of the mentee. The mentor shall be changed only with the approval of the HOD in appropriate circumstances or as per the directions laid down by the concerned school from time to time,
The University shall organize Orientation Programs / Sessions for the newly admitted students at the beginning of the academic year where they will be familiarized with the program, academic policies, practices, and resources
The mentees will be intimated names of the mentors to whom they will be assigned, and the mentor details shall also be shared with the parents / wards of the students.
An orientation program will be conducted in the first semester and a refresher session will be conducted in the second semester.
The School shall take necessary steps to ensure that the faculty mentors are able to meet their assigned mentees at the time of the orientation session, A special session shall be set aside for the same. Thereafter, the mentor will hold a familiarization meeting to find out student's previous educational experiences, decision to join this university and what the student hopes to achieve.
Mentor shall advise and approve of the courses (core, elective and open elective) that mentee Seek to choose in each semester,
It shall be the responsibility of the mentee to contact faculty mentor at the appointed hour. However, the mentor may also take steps to contact mentees through e.mail / social media and other appropriate mediums. The mentors should let the mentees know the time and place for meeting. Mentors may give special attention to the needs of students who are challenged due to cultural and ethnic issues,
The mentoring shall cover academic and non-academic issues faced by the mentees. Where required mentor shall recommend for professional help,
For first year students, the mentor should preferably conduct at least one session per month. However, each School of the University will have the flexibility to decide on the number of sessions as per their curriculum requirement; as the new students are just learning the ropes and fretting about the long and challenging road ahead in their new environment. The sessions can be adjusted from a regular basis to a requirement based mentoring when the students progress to the second year.
The mentors shall record mentee interactions every time the student approaches the mentor for the purpose of mentoring.
The mentors shall encourage the students to use their time effectively and productively.
The mentors review students' progress quarterly via examining attendance and academic performance records.
The mentor shall take up academic issues of a serious nature and initiate action for resolution of the same
The mentors must make nest efforts to dissuade their mentees from harmful practices of smoking, drugs, alcohol etc.
The mentor should encourage the mentee to take up challenging academic paths during his/her course of study.

5. Mentoring Programl Governance

There shall be a Mentoring Program Coordinator at the University level to oversee the mentoring program who, in tandem with mentoring program coordinators of the School, and the Department, will facilitate the smooth functioning of the program at the School/ Department level.
The Vice Chancellor shall appoint a Chief Mentoring Program Coordinator from among the senior faculty members, The person should be well informed about the effective mentoring practices/ managed student affairs at the University level and is well versed with the nature of common problems faced by the student community in the Sharda University.
The tenure of the Chief Mentoring Program Coordinator shall ordinarily be for a period of two years and can be extended with the due approval of the competent authority.
The Chief Mentoring' Program Coordinator shall have the following fu nctions:
1. Disseminate aims and objectives of the mentoring program to school mentoring coordinator,
2. Coordinate mentoring activity with the Mentoring Coordinators at the School/ Department level
3. Organize Mentor Training and Student Induction Programs at the commencement of the academic year to ensure uniformity of mentoring program delivery across all Schools and Departments.
4. Monitor the overall mentoring program by having regular interaction/ meetings with the Deans, School/Department Mentoring coordinators, Mentors, preferably once every month.
5. To identify and address the concerns of mentors arising out of interaction with mentees,
6. To facilitate technical support by coordinating with the IT Support team in case of technical glitches, if any,
7. To review the mentoring program policy document, whenever required, to improve mentoring practices/ process and the general effectiveness of mentoring,

7. Mentoring Coordinator (School/Department level)

The Mentoring Coordinator at the School/ Department level shall oversee and coordinate the functioning of the Mentors of the respective School/ Department,
The Mentoring Coordinator shall be appointed by the Dean of that School in consultation with the Chief Mentoring Program Coordinator and the Vice Cha ncellor.
The tenure of the Mentoring Coordinator shall be two years, and can be extended or shortened depending upon the performance.
The role of the Mentoring Coordinator shall be:
1. To be a single point of contact for overall information concerning the mentoring program at the school level,
2. To make timely mentee allocation, monitor the mentoring program, maintain the mentor-mentee lists and file. Prepare monthly school level mentoring reports and share it with Dean.
3. To take up cases of indiscipline reported from the office of the Chief Proctor with concerned mentors for providing necessary counseling and g u ida nce.
4. To seek feedback from mentees and analyze the same,
5. To help newly recruited faculty mentors understand the aims and objectives of the mentoring program and share the context and common student concerns.
6. To keep regular checks on the online portal and encou rage/ rernind mentors to participate actively,
7. To report technical issues in the online mentoring portal, if any,
8. To attend meetings convened by the Chief Mentoring Program Coordinator or the Dean for the purpose.
9. To convene interactive sessions with mentors to understand the challenges faced by them.

8. Assignment of Mentors

All the faculty members including the HoD and the Dean shall be mentors for students admitted to the program that the school offers. The Dean / HoD shall allot the students to the mentors from the date of registration. There shall be equitable distribution of students among faculty (including HoD and the Dean)
In case a mentor is on leave for more than a month, Dean / HoD shar, make re-allotment among the available faculty, If a new faculty joins the department, HoD / Dean shall carry out re-allotment so that all the faculty members have almost equal number of mentees,
The Mentors at the School/ Department shall carry out mentoring and will have preferably not more than 20 mentees, It is the responsibility of the mentoring coordinator to ensure that every student of the School is assigned a mentor,
The functioning of the mentees shall be coordinated by Coordinators of the respective School/ Department'
All issues relating to the allotment of mentees or mentors the notice of the mentoring coordinator.

9. Role of Mentors

Mentors are expected to: the Mentoring shall be brought to

Establish a sustained connect with the mentees, be helpful and encourage them to come up with their problems.
Mentor shall be available to the mentees beyond the classroom and keep them informed if for some unforeseen reason they are unavailable for a scheduled mentoring session,
Engage with the mentees to identify and understand their strengths and areas of improvement,
Take regular feedback on mentees attendance regularity, academic performance, conduct, etc. and advise/mentor on short fall, if any.
Counsel mentees who have been involved in disciplinary issues.
Keep the Mentoring Coordinator/ Mentoring Program Coordinator informed of the issues that require attention,
Identify mentees who have attitudinal problems requiring psychologica, counseling and arrange for the same,
Conduct interactive sessions apart from one to one session to the extent possible.
Positively communicate mentee's concerns about a particular course/ other matters to the concerned teachers/ officials.
To maintain strict confidentiality on mentees'concerns that is of personal/sensitive nature.
To inform the parents any issue that needs attention
To encourage a thought process in the students that would encourage a all round holistic growth and development of the mentee.
To identify the interest area and talent of the mentee and encourage the mentee to pursue the talent,

10. Role of Mentee

All mentees are expected to:

Take best advantage of the mentoring program of the University and meet designated mentors on a regular basis to resolve academic/ other issues,
To maintain healthy attendance of the mentor-mentee meetings, University authorities may, in their wisdom, debar students from taking end-semester examination if a mentee does not attend at least 75o/o of the scheduled meetings,
Take the feedback provided by the Mentors positively and seriously act upon it,
Be open and receptive to the new ways of teaching/learning and seek help whenever required.
Be focused on achieving desired results,
Have a sense of responsibility and commitment towards their learning pursuits and towards University, r Be disciplined, focused and make best use of the University's facilities and experience for maximizing their potential, developing skills/competencies and improve their performance.
Uphold dignity and prestige of Sharda University, . Shall not indulge in any act which is deemed to be of unbecoming of a stu de nt,