When you’re one of only a handful of people – or perhaps the only person – responsible for building and maintaining your department’s schedule of classes, it can be difficult not having a colleague to turn to for advice or collaboration.
A new mentor-match program piloted by the Curricular Services team in the Office of the Registrar (RO) aims to fill that gap by building and strengthening connections among curricular representatives across campus as they tackle this critical work.
The mentorship pilot, which kicked off in February, is inspired by existing peer-mentoring programs for RO staff and academic staff across campus. Mentor matches between newer and more experienced curricular reps connect interested individuals with peers doing the same work in other departments.
“I’m interested in joining the program because I want to meet people in the same/similar role and learn from them,” mentee Preamtip Satasuk, a curricular rep for English as a Second Language, says. “It’s also a great opportunity to get to know people in another department as well.”
“There are times where being a curricular rep has felt isolating. I joined the program because I wanted to support efforts that aim to reduce that feeling,” says mentor Carly Siewert, an academic program specialist in the Department of Economics.
The hope is that mentors can provide an additional sounding board to help mentees navigate the challenges and complexities of building and maintaining the schedule of classes, including gathering teaching assignments from department leadership, assigning classes to spaces under the department’s control, and more.
“The work of curricular reps can be very challenging. There are so many details to keep track of and get right, and many reps have other responsibilities such as managing course enrollments, supporting academic planning, advising students, and handling other administrative duties,” RO curricular outreach specialist Kate Kurek says. “This program provides another layer of support for these essential staff members.”
Kurek solicited interest in the pilot in December and January. Nearly two dozen people who expressed interest were then matched based on their interest in meeting one-on-one or in small groups as well as their preferred modality (in person and/or online). A kickoff event was held in early February to outline the program’s framework, share resources, and connect matched mentors and mentees.
Through November, mentors and mentees will build connections with each other in ways that meet their individual needs and goals. Curricular Services will then ask for feedback from participants to help inform whether and how the program continues in future years.
The program will supplement – not replace – existing support from the RO, including detailed step-by-step KnowledgeBase (KB) documents and regular “pro tips” shared via email and on the office’s website. The Curricular Services team will continue to serve as the expert resource for reps on the systems, policies, and procedures related to the Schedule of Classes, and RO colleagues provide support for related issues like grading, enrollment, and more.