Applications for the AY 2024-25 ACUMent program are now open and will be due September 6.

Note: Placement in Peer Mentoring Circles and Mentor-Mentee Matches are made based on responses to the application. Offerings for Peer Coaching will be created based upon interest level.听

ACUMent听

ACUMent, which stands for听Across CU Mentoring,听offers three types of mentoring programs for faculty at all career stages including听pre-tenured faculty, non-tenure-track听faculty, or tenured associate professors.

Three Types of Mentoring Programs

  • Peer Mentoring Circles: Groups of 5-7 faculty members provide mutual听mentoring through听a self-sustaining community around focused discussion and interests or a common career stage/experience. Opportunities to join a writing circle will be available at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.听
    • For example, circles can be centered around interests related to BIPOC faculty, women faculty in听leadership roles, lab scientists and researchers,听international faculty, faculty parents, faculty caregivers, teaching and clinical faculty, new faculty, pre-tenure faculty, associate professors, etc.
    • Potential topics for discussion could be writing advice, research productivity, time management, healthy work-life balance, creating a dossier, etc.
  • Mentor-Mentee听Matches: A mentor is matched with 1-2 mentees outside of their unit/department. Mentoring pairs are expected to attend an orientation and meet at least once per month during the academic year.
  • Peer Coaching: These are typically single coaching sessions听that last about 1-2 hours, although the duration of coaching may vary depending on the subject area, faculty interest, and goal of the coaching sessions. Each session is led by听1-3 experts and whatever number of faculty are interested in a particular subject/topic.听
    • Potential topics for these coaching sessions include听publishing in journals, getting a book contract with an academic press, securing grant funding, constructing a review CV, developing a writing/creative practice, etc.

Why Be a Mentor or Mentee?听

  • Share knowledge
  • Celebrate successes
  • Become a better leader
  • Change someone鈥檚 world
  • Work through challenges
  • Empower through example
  • Be inspired by your mentee
  • Share resources/connections
  • Shape the leaders of tomorrow
  • Expand your network/perspective
  • Make a difference to someone else鈥檚 life
  • Gain insight into generational differences
  • Embed what you鈥檝e learned through teaching
  • Build a campus community of support for junior colleagues

  • Increase your knowledge
  • Get help with motivation
  • Hear words of encouragement
  • Share your stories with a trusted ally
  • Hear opinions on subjects you want to know about
  • Ask for accountability for achieving the goals you set
  • Get insight into ways to strengthen areas of your life
  • Discuss goals, planning, and strategies for success in academia
  • Gain the perspective of a senior scholar outside of your program
  • Identify opportunities, resources, networks, and communities of support

ACUMent Mentors

ACUMent mentors come from various academic units and departments, with a wealth of expertise and experience at CU Boulder. See the list of current and past ACUMent mentors here!

Congratulations to our Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awardees!

On April 7th听2023, the Office of Faculty Affairs honored听our inaugural cohort of听six faculty members who have showcased excellence in mentorship to other faculty. Learn more about the awardees here.

For questions about ACUMent, please email OFAFDS@colorado.edu.