Academic Mentoring for Women Students and Faculty: A New Look at an Old Way to Get Ahead.

Issues concerning mentoring for women in higher education are discussed. After identifying benefits of mentoring for the protege, the mentor, and the institution, barriers to traditional mentoring for women are considered. Attention is directed to why men may hesitate to mentor women students and faculty, why female mentors are hard to find on campus, and why some women may exclude themselves from mentoring relationships. In addition, new approaches to mentoring for women are considered, including multiple mentors, networks, and paper mentors. Information is also provided on the following questions: how to decide if mentoring is needed, how to be selected by mentors, and how to be a mentor. Consideration is also focused on the following groups of women with special needs: women in nontraditional fields, older women, minority women, and disabled women. Five model programs are described that cover the following: an informal institution-wide approach, research mentors for minority and women faculty, the career cooperative, a career development program for women students, and a peer advising program for women students. Additional recommendations are offered for colleges, as well as for associations, disciplinary groups, and other organizations. Reference notes, a bibliography, and a list of information sources are appended.