Student Mentorship Programme

INTRODUCTION

Mentoring is a unique method of supporting students to improve their learning and leadership skills, motivating them towards their future career development. With this in mind, the college has decided to set up a mentorship programme wherein the faculty members are given training on mentor system and meet the students on day-to-day basis to listen to their issues and guide them on their overall personality development.

The mentorship system is taken up with a view to enhance accomplishment of the Vision-Mission of the institution- the mission of this programme, and shall take in force from the 2020-21 session.

STUDENT MENTORING PROGRAMME

The Student Mentor Programme is a programme within the Oriental College student community, under the guidance of the principal and faculty coordinators with the following primary objectives of enabling constructive interaction, guidance and mentorship of junior students by senior students, providing a reliable and comprehensive support system, to motivate students to excel in both academic and non-academic fields and to make the most of their life at the college. The objectives of the Student Mentorship Programme are:

To help the first year students understand the challenges and opportunities present in the college and develop a smooth transition to campus life.
To counsel academically weak undergraduate first year students and to play an important role in helping troubled students cope with academic, extra-academic and personal problems.
To provide positive role models to first year undergraduate students in the college.
To proactively try to identify problems of the general student populace and to bring them to the notice of the concerned authorities

The Student Mentorship Programme endeavours to pursue these objectives by carefully identifying those who can act as an anchor and guide for a fresher or an academically weak student. Student Mentors will be selected from the final year of B.A. & B.Sc. degree programme to play this role and are given the authority to pursue the mission of this programme. Each Student Mentor would be assigned a group of first year students- new entrance. He/she would be the direct point of interaction with the first year students- the mentees and may report special cases for the consideration of the Faculty/Teacher Mentor/Advisor who would be a supervisor /coordinator/guide. The Faculty Mentor may then bring the matter, if required, to the college authority for redressal. This system is devised to help the fresher to be at ease with the new environment at the college. Thus the Structure of Mentorship Programme of the college will be

Principal
Faculty Mentor/Advisor
Student Mentor
4 Student Mentee Group

ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF A STUDENT MENTOR

The qualities mentioned below are guidelines used by the Faculty Mentors in selecting the new Student Mentor team.

A Student Mentor is normally a student from the Final year of B.A & B.Sc.
Empathy and humility are the most essential qualities for any mentor to possess. It is necessary for a mentor to empathize with the wide variety of situations his mentees could face and be humble enough not to impose their own opinions but to tailor advice to the mentee’s needs.
Ethics are of paramount importance for Student Mentors and they should be able to instil the same in their mentees.
Student Mentors should be academically inclined and capable of persuading others to be the same.
Preferably those students who are already working with the other committees of the college should not be considered.
Student Mentor should be the one who would act as a role model because of his/her achievements and personality.

ROLE OF THE STUDENT MENTOR

Each Student Mentor is assigned a group of 10-15 fresher, who would henceforth become his/her mentees. Under normal circumstances, it is the primary duty of the Student Mentor to guide the group of students assigned to him/her through their first year in the college. However, the responsibility of each mentor extends to the entire first year batch of the college and hence, the Mentor should feel free to intervene in any matter related to their mentees. Ideally the mentor-mentee relation may continue to extend beyond the tenure in the college or may exit livelong.

The Mentor should ensure to the best of his/her ability that the mentees are able to adjust comfortably to life at College- both in the college and in the hostel. For this, it is imperative that the Mentor establishes a close rapport with the mentees.
The Mentors should meet their mentees at certain critical junctures of the first year such as the first few weeks of the semester, well before semester exams and at the time of results.
The Mentor must act on any complaint of misbehavior by a senior in violation of the strict rules against ragging of any form.
The Mentor has to impress upon his/her mentees the need to maintain a balance between academic and extra-curricular activities, so that one utilizes one’s time at college in the most productive manner.
The Mentor must ensure that no activity is forced upon any fresher against his/her will. The thin line between forcing and persuasion is one which the Mentor has to judge based upon his/her perception of the fresher, and the matter at hand.
The Mentor should be ready to help his/her mentee overcome any problem, academic or social, in an advisory role and act as a responsible role model. At the same time, he/she must realize the importance of making his/her mentee independent and self- reliant.
Mentors should immediately inform the Faculty Mentor or the Student Counsellor regarding any potentially serious case related to their mentees or any other student if they come to know of it.
Mentors are expected to play their role as responsible seniors using their own discretion.

DUTIES OF MENTORS

Mentors are required to keep track of their mentees with reference to academics, attendance, discipline and overall development.

Mentors are to record their findings in the mentor’s diary.

Any complaint or compliment regarding mentees will be brought to the notice of the respective faculty/teacher mentors.

Mentors, if required, are to schedule face to face counselling with their mentees.

ROLE OF THE FACULTY MENTOR

The Faculty Mentors play a very important role in selecting the team of Student Mentors. Selecting a team of responsible, sensitive and dedicated mentors is very critical to the success of the Student Mentorship Programme.

The Faculty Mentors oversee the day-to-day functioning of the Student Mentorship Programme. For this, they must keep in regular touch with the Student Mentors and mentees to ensure that the primary objective of the programme is being fulfilled.

The Faculty Mentors are expected to give regular updates regarding the functioning of the Student Mentorship Programme to the principal.

The Faculty Mentor must hear to the Student Mentor and act promptly. In particular, if a Student Mentor feels that a particular mentee is facing academic/emotional problems that cannot be handled by him/her, the Student Mentor must report the matter to the Faculty Mentor who in turn must arrange to bring it to the notice of the Principal immediately.

The Faculty Mentors must ensure accountability from all Student Mentors to the extent possible. As such, they may recommend suspension or removal of a Student Mentor from the team for dereliction of duty/non-performance to the Mentorship Programme.