The E-mentoring Agreement:

The purpose of this agreement:

This agreement has been designed to protect the mentors, the mentees and to assist in the smooth running of the e-mentoring scheme. It covers the definition of an e-mentor/mentee, confidentiality, inappropriate communications and ending your involvement with the scheme. These guidelines are here to help, but they may be subject to change and revision in light of experiences. If you feel there are any areas that are not covered here, they should be brought to the attention of the staff team who shall, at their discretion, introduce them into the agreement and notify all parties by e-mail. Both mentors and mentees will be asked to sign this agreement.

Definitions:

An e-mentor is a volunteer second or third year under-graduate student at Staffordshire University. An e-mentor will, without compensation or expectation of compensation, perform the task of mentoring via e-mail after training and at the direction of and on behalf of the e-mentoring team. A mentor must be officially accepted, and have completed training, before the start of the scheme. A mentee is a first year student or a direct entrant into second or third year at Staffordshire University.

Confidentiality:

In order to provide support for mentors, mentees and the team, information may be shared in confidence with members of staff on the e-mentoring team. Breeches of confidentiality within this team structure may result in the expulsion of a mentor or mentee from the scheme, or for retraining in the case of a mentor, (at the discretion of the staff on the e-mentoring team). E-mail messages between mentors and mentees may, at the discretion of the team and in total confidentiality, be shared with the e-mentoring staff team if there is concern about a student’s behaviour or wellbeing and in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme and assist in its further development.

Inappropriate communications:

When using email mentors and mentees are required to adhere to the Staffordshire University IT Regulations (these are available at www.staffs.ac.uk/current/regulations/it/index.php). Inappropriate use of emails and/or the e-mentoring bulletin board will result in exclusion from the e-mentoring scheme and may also result in disciplinary action by the university Information Services. Mentors and mentees should be respectful and courteous in all interactions and respect cultural, religious, and economic differences, ideas and values. Mentors and mentees should not engage in any inappropriate communication that includes, but is not limited to, verbal abuse, unwanted swearing or conversations that include or refer to sexual content and racist, sexist or homophobic language. Possible grounds for exclusion from the scheme may also include, but are not limited to, the following: abuse or mistreatment of mentees or mentors, the e-mentoring team, university staff; failure to abide by e-mentoring policies and procedures; and evidence of academic plagiarism or cheating. If at any point you receive ANY e-mail that you feel is inappropriate, for ANY reason, please raise your concerns and forward the communication along with any other details to a member of staff on the e-mentoring team.

Ending your mentoring participation:

The mentor or the mentee may at any time before the scheme ends, for whatever reason, decide to terminate their participation with the scheme. Notice of such a decision should be communicated as soon as possible to the team. No reason need be given, but it would help the e-mentoring staff team evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme, if you could outline the reason/s.

NB:

Mentors are volunteers and will offer advice to the best of their ability and from their personal experience. For matters to do with degree regulations, mentees must consult and adhere to the official university documentation.