Supporting new / Probationary staff in politics

1. Supporting new / Probationary staff in politics Kelly Kollman

2. Formalising Induction and Support of New Staff Members • Subject in the past has relied on a collegial culture and individual mentoring system to induct new and probationary staff. • High turnover, 8 new staff in two years, and an increasing number of staff coming from outside the UK system have led us to formalise our induction and mentoring procedures. • Particularly important for inducting staff into teaching and assessment norms.

3. New Induction Procedures • Made induction of our six new staff members a key goal for the year. • Introduction meeting in September • covered a wide variety of topics about the university, teaching norms and research. • Assessment and marking workshop in October • Creating a Subject level new staff handbook • Procedures are meant to augment the individual mentoring system in place for probationary staff and fill gaps left by the lack of induction procedures for mid-career / senior staff new to the Subject.