ABSTRACT
Programs on college and university campuses have been developed to support students academically, socially, and psychologically (see Chapter 1, this volume). However, little attention has been given to the well-being of the faculty who teach, advise, and otherwise mentor them. Faculty experience stressors, all of which may not be in their control, and like students, they balance multiple roles and responsibilities. In addition to the degree of stress related to job demands and institutional factors (e.g., resources, enrollment pressures, and amount and types of communication from administrators), challenges at different stages of one’s career have the potential to contribute to faculty job satisfaction, which is critical to the strength of higher education institutions. Therefore, finding ways of fostering academics’ well-being and vitality is important. Although mindfulness- and acceptance-based programs have been implemented with a number of populations to reduce stress and improve quality of life, their potential has not been examined with faculty. This chapter explores this possibility, examining the roles, responsibilities, and challenges of being a faculty member in higher education; the psychological impact of the demands of the position; and how mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches could be applied to foster well-being and vitality with this impactful population.
