The Mindful Campus: Organizational Structure And Culture
Linda Ed.D. Coutant, Karen Caldwell
NC Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship May 30, 2017 DOI: 10.71889/5fylantbak.29862005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | A campus known to incorporate contemplative practices in its curriculum and co-curriculum |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | The authors report that a mindful campus is supported by physical structures (a labyrinth, a meditation room), non-physical structures (a faculty learning community, a student meditation club), and financial structures (a special professorate, internal grants), with cultural themes of liberal arts embodiment, community, and connection. They argue that contemplative education by itself does not appear adequate to raise consciousness of privilege, social justice, and diversity unless these issues are made explicit. |
Abstract
This case study of a campus known to incorporate contemplative practices in the curriculum and co-curriculum explored how a mindful campus is operated as well as what organizational structures and cultures are in place to support the use of contemplative practices. Supportive structures include physical structures (i.e., a labyrinth and meditation room), non-physical structures (i.e., a faculty learning community and student meditation club), and financial structures (i.e., a special professorate and internal grants). Cultural themes that emerged from participants’ description of the campus culture focused on embodiment of the liberal arts philosophy, community, and connection. All of Tierney’s (2008) aspects of culture—organizational mission, environment, information sharing, socialization of members, strategy, and leadership—had some evidence of being supportive of contemplative education in this campus culture, albeit in varying degrees. However, contemplative education, in itself, does not appear to be adequate to raise consciousness of issues of privilege, social justice and diversity without making these issues explicit aspects of a mindful campus.