Compassion-Based Training for Cultivating Well-Being and Building Resilience in Online Adjunct Faculty

Abstract

Adjunct faculty are a growing population in higher education, making up over half of all faculty in some institutions. However, adjunct faculty often face a number of challenges that can negatively impact their well-being, including low pay, lack of benefits, and limited job security. Online adjunct faculty face the additional stressors of technological innovations, remote isolation, institutional othering, and disconnection. The well-being of adjunct faculty is essential to the success of academic institutions and student learning. This chapter provides a template for key stakeholders to implement compassion-based professional development programs in online educational environments, cultivating well-being and fostering resilience among adjunct faculty.