Faculty and Student Flourishing at a Regional University: A Preliminary Study

Michael F. Shaughnessy Dolly Joseph John Peter Petrone Mark Viner
Abstract
The assessment of university well-being requires attention to both positive functioning and areas of strain within the campus environment. This preliminary descriptive study examined faculty and student flourishing at a regional public university in the southwestern United States. A Qualtrics survey was administered over the course of one academic semester and yielded 147 responses from participants representing multiple colleges and roles across the institution. The survey included the Flourishing Scale, the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience, and the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form, along with two supplemental items addressing isolation and self-doubt. The clearest descriptive findings available in the present preliminary report came from the Flourishing Scale and the supplementary distress indicators. Results suggested generally positive perceptions of competence, contribution, and engagement, while also revealing meaningful levels of isolation, self-doubt, lower optimism, and lower perceived respect for a notable subgroup of respondents. These findings suggest that the campus climate included meaningful strengths, but not uniformly across all dimensions of well-being. The study offers an initial institutional snapshot and supports the value of ongoing attention to belonging, connection, and psychosocial support in higher education settings.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

ISSN(Online): 2766-6778

Frequency: Quarterly

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