The Mindful Campus: Organizational Structure And Culture

Through contemplative education, used on what might be called a “mindful campus,” students are asked to become more aware of their inner states—physically, mentally, and emotionally—through practices such as journaling, meditation, yoga, deep listening, and others that focus on the present moment. Little has been documented in the literature about how such a campus is operated. It is reasonable to assume that operating a mindful campus might require a particular organizational structure and culture. However, this assumption was difficult to address since little research on the topic existed. This case study of a campus known to incorporate contemplative practices inside and outside the classroom explored the primary research question: How is a mindful campus operated? This was followed by two corollary research questions: What organizational structures are in place to support the use of contemplative practices on this college campus? and, What organizational culture is in place to support the use of contemplative practices on this college campus? Based on the data collected, I found that “Contemplative State University” operates as a mindful campus through a loosely-coupled, collaborative, bottom-up organizational system consisting of specific structural and cultural elements