Faculty Thriving Quotient

In the decade that we have been studying college student thriving, we have clearly documented the vital role that faculty play in student thriving. Yet faculty often respond to data on student thriving with questions about how students can thrive if faculty themselves are not thriving. Attention to the predictors and campus elements supportive of faculty thriving can enable institutional leaders to more effectively serve their students by supporting their faculty.

 

The Faculty Thriving Quotient (FTQ) is a valid and reliable (ɑ = .94) instrument that assesses faculty flourishing. Factor analyses have established the components of faculty thriving as the following five scales:

Meaningful Engagement -- sample item: "I feel energized about my work as a faculty member."

Institutional Alignment -- sample item: "I really enjoy being a faculty member here."

Relational Support -- sample item: "I receive the support I need from my co-workers at this institution."

Student Impact -- sample item: "I believe I make a difference in the lives of my students."

Affirmed Value -- sample item:  "My department chair, program director, or dean has given me positive feedback about my work as a faculty member in the last year."

 

The FTQ also collects demographic information and faculty responses to the predictors of thriving, including workload, external commitments and stressors, trust in administrative leadership, and feeling valued and adequately supported by the institution.

 

An institution can participate at any time during the year, but national norms are created each November and April. After you complete the online registration, we will send you a custom survey link and a sample email to send to all your full-time faculty. We will send one follow-up email to participants a week after the survey opens. The survey will close after two weeks.