Recharging and Rejuvenating: SUNY Brockport Supports Faculty and Staff Well-being Through a Book Club

by Jie Zhang, SUNY University Faculty Senate Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee

Books selected for the book club

As faculty and staff spare no effort to assist the students to overcome challenges and achieve excellence within their reach, SUNY Brockport also supports its faculty and staff well-being.

Sponsored by the EagleCares Mental Health Mini-Grant, a total of 24 faculty and staff across 16 departments and divisions at Brockport participate in a one-year-long book club on well-being, aiming to recharge and rejuvenate themselves to better support students. Dr. Jie Zhang, Professor of Special Education at Brockport and member of the University Faculty Senate (UFS) Equity, Inclusion and Diversity (EID) Committee, serves as the facilitator.  

On Sept. 14, 2023, Brockport President Heidi Macpherson joined the members at the kickoff meeting, and discussed topics such as improving work-life balance, giving oneself grace, and looking for the pops of joy in life.

Throughout the academic year of 2023-2024, the members will read three books on faculty/educator wellbeing and connect with each other. They will exchange, explore, reflect, and implement strategies for sustaining physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being to bring the best selves to work. They will also work together to create a learning community, strengthen the sense of belonging, and contribute to building a better Brockport.

The three books are:
“Educator Wellness” (2021) by Kanold & Boogren (Amazon link to "Educator Wellness");
“Wellbeing in Higher Education: Cultivating a Healthy Lifestyle Among Faculty and Students” (2018) edited by Henning, Krägeloh, Dryer, Moir, Billington, & Hill (Routledge link to "Wellbeing-in-Higher-Education"); and
“Wellbeing at Work” (2021) by Clifton & Harter (Amazon.com link to "Wellbeing-at-Work").