It is the last five minutes of the final departmental meeting for the semester. Two senior faculty members spent the semester quietly undermining each other’s committee decisions. Throughout the semester, an unspoken tension between them has been evident to everyone in the meeting. The chair glances at the clock, thanks everyone for attending, and adjourns the meeting. The following semester, one of the senior faculty members requests a transfer. The official reason reads “seeking new opportunities.”
This scenario reflects the experience of many faculty in higher education. Conflict in organizations is inevitable and is usually avoided in higher education. When managed effectively, conflict can be constructive. Constructive conflict focuses on ideas rather than individuals. On the other hand, disruptive conflict attacks people, damages relationships, and lowers productivity. The real threat to higher education isn’t conflict itself, but the culture of silence built around it. Faculty avoid difficult conversations, students remain quiet for various reasons, while leaders erroneously assume harmony.
The question this piece asks is why so many institutions have become adept at masking conflict. Faculty with less job security, shorter institutional service, and little say in decision-making may be especially reluctant to speak. Rethinking conflict resolution must begin with examining institutional cultures that perpetuate silence. Silence does not always preserve peace; instead, the burden is shifted to faculty members who quietly absorb the emotional, professional, and organizational consequences. In such environments, silence becomes a survival strategy.
Common Sources of Conflict in Academia.
Conflicts can arise among students, academic staff, administrative and ancillary staff, and even senior leaders. Universities bring together people with different values, disciplinary perspectives, and approaches to research and teaching. Faculty often work with considerable academic autonomy and research independence. Therefore, coordinating and working collaboratively in teams can sometimes be challenging, resulting in conflict. Ineffective communication is another common cause of conflict, particularly in culturally diverse workplaces with differences in communication styles.
Conflicts may also result from competing goals, scarce resources, personality differences, and divergent values. In higher education, these challenges are often intensified by shared governance, competing institutional priorities, and the independent nature of academic work. When left unaddressed, these sources of conflict undermine trust, collaboration, and faculty well-being, highlighting the need for institutions to adopt proactive and effective conflict resolution.
Faculty Well-Being Depends on Conflict Resolution
