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ABSTRACT
This paper examines the top-down perspective of bullying and mobbing of professors by analyzing why it is prevalent, significant, and incessant and then proposes a framework to produce a caring, respectful, and safe environment for professors to engage in their teaching, scholarship, and service. The author suggests that the failure of administrations of institutions of higher education to acknowledge the prevalence and significance of bullying and mobbing of members of the professorate will further contribute to the incessancy of these behaviors and actions.
Keywords: administrators; professors; bullying; mobbing
INTRODUCTION
Institutions of higher education are not immune to the prowl of bullies. A recent article published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, "Academic Bullies," commented on the covert behaviors academic bullies employ to victimize their target(s) including interrupting the victim during meetings, eye rolling, undermining credibility, and excluding the victim from social conversations (Fogg, 2008). In academe, as well as in other contexts, bullying is sometimes perceived to be lower intensity and therefore somehow of less significance than other forms of harassment or discrimination. However, members of the professorate that have been subjected to deliberate and relentless actions including rudeness, intimidation, humiliation, suppression, exclusion, or similar behaviors perpetuated by administrators are likely to perceive the actions to be undeniably abusive in nature and in many instances (cases lacking elements of race, sex, disability, or other grounds recognized by law) are left with little or no legal recourse. The Bullying of Academics in Higher Education blog begins with the following quote, which is evocative of the abusive environment riddling many college and university campuses:
The bullying of academics follows a pattern of horrendous, Orwellian elimination rituals, often hidden from the public. Despite the anti-bullying policies (often token), bullying is rife across campuses, and the victims (targets) often pay a heavy price. 'Nothing strengthens authority as much as silence. ' Leonardo da Vinci - 'All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men for good women] do nothing. ' Winston Churchill.
Within higher education, bullying is not a new phenomenon. The conventional hierarchal structure of institutions of higher learning consists of President, Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs (other Vice Presidents), Deans of the various divisions, Chairpersons, and then professors. An examination of...