Workplace Bullying In Higher Education

Bullying among children and teens in schools receive extra attention these days, but experts say bullying takes place in other times in our lives.

In fact, workplace bullying is happening at an alarming rate.  Especially in higher education.  Leah P. Hollis, Ed.D., Author of the book "Bully In The Ivory Tower" says 62 percent of people who work in higher education have experienced bullying versus 45 percent of the general population.

Dr. Hollis says, "I surveyed 175 schools and what I found in the return was that a number of people, especially in the entry levels and the middle management were talking about how they were the target of bullying either from the boss or the organization in general.

9 News Now's Anita Brikman interviews Dr. Hollis about her survey and why workplace bullying is more prevalent in higher education than in other professions:

Anita: "What's going on? Why at college and universities?"

Dr. Hollis: "What's interesting is at a college or university we are all trained to be experts in our field to go out and do this wonderful research and create excellent knowledge.  It also is an isolating experience so now when you have to manage people or collaborate or have team building you've already been protected by tenure perhaps or at least in a culture that supports being isolated and also supports a pretty big ego.  So that doesn't always make for the best management skills."

Anita: "So in these case studies, who was saying they are being bullied? Younger educators bullied by tenured folks?"

Dr. Hollis: "Typically it was somebody at the entry level, your assistant director, it might have even been the director or just the manager of the department.  Folks who are reporting up-line to Vice Presidents, Provosts, or even the Presidents.  So bullying has to do with power and those with the least amount of power are the ones on the receiving end of bullying."

To see the entire interview, including how workplace bullying in higher education affects students and how can we deal with workplace bullying across the board, click the video tab in the extras link on this webpage.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/236168/28/Workplace-Bullying-In-Higher-Education