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Toward a Student-FacultyConflict Management Planfor Schools of
Social Work
SW 706Ray WoodcockApril 15, 2010
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The General Problem
in Higher Education
Conflict is everywhere, but is concealed
Example: instructors tell each other storiesabout their
students, but dont tell students that
they are talking about them Example: students learn to let
instructors tell
them whats important or interesting
Example: students deceive instructors as to
their interest, as to the amount of work they have
done, etc.
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Sample Quote
From Wines & Lau (2006-2007, p. 178):
Faculty emphasized fairness in grading andpedagogical concerns
whereas students
emphasized such items as smiles and displays
a friendly demeanor, treats students as equals,greets students
encountered outside of class,
and adjusts course material to fit student
interests.
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Misfit Between the University Model
and the Social Work Profession
The university model of concealed conflict isdysfunctional poor
communication, patronizingand dismissive attitudes, indifference to
needs ofthe other side
University functions by suppressing inconvenientopinions you can
get thrown out if you speakup GSU, LEO
Imagine if relations in university were like thosein a personal,
therapeutic, or litigious
relationship: things glossed over in theuniversity would fill
volumes elsewhere
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The Specific Problem
for MSW Students
Homogeneous SSWs prepare MSWs poorly for
this conflicted world
Clients lives are full of conflicts
MSW students face discouragement andburnout when they discover
that the world wouldrather fight than change
Out there, there are fundamentalists, Nazis,white people,
men
MSWs are not trained to prepare themselves forthe reasonableness
of opposing views
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Objectives of an SSWs
Conflict Management Plan
Switch from an authoritarian model of educationto a collegial
model more suited to adult learners
Make the SSW an agent of change that modelschange rather than
resisting it
Maximize conflict-related learning experiences
to prepare MSWs for real-world experiences Graduates should be
so familiar with conflict that
they welcome it as a sign that parties are really
engaged
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Guiding Principles for an SSWs
Conflict Management Plan
1. Destigmatize conflict: conflict is normal2. Democratize
conflict: the poor persons
conflict is not inferior to the rich persons
3. Selflessness in conflict: everyone thinks theyare right. Your
view is not privileged
4. Preserve relationships: Fight fair. Dont burn
bridges5. Responsibility: when you can make a
difference in a conflict, do so
6. Transparency: we have nothing to hide
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Barriers to Implementation of a Conflict
Management Plan in an SSW
Power is fun: professors are not going to giveup the
authoritarian role
Conflict training could raise issues of liability,
accreditation, LEO union, alumni Faculty who like to blast away
at the bad guys
may not like it if someone shoots back
Students who just want to take the courses and
get the degree may not enjoy the hard work of
learning to deal with conflict
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An Interim Plan for MSW Training
in Conflict Management
Focus on subunits: student groups, classes,
other people and entities interested in learningabout conflict
experience
Example: conflict management course featuringdebates about
complex cases (e.g., actor,playing role of mentally ill social
worker, who
actually argues with MSW students) Example: student group
advocating on behalf of
unpopular causes
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Assessment
Effective conflict management training amongMSW students: skills
in the 6 principles, asmeasured by pre-post or control group
study
Progress toward a conflict managementorientation in faculty:
enthusiasm for more, onthe part of the original instructor;
interest in
learning more about it, on the part of otherfaculty
