Managing conflicts on colleges - Research Paper Example

?Managing conflicts on colleges Affiliation: Introduction In many cases involving a collection of people, there are difficulties in bringing together their ideas in order to make a concrete conclusion. These difficulties arise because of the different opinions and view each individual have on a particular case. Since everyone wants, his/her opinion to be the one adopted and followed. These misunderstandings are the ones referred to as the conflicts. This little misunderstanding arises to bigger cases where people may insult one another based on their standings, in return, the insulted takes revenge upon the culprit. The more continued cases of these leads to mass destructions and even death of the participants and non-participants who are victims of circumstances. In bigger organizations, business, processing companies etc there are several cases of misunderstanding that leads to redundancy in the production processes which in turn results to reduced outputs, sales and hence reduced profits. These issues circumnavigates across all institutions headed by different faculties and departments. Also there different hierarchical levels in the companies and organizations, whereby lower level individuals have the capacity of feeling as if they are mistreated by the top managements or the leaders (Weiner et al, 2009). In colleges that are headed by the principles, and the management of the school divided into departments, faculties, students groups etc, there may arise cases of conflicts between these different administrations and faculties. This research paper reports on the different fields in the colleges that the conflicts may arise and gives on some of the resolutions that may be used to settle the problems. It overlooks across the departments and faculties and the way they relate to the students and their issues and discusses, where the problem may arise and the possible solutions. Finally, the paper gives a conclusion of the research and my views on the issue (Bowden, 2002). Problem There emerged many cases of strikes in schools, may it be based on the administration part or the faculty part, the end game is not so entertaining. These conflicts have led to destruction of mass properties belonging to the public. There are also losses of lives among the participants and non-participants who may be the public. The causes of these conflicts have changing over the times. The main causes not being known in order to make better speculations and prevention matters. In trying to identify these problems their causes and the possible measures and their protection measures, I will go through the different divisions (Bowden, 2002). I will go through these divisions of the institutions and make a report that may assist in preventing and solving the conflicts. Residence halls conflicts These are the dwelling places of the students they may include, the dormitories, hostels, and the rental houses rented by the students, which are near the school. In the residence halls, there are minimal cases of conflicts, but the moment they arise, it is so severe. Conflicts in these areas arise mainly from the context of student placing and securing rooms for themselves. There are certain halls and rooms where the students find suitable and comfortable. Because of this the students scramble for this placements where they may even fight in order for one to secure a place there. In the case of securing rooms, every student in the colleges knows it is his/her right to have a room. Once the vice versa happens and a group of students do not secure themselves one they start demonstrations. The cases in the resident’s halls may be overlooked before it is too late in order to prevent the mass destructions from taking places. These measures may include specifying in writings and every student made aware of their respective placements in the dormitories and the hostels (Patent Report, 1998).). The catering departments in the college may for example give the specifications on the rooms allocated to the first years, second years, third years etc. the most valued rooms may be allocated to the officials or the captains. The schools should build enough rooms to cater for all students admitted or instead if the rooms are enough, the school should admit a number of students that it will fully accommodate. In cases of many students and less accommodation, the management should arrange for a well out catering of the excess students. Students/faculty conflicts Faculties in the colleges are the way the different units are divided to represent different subjects. This is each subjects are specified and placed in areas where the students accesses them with ease. There are allocated the head of these departments who sees the smooth undergoing of it. The students collect their marks regarding these subjects from their respective faculties. These faculties store the information about each student in the compass and their progress report of the exams. The conflict among the students and the faculties arises in the cases of missing marks. Missing marks is a very sensitive case in the context that indicates that the particular student has not undertaken the course/unit in subject in question (Birnbaum, 1988). This is a demoralizing case because everyone one of us knows of what it counts to get a grade and the hardship in going through a particular course and end up having a missing mark. The other case is where the students feel that they have been awarded marks fairly this calls for demonstration. These cases are very common especially when the students feel that the exam was so cheap and after all to get demoralizing grades. In order to prevent these cases from happening, each student must adhere to the exams rules and regulations in order to prevent cancellation of exams and missing marks. The student is to present all the required documents by the faculty in order for the results to be processed in time. The faculty heads must also be so careful in producing results. It is also the duty of the student to revise for the exam well and not complain that the exams were whereas they failed. I do not think there is lecturers who can deny students his/her fair results unless they have their own personal differences (Rocheleau et al, 2007). Faculty/faculty conflicts The inter faculty conflicts are hard to define because of the hardness in their occurrence. However, there may arise conflicts among the faculties in the same departments where one of the faculties may feel that the other one is not doing as required. For example, the head of the faculty of accounting may feel the finance faculty is not presenting the classes and exams timetable in time this hinders the normal scheduling of the time appropriately. The heads of these faculties starts playing the blame game. The continued of this activity leads to loss of time in which the students were supposed to be learning. This issue is very sensitive since the students may also engage themselves in the same acts and start fighting the faculties for wasting their time. They may also disagree on venues of particular classes where the faculties may have interest in the venue, which they feel is appropriate with them all. Faculties should not be in the forefront line leading or acting as sources of conflicts in schools (Weiner et al, 2009). Instead, they should enhance proper and smooth running of these areas with regard they are the most sensitive fields regarding the students and paralyzing the activities in them will lead to a greater loss to the students. Instead of creating conflicts, the faculties should instead form a consensus in advance and lay down the issues that should be addressed and put into place. The issues of the faculties should not reach neither should they affect the students. Faculty/administration conflicts The faculty administration in many occasions leads to the striking of the lecturers. This is where the administration part of the college or a school is not representing the lecturers well and they fell that they are considered fully. It is the duty of the administration to see that there is a good flow and harmony among the faculties and the students. Administration is the overall head of every institution, and if there is no good relation between it and the lower bodies, the problem that arises is very sensitive. The management should take well its responsibilities to represent the lecturers well. This includes sympathizing with them in the cases involving their salaries and remunerations from the government. The problem also arises when the faculty and the lecturers at large feels that the imposed rules and regulations governing them are not suitable for them. This includes the working conditions where the management does not provide good working conditions for them (Conflict management, 2005). As a result, the lecturers demonstrate demanding for their rights and better working terms. In order to prevent the worst from happening, between the administrations and the faculties, each part should consider undertaking its responsibilities with care not to harm the other. Here, the administration should fight hard for the rights of the lecturers and the lecturers should appreciate in return. Recommendations/conclusion It is the best thing to live in harmony without conflicts. A free of conflicts environment oversees much output and enhanced undertaking of the required activities. In the college context where it involves the students, lecturers, management and the staffs, it calls for cooperation of the highest class. First, the student must practice to observe the school rules and regulations since they are meant for them. It is their destined duties to observe the lecturers demand and follow them. This is for high respect from the students to the lecturers. By doing so without being forced, there will be minimal or none conflicts among the students and between the students and the faculties. While undertaking the issues regarding the students, the lecturers should not be led by personal affections or infections i.e. the lecturers must be fair in their way of teaching the students, and in the allocation of grades. Things like the family issues should not the bond of contention among the two groups who are the movers of these crucial institutions in the society. As a part of making the whole organization flow smoothly, the management should be in the forefront to create good bondage among all the institutional stakeholders. References Birnbaum, R. (1988). How colleges work: the cybernetics of academic organization and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Bowden, J. (2002). Writing a report how to prepare, write and present effective reports (6th ed.). Oxford: How To Books. Conflict management. (2005). Geneva: ILO. Patent Report. (1998). Metal Finishing, 96(12), 79. Rocheleau, J., & Speck, B. W. (2007). Rights and wrongs in the college classroom: ethical issues in postsecondary teaching. Bolton, Mass.: Anker Pub.. Weiner, D. A., & Lutz, B. F. (2009). The Effects of School Desegregation on Crime. Cambridge, Mass: National Bureau of Economic Research. Read More