It’s Always Sunny in Academia: A Mixed Methods Study of Workplace Bullying of University Staff

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Non-Instructional Staff at Postsecondary Institutions

Abstract

This mixed methods study investigates workplace bullying among managerial professionals in higher education, a population integral to student success yet underexamined in research. Drawing on frameworks of critical scientific management and critical collective agency, the study explores how organizational structures and power dynamics in a large public research university shape bullying experiences and responses. Quantitative data (n=385) from a validated bullying instrument (NAQ-R) are triangulated with qualitative interviews (n=20) to examine prevalence, identity-based risk factors, and coping strategies. Findings reveal high bullying rates, identity-based vulnerability (gender, race, caregiving status), and limited institutional recourse, prompting staff reliance on informal support networks and collective action. This study highlights systemic barriers to addressing bullying and implications for creating equitable workplace cultures in higher education.

Author

• Tara Burke, University of Arizona