The Impact of Incivility on Faculty in Colleges of Education in the Southern United States

Incivility challenges the climate and culture of the higher education workplace, often negatively impacting faculty productivity and overall job satisfaction. This study investigated the prevalence, types, and sources of workplace incivility experienced by university faculty. Findings indicated incivility, in the form of added responsibilities, exclusion, and undermining professional integrity, that impacts all demographic groups and ranks. However, given the non-probability sampling approach and the response rate, the study is not positioned to support population-level inference. Administrators were identified as the primary source of incivility, as faculty reported decreased productivity, reduced confidence, and strained relationships. Implications suggest that addressing incivility in higher education should include leadership training, fostering supportive environments, and creating organizational mechanisms to report incivility without fear of retaliation.