AN ASSESSMENT OF THE STRATEGIES USED IN HANDLING STUDENTS-MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN GHANA

Abstract

This thesis was conducted to assess the strategies used in handling students-management conflicts in tertiary institutions in Ghana: The case of University for Development Studies from 1999 to 2009. It sought to ascertain the effectiveness of the strategies used in the handling of students-management conflicts by the University using qualitative research design. Questionnaires and interview guides were the data collection tools employed and administered to 40 respondents. Relevant literature and secondary data were reviewed to support primary data collected. Data were analyzed qualitatively in narratives and with charts, graphs, tables and matrices. My study found that: there was a big class structural gap between students and management; re-enforced by the autocratic/authoritarian leadership style of Management. Conflicts were high and worrying in the University. Conflicts between students and university management most frequently occurred and often took the nature of revolts, violent demonstrations, boycotts/attempted boycotts of classes/examinations, verbal assaults and physical attacks. The wide communication gap between students and university management, infrastructural deficiencies and leadership crises were the major causes of the conflicts. Negatively, the conflicts led to low productivity and tarnished the reputation of the University. Positively, the conflicts transformed the governance of the University. The University in handling the conflicts relied mainly on forcing/domination strategy but also frequently used ignoring, suspension and/or dissolution of students‘ unions and their executives and rustication/threat of rustication of student leaders. Integration negotiated compromises and the use of security forces was also used but rarely so. None of the 5

strategies used in managing the conflicts was very effective. Just one was effective yet rarely used. One was moderately effective but rarely used too. The strategies used were more regulatory and repressive. My study concluded that the strategies used in handling the conflicts were less effective and only managed them somehow. The study recommended that in handling students-management conflicts, the University should rely more on cooperative strategies like integration and negotiated compromises and very less on regulatory and repressive strategies as forcing/domination, ignoring, suspension and/or dissolution of students‘ unions and their executives and rustication/threat of rustication of student leaders and the use of security forces.