Certainly senior faculty who are in their mid-to-late thirties have more to talk about with peers who are only five to 10 years younger, Williamson says.

More forced interaction between the different levels of faculty also plays a role.

"As economics gets more complex there is an increased importance of team courses," Williamson says. "Lots of people teach together and you can't do that without a high regard for each other's abilities."

Williamson also points to weekly workshops in which faculty members in different fields meet to discuss a variety of issues. Here, Faculty interact on equal footing, each vying to hold his or her own in conversation. Judgement is not passed based on age or seniority.

"It's wonderful for individuals to evaluate people for who they are and not other stuff," Williamson says. "It's great for developing a close-knit group.

All of this leads to a generally good feeling in the department, Williamson says.

"The department works well together now," he says. "We can have dialogues that are contentious but it's not personal."

Along similar lines, there has been a concerted effort to treat junior faculty well, Williamson says.