The purpose of this action research study was to explore through the process of first-person inquiry, how college and university faculty can co-inquire into the process of creating and sustaining a culture of civility in an institution of higher education undergoing rapid change. The study was guided by two research questions, which were: (1) How can faculty and administrators establish holding spaces for creating and sustaining a culture of civility in an institution of higher education undergoing rapid change? and (2) What organizational or systems conditions support or inhibit faculty and administrators in creating and sustaining a culture of civility in a rapidly changing institution of higher education?Qualitative research methods consisting of observations of meetings, researcher memos, and interviews for data collection and analysis took place over a period of two years. Key themes emerged speaking to (1) faculty members searching for holding spaces in order to foster a sense of connection, and (2) faculty members searching for transparency in order to foster a sense of consideration. In addition, the study further enhances our understanding of Theory U. By examining the inverted U process or the dark side of the U, we can investigate the implications for the resistance to organizational change within an unsafe system from the perspective of absencing rather than presencing. The results of this study also increase our understanding and practice of organizational change regarding the developmental capacity of facilitation in the sense of having clarity of purpose, asking the right questions, and adapting to individual, group, and systemic challenges that constrain change.