I am currently working on my dissertation, and I am having serious problems with my committee.  Well actually, I work well with all of them, the problem is that they do not get along with each other.  They are giving me conflicting advice about edits and changes.  I am afraid that my dissertation has become a political war that really has nothing to do with me.  What do I do? –Committee Conflicts Dear Committee Conflicts, Welcome to the world of academic reality. Unfortunately, all of our gods have clay feet. Your committee is quite human and, therefore, will behave in a less-than-ideal manner. The best way to deal with people when there are disagreements is on a personal, one-to-one basis. It is not your job to be an intermediary, but you can bring an issue to their attention. Since you already have rapport with your advisors, I encourage you to meet with each and request advice on how to address the problem (be prepared for blame shifting). By engaging them in this manner, it is possible that some of them will take up your cause to create consensus among the committee members. They all have a stake in your completing your dissertation.