What about meeting every week or month for coffee? Take a little out of the department budget for coffee and snacks and free food rarely fails as an incentive. Don’t turn this into an extra department meeting though – then people won’t want to come and it will change the atmosphere. Maybe occasionally invite departmental majors/students, then it could become a social bonding event for the entire department, not just the faculty.

Plan events together! Talk to the new comers about what they’re interested in and support them in maybe creating an event, class, or something along those lines. You know how to work the system [that is getting anything done at a University] better than they do. By supporting them once or twice in various endeavors, you are not only helping them integrate into the department but the University as well by lending your time-tested legitimacy to any of their projects.

Another problem is simply thinking of the situation as “alliances” and “subdivisions.” While it may seem that way, when it comes down to it you are all one department with the similar goals of teaching/researching. If people think and talk of the department in such terms, it can splinter the department further. There will always be differing points of view (and drama) within departments. Focus on the individual one-on-one relationships and the department as a whole and it might at least ease whatever tension and lack of community is present.

Pick a topic that is important but not controversial or polarizing: freshman retention, freshman readiness, incorporating technology, graphic organizers, etc.