Columbia is an enormous organization, so your particular experience is very dependent on the department or office you're in, and especially the people who run it. Unfortunately, the office I worked in (the administration for one of the schools) was by far the worst place I have ever worked, and it was due to the school's leadership. The words micro-management, unilateral, and top-down come to mind. Everything, and I mean everything, had to be approved by the leadership. There was also a lack of accountability. Often, I saw menial tasks being assigned to intelligent, competent staff members, with a blatant disregard for proper roles and responsibilities, because incompetent staff members could not be trusted to do the work. I urge anyone considering a position in an administrative office to learn as much as you can about the work culture, environment, and general sense of happiness in that office before accepting an offer. Ignoring those red flags was my biggest mistake.
