A public university you can be proud of - Academic Support Staff UMass Boston Employee Review

4.0
Sep 10, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The faculty is passionate and tireless - they punch way above their weight class - and I saw many examples of their strong commitment to students The campus facilities are being rapidly upgraded The students and employees are very diverse and the environment is inclusive Excellent public transportation Campus is very safe Large amount of support services for students - helps with already overburdened departmental staff - you can feel good about sending students to general campus services There are large beautiful event spaces available to hold academic events in - makes it easy to entice students to participate in even mundane events

Cons

Pay is competitive with other public universities, but with MA choked with private colleges staff have left for better pay at worse schools; same with benefits The school is undergoing administrator bloat with admins being added faster than resources for teachers The "student as a consumer" mentality is creeping in There is a moderate amount of tenure track pressure

Explore other reviews about UMass Boston

5.0
Jun 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The other One Stop employees are so lovely to work with, they are always willing to help if needed and communication is clear and timely!

Cons

I have no complaints - as a student employee this was a great on campus opportunity!

3.0
Jan 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Strong mission-driven institution with a deep commitment to access, equity, and serving first-generation, transfer, and nontraditional students. Meaningful opportunities to lead initiatives, innovate programs, and take on responsibility early in one’s career. Located in Boston, with exposure to a diverse student population and strong partnerships across the city. Benefits and time off are solid for a public institution.

Cons

Colleagues across departments are not equally passionate, collaborative, or genuinely care about student success. The strong union culture seems to drive a self-centered approach to work with students. Chronic under-resourcing and staffing shortages lead to frequent burnout, especially among mid-level and frontline staff. Compensation often does not align with workload, scope of responsibility, or Boston’s cost of living. Organizational change is frequent, but communication and follow-through are inconsistent. Decision-making can feel slow and siloed, with limited transparency about priorities and long-term strategy. Equity and wellbeing are often discussed, but staff experience does not always reflect those stated values in practice.

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