Pros
Academically there is a lot of freedom for students to shape their own pathway. Faculty seem to genuinely enjoy their students and many faculty members put in incredible hours working with students. There are pockets of helpful, engaged employees who take pride in their work and are committed to making the college a meaningful community. On the surface, people are friendly.
Cons
Pacific Northwest passive-aggressiveness is in full play here. Lots of insecure Napoleons who are responsible for mid-level administrative issues. This is where most of your work will take place. If you challenge even minor procedures, expect twice the level of "payback." If you are not white, multiply passive-aggressive payback times 2. This is a place that is impressed with itself as a "cutting edge" place to work with a "cutting edge" approach to social justice, diversity and academics. It is very insular and so many people do not realize that other colleges and universities have eclipsed the 1970s style approaches the college holds dear. Newer ideas and newer people are quickly put in their place. Problem solving cycles through the same ideas and approaches that resurface each decade since the 1970s and the conclusions that win the day point back to the "brilliance" that was Evergreen in 1975. Lots of dysfunction is tolerated and even supported within divisions which results in employee silence and passivity. If someone is not passive and not silent be prepared for supervisory bullying or active obstruction to prevent the threatening "new way" of accomplishing goals from gaining a foothold. If you are not white expect an exhausting array of clueless micro-aggression or even active hostility primarily from the mid-level Napoleons mentioned earlier.
