I feel compelled to respond to those reviews that warn the reader not to take stock in the recent poor reviews because they were probably written by disgruntled staff who were affected by the recent restructuring. This is dismissive and insulting to those who have been hurt and whose careers have been seriously damaged by the abrupt and unilateral manner in which this restructuring took place.
The restructuring came as a surprise to most staff, and when it did happen, it was completed in under two months. Those who left received generous severance packages, which was appropriate. Still, there was a lot of anger, especially from those who worked for years with no advancement and whose resumes suffered as a result. For those who remained, it created a pall over the organization and a climate of dread. ("What will happen to me once my program ends?")
But what stung the most, whether one was let go or kept, was that we lost confidence in management to keep us afloat, and that almost all of the senior staff still had their jobs. The pain was unevenly distributed.
So, while the words of the poor reviews might be harsh and even nasty to a point, the bitterness and hurt behind them are not unfounded. That said, those reading these reviews should look at the submission date and take that into account.
