Poor Work-Life Balance: Full-time staff are expected to work holidays like Christmas Eve unless personal time is used. There's little regard for family commitments despite public messaging that emphasizes “Family.”
Religious Coercion: Prayer is included in all-staff meetings, emails promote religious events, and leadership frequently makes exclusionary religious statements. This creates a hostile environment for non-religious or non-Christian staff.
Toxic Culture: Conformity is expected. Voicing different opinions, raising concerns, or simply asking questions can result in marginalization or what feels like quiet firing.
Disrespect for National Holidays: Despite the “God, Family, Country” motto, key country-related holidays (Labor Day, Veterans Day, Juneteenth) are not observed for full-time staff.
Inconsistent Leadership: Expectations and policies change frequently without formal communication. Departments enforce rules differently and often based on favoritism.
Lack of Mental Health or Accessibility Support: The university promotes itself as inclusive, but in practice, staff needs are often ignored or mishandled.
Problematic All-Staff Meetings: Meetings include religious elements, celebrity performances, and long-winded speeches by the president criticizing staff while touting the university's success. One meeting featured America's Got Talent performers, followed by a speech scolding staff and declaring they should feel "lucky" to work at HPU—ending with gifts that felt tone-deaf.
HR is Ineffective: Staff frequently have to chase down HR for updates or resolutions on important matters.
