Pros
It is a job...with benefits.
Cons
Strayer by far, leads from the top, down. The issue is that the 'top' are ill-equipped and not familiar with the higher education landscape (most are business men and women who come from fortune 500 companies that are focused on one thing, PROFIT). So, the company's energy, resources, and focus is on enrollment- but they can't figure out how to keep the students there, graduate them, and report lower loan-default rates. Keep in mind I said the top-down. The 'down' is where the grit, talent, and know-how is. This is academics and financial aid on campus- the two departments that are overlooked, under resourced and simply not relevant. All accolade and incentive go to the admissions department- because Strayer sees one thing- enrollment. Unless you are a numbers person, who likes to rally up your team on morning meetings to exceed unrealistic goals, beg for enrollments with pizza, wings and soda, and manage with fear, this is NOT the place for you. I got OUT. I know many who still work and the environment on campus is more toxic than ever. Executives regularly hold conference calls to execute massive lay offs in areas that do not contribute to enrollment numbers. Campus leaders are mediocre at best. Their employees are over worked and under paid. I could go on but I'd need a blog. Just know that it's a bad place to work and it WILL impact your emotional and physical health at some point. Many Strayer employees are seeing therapists and/or taking short term leaves because you are literally ran down and ran over by this place. I personally have been threatened by students, which is another issue with this school. The students are brought in on a false dream, coming from dire situations and some are homeless or living in bad conditions, not fit for school, well at least fit for Strayer because Strayer is not equipped to assist this student demographic. But admissions could care less! The students enroll mainly for financial aid- the idea that they can get refunds by filing a FAFSA and proceed to make the lives of their teachers, academic advisors, AND financial aid office most of all, a living hell. They fail courses or simply drop, and call cursing out everyone on campus or showing up in person with their partner or spouse to threaten everyone for a refund check so they can pay their rent or cable bill. Academics and financial aid personnel are forced to find a way to keep students enrolled so Strayer can continue to make money off of them. I hope the ppl there find a way out to something more promising and healthy.
