Big elitist bureaucracy with great benefits and a good sense of humor
Pros
The benefits are amazing. The health care coverage for myself and my child leaves me with very little costs out of pocket. Plus in the two+ years I've been here, I've accrued more in retirement savings than any other job I've worked. There are many good-hearted and intelligent people here who genuinely care about doing a good job, who are team players and work hard. But, it's a big org, so there are also lots of people on the opposite side of the spectrum that leave you wondering how they got hired in the first place. Depending on your job, you may be able to work in a hybrid or fully remote modality. That flexibility is not available everywhere, despite the trend of workers wanting those kinds of positions. It can be hard to meet people and forge connections here in the beginning, but once you've been around for a couple of years, those relationships begin to solidify and you can create a lovely little community of colleagues here.
Cons
The pay is one of the least competitive ranges I've ever accepted, but you're in Merced, and the cost of living used to be low here, so that's how they rationalize the low pay. There is a strong preference for hiring externally rather than promoting from within, which fuels high turnover in some departments. There is a palpable elitism and snobbery that exists in higher ed and UCM is no exception. If you don't have a Ph.D., you might as well be pond scum. There's a lot of bureaucracy which means that if you are coming here with grand dreams of making a change or being effective in your role, you should be prepared to go to war with the red tape monster and possibly postpone your dreams and check your ego for a while.
