Pros
Strong mission-driven institution with a deep commitment to access, equity, and serving first-generation, transfer, and nontraditional students. Meaningful opportunities to lead initiatives, innovate programs, and take on responsibility early in one’s career. Located in Boston, with exposure to a diverse student population and strong partnerships across the city. Benefits and time off are solid for a public institution.
Cons
Colleagues across departments are not equally passionate, collaborative, or genuinely care about student success. The strong union culture seems to drive a self-centered approach to work with students. Chronic under-resourcing and staffing shortages lead to frequent burnout, especially among mid-level and frontline staff. Compensation often does not align with workload, scope of responsibility, or Boston’s cost of living. Organizational change is frequent, but communication and follow-through are inconsistent. Decision-making can feel slow and siloed, with limited transparency about priorities and long-term strategy. Equity and wellbeing are often discussed, but staff experience does not always reflect those stated values in practice.
