Pros
WSU has invested significantly in upgrading much of its infrastructure, including lab equipment, new buildings and campus-wide broadband. While not an ivy league university, it does rank moderately well in annual surveys. The Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences and Communication colleges are well-ranked. WSU recently hired a new president Dr. Elson Floyd. He has his supporters due to his willingness to "shake things up" and elevate the university to a more credible status. For example, in the past year, many "career administrators" have left willingly or been asked to leave. The university has a strong sports program and the student enthusiasm for all-things-Cougars is infectious. Finally, the campus is located in a peaceful, crime-free town Pullman. It is a bit sleepy, but it is a good place to raise a family.
Cons
Money can be tight in some critical areas. For example, most faculty have limited travel budget. Also, the benefits are not amongst the most competitive. Research-track faculty will find rewards for their efforts, but non-tenure and clinical-track faculty will find that they are treated differently - despite promises to the contrary. This lack of parity is obvious when you look at the extra perks offered only to tenured faculty. Winters are long and unpleasant. To some degree, the campus has a bit of a Napolean complex in some areas. Many departments are notorious for having tenured faculty that are not productive in their research. Finally, the absolute worst aspect of the campus is the undergraduate student demographic. Mostly white and lacking in critical thinking skills. Also, many have an attitude that they are "customers" that deserve an "A" without making the effort. Beware the "helicopter parents." Of course, this is a problem at many universities - not just WSU.
