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Midstate College

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Desperately needing major changes - Anonymous employee Midstate College Employee Review

1.0
2 June 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This place used to be one of the best places to work in Peoria, up until the last three or four years. Now, I'm at a loss to come up with a pro, even out of pity.

Cons

The management is very aloof, and removed from the "regular" workers. There is a clear culture of superiority among the upper management. The supposed president's "open door" policy is completely nonexistent except on paper. The upper management gives no decision making power to employees, and requires an unsophisticated micromanagement approach to running business. The president and CEO is usually unseen around campus. Either she is shut in her office, and guarded by 2 to 3 assistants, or (as is most often the case,) she is completely absent from the campus to attend Grateful Dead music festivals, or jetsetting on tropical vacations. The management in unpredictable and moody; some upper management is prone to bursts of rage and cursing in the office, as well. There are little to no pay-raises, unless you are a member of the family. Family members who have received pay raises are not shy about sharing this information with "regular" workers, either. Much of the management is family, and nepotism is the norm. Very few of the family staff members have little-to-no real college experience, and even fewer of them hold actual degrees; yet they are frequently and regularly promoted and rewarded, while hardworking, non-family-members go unseen, unrewarded, and definitely unappreciated. Tuition has literally doubled in the last 8 years, and little-to-none of it goes back into the school, facilities, employees, etc. Every couple of months, a new "family member" appears, and is immediately given a previously unused title and position at the school; meanwhile hardworking, dedicated employees, who are not family members, are belittled, ignored, or even fired arbitrarily when a family member needs work. The management is known to "overlook" low entrance exam scores in order to keep a minimum number of students enrolled on a very regular basis. When a student scores too low on an entrance exam, the upper management would often overrule the low score, and push the student into a program in which they are not academically prepared to succeed.

Explore other reviews about Midstate College

5.0
21 Feb 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Midstate is a small, privately owned college Everyone here is treated like family with caring and compassion Everyone's opinion and suggestions are taken into account on a daily basis, we are encouraged to make quality improvements to our departments and make suggestions that may help other departments as well or the college in general Everyone is willing to step up and help out and to work together as a team Flexibility in scheduling

Cons

Being a for-profit institution, there are many more regulations and requirements from state and Federal agencies that we have to meet and adhere to in comparison to not-for-profits. Midstate has risen to each of these challenges for over 130 years and will continue to do so.

5.0
12 Mar 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working for a smaller institution has proved as enlightening as I assumed it would. What surprised me most about Midstate is that regardless of the current dip in enrollment experienced country-wide, administration has refused to forfeit the culture of comfort that its employees have come to know. Each of my coworkers are responsible for challenging and ambitious job functions--many individuals' positions would be difficult to fill with two or three new-hires. As a result, much of the "magical mystery" of what work occurs during a normal business day elsewhere, is here transparent. Growth while working at Midstate College is not an option, it is ensured-- and while the challenging but rewarding work guarantees it, the close-knit atmosphere makes it pleasant. The benefits, ranging from great 401(k) matching to waived tuition for my immediate family, are certainly nothing to complain about either. I may even take them up on tuition reimbursement towards my post-graduate degree in the future, as many of my coworkers have. Sense of accomplishment is important, but so is balance. Midstate gives more than adequate vacation time and was extremely flexible during what was, to my family, a time of certain tragedy. I am forever loyal to Midstate, as it is to its students and alumni. All I can speak to is my experience, and I'm glad to have experienced Midstate.

Cons

In my world, there are very few cons at Midstate. It is all a matter of perspective, and one would run into that anywhere.

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