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Tulane University

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Dysfunctional, low pay - Assistant Department Manager Tulane University Employee Review

1.0
5 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Here goes: Many intelligent and kind coworkers, additional vacation time at the holidays, tuition waiver, name recognition, quality health insurance.

Cons

I came to Tulane degreed, ready to work and ready to achieve. To my disappointment, I found that many departments are fiefdoms, with mid-level management types prepared to do very little to ensure the employees they are supervising can plan a successful career trajectory. Promises of advancement (low, and hard won), promises of mentorship (zero), there were many unrealized promises. The only two perks worth their salt are the tuition waiver, and additional vacation days due to the academic schedule. I'd prefer to have industry-standard pay instead of the embarrassingly low paycheck. This is not an unusual or solitary opinion. The people I've noticed who are appreciative of their jobs are the caste-system types who are at the top of the pecking order, stranded on their ivory towers. Good for you Doctor/Dean/Chair/Vice/Level III employee/Professor-whoever. The rest of us are sucking wind. I have a peer who left TU after applying internally for 23 jobs. Most departments didn't reply to him; the other small percent who responded indicated that the position had already been filled. Word is that most jobs have someone hand-picked for the position before the job listing is live. In light of his struggle, I applied to industry, not academia, and have secured a position that is already helping dig me out of debt.

Explore other reviews about Tulane University

5.0
24 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Benefits, retirement contribution, tuition waiver

Cons

None that I can think of

2.0
18 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexible work schedule (if in the right lab, not guaranteed) Really great coworkers. You can generally learn anything you show an interest in or need in other MRS in the center. We all tend to stick together. Additional paid leave through winter break on top of generous amount of PTO. Tuition waiver to Tulane

Cons

Truly falling apart, both physically and systemically. Physically the place is a disaster and borderline unsafe. Im surprised OSHA hasn't been called due to instances of unknown chemical inhalation, people autoclaving things they shouldn't, high CO2 levels with no functioning alarm. Not only that but the water quality is wildly unreliable. Systemically, you are underpaid and overworked, not appreciated and chronically strung along by a dangled carrot. You can out perform everyone on the team and be passed over for promotions because of a million different excuses. By design you are shoved down until you stop hoping for better. Management all around sucks because for many the only way to move up or forward is to go into management. These are Scientist that are just shoved into management roles and told to do their best. Everyone suffers for this. They have no training, and despite being good people, tend to completely mismanage teams until only the favored are left. This is true for the lowest managers but all the way to the top.

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