Pros
Lander is a family-oriented, small-town employer. If you want an employer who understands your family comes first, then this may be a great place for you. They provide ample vacation and sick leave. Both of which roll over each year. They also provide a pension, optional 401k, healthcare, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, gym access, pool access, and a discount in the cafe. They recently created a staff senate and have begun recognizing an employee each month. Hopefully, the staff senate will resolve some of Lander's bigger issues. Each of which I will cover in the cons section. Another great thing about Lander is its small size. If you want to invest in students you can. It is easy to see the same students each day and actually know them by name. I have mentored a good many students during my years here. This is an opportunity missing from larger Universities. Unfortunately, the administration does not recognize this strength.
Cons
The cons are the main reason I am writing this. I wanted to let future employees know what they are getting into. As a Lander employee, you will be comically underpaid. I have found that Lander pays nearly $20k less than other state entities. You will also find it impossible to obtain a pay raise. So when you are first offered a position you need to fight for higher pay. The only way you will make more than the initial offer is to find work elsewhere or be promoted. They will also increase your contributions to various benefits, effectively lowering your take-home year to year. The administration also has a habit of breaking promises. In fact, I cannot think of a single promise they have fulfilled. I have witnessed co-works take out student loans to obtain a Masters, simply because they were promised a pay raise. Once they obtained said degree, they were told the only way to get a pay raise is to find work elsewhere. The President himself has been promising pay raises for years, but the last time I requested one, my manager shrugged his shoulders and walked away. This brings me to the next issue. Management is unprofessional. They do not properly handle employee complaints nor their requests for support, training, or pay raises. They are also reactive rather than proactive. At first, I thought this was an issue with my manager alone, but over the years I have realized it to be a campus-wide deficiency. I have been employed here for many years, much longer than most of my co-workers. However, the low pay, ever-shrinking take home, unprofessional behavior of management and repeated broken promises has forced me to reluctantly seek work elsewhere. The sad thing is I am not alone. I know multiple others who are seeking work elsewhere. I have also watched as many great and hardworking employees have turned in their notices. None of this will change until the university recognizes the value of its Faculty and Staff. In summary: If you want a place that will let you off early just because this could be the right employer. If you expect appreciation, respect, and the occasional pay raise, then you need to look elsewhere.
