Midwestern University at a Crossroads: Inside a Culture of Control, Cronyism, and Missed Potential
Pros
There are some benefits worth noting—a 10% employer contribution to TIAA 403(b) retirement accounts is generous, and health/dental/vision benefits are solid. Some salaried staff may be allowed to work from home one to two days a week, but that decision rests entirely with each individual manager, creating inconsistency across departments. Hourly employees receive no remote work flexibility at all, regardless of performance or circumstance. The result is a disjointed, morale-draining environment where policies are unevenly enforced and upward mobility feels arbitrary. This isn’t just frustrating—it’s unsustainable.
Cons
If you’re considering working at Midwestern University or doing business with its leadership, you should know what’s really been going on behind the scenes. On the surface, it’s a respected health sciences institution with strong programs, but internally, it’s been a very different story—especially under now-former President Dr. Kathleen Goeppinger, who was fired by the Board of Trustees, effective immediately. Her leadership style has long been described by employees as intensely top-down. Nothing could get done without her personal sign-off, no matter how routine or time-sensitive. Directors of departments—many of whom have no higher education degrees or relevant academic qualifications—were often hired or promoted due to personal connections, not merit. Meanwhile, those working beneath them are expected to meet high credentialing standards for even entry- or mid-level positions. This kind of structural hypocrisy has crushed morale and created a glass ceiling for talented professionals who actually know the work. In fact, many directors and senior staff were widely viewed as overpaid placeholders—whose main contribution was proximity to Dr. G, not their leadership or vision. It became a culture where kissing up was more valuable than showing up, and speaking up was viewed as disloyalty. Internal collaboration, innovation, and accountability suffered because almost every decision had to climb a bloated, bureaucratic ladder and end with Dr. G’s approval. And let’s talk about compensation and values. In 2023, Dr. Goeppinger earned nearly $3 million, according to IRS filings. At the same time, students are being charged nearly $100,000 per year in tuition—and staff salaries for many front-line employees remain stagnant. Adjunct faculty, support staff, and advisors who actually serve the students are overworked and underpaid, while institutional resources continue to be concentrated at the top.
