Working at University at Buffalo (UB)

Good benefits but very political, no room for advancement, cliquish. Absolutely no reward for initiative. You get the union negotiated raise and that's it. Work environment is old - depending on what campus. Parking is terrible.

Working at University at Buffalo has pros and cons--but mostly pros. The work done here by many faculty and researchers is meaningful. The culture seems very open to diversity in many ways--gender, ethnicity, age, abilities, etc. While the salaries don't always match the private sectors', benefits are generous and make a difference. You can also believe in the mission of the organization. On the con side: Getting things done can take too much time because of the complex and numerous systems in place. The union environment has definitely brought many benefits, but staff permanency and faculty tenure are not one of them. You see a lot of people who have received permanent status or tenure who have also stopped producing. And getting rid of someone seems almost impossible--although if you jump through enough hoops, it can happen. In general, though, if you bring a certain level of expertise to a position, you're respected and can make change happen (although sometimes it takes longer than I would like...).