Simon Fraser University Reviews

Pros

Great opportunities to move around departments once you are a full time employee

Cons

Grant funded (soft funded) individuals don't have access to the same benefits that other universities offer.

Advice to Senior Management

Non at this time

Pros

Job security is pretty high.

Cons

salaries are comparably lower than other equivalent universities.

Pros

Benefits are great if you are heading to retirement.

Cons

Politics are terrible and there is no room for any advancement, unless you know someone of power.

Advice to Senior Management

Know your employees

Pros

The work life balance at SFU is the best. The benefit package, vacation days, hours, and work load are all above industry norm.

Cons

the advancement opportunites are limited unless you have an MBA. The pay is also well below what you can get in the private sector

Pros

- Time off when I need
- Leave work at work
- Stress is low
- People never leave

Cons

- No bonus
- Very little promotions, movement
- People never leave

Advice to Senior Management

Give direction, reviews, and pats on backs

Pros

All the co-workers are of similar age (mostly university students), which makes it a fun and energetic group to be in.

Cons

The pay seems to be really low compared to other summer camp programs. It should at least be higher than minimum wage.

Advice to Senior Management

A higher wage for the staff would be nice.

Pros

Tremendous co-workers
Good benefits, especially vacation time and ability to work "9 day fortnight"
Education opportunities

Cons

Glacial speed of decision making, usually with no logic behind eventual choice.
Very limited ability to move within the organization (ie from one faculty to another).
Bureaucracy in place makes it almost impossible to take advantage of taking courses.
Very management top-heavy at least 6 layers of management.
Poor cost controls, too much waste.

Advice to Senior Management

Pare down management levels, encourage innovation, streamline processes. Make decisions based on solid business cases.

Pros

good benefits, advanced technology support

Cons

lack of opportunity to advance, depressing location on Burnaby Mountain

Advice to Senior Management

more support for professional advancement needed

Pros

Well, the TA job paid for medical and dental benefits and covered my tuition :). So, overall its all good

Cons

Paper correction, labs , undergraduate woes, professor pressure, the usual stuff that a TA has to go through. Not much of a problem at all.

Advice to Senior Management

Well, the TA job paid for medical and dental benefits and covered my tuition :). So, overall its all good

Pros

Great benefits/perks such as extended health, tuition waiver, strong union (CUPE), paid winter break (about a week off).

Cons

Difficult to grow professionally as the academic institution is not too progressive as an employer. Too much politics and takes too long for any changes to take place.

Advice to Senior Management

SFU is the leader in comprehensive universities, meaning it's a leader in research, however, it lacks in running the institution as a business. Not sure how this can be done, but I've heard too many times from many individuals how they don't want to embrace change because they're scared they won't meet those expectations.