UCLA Reviews

Pros

Lots of smart people. Lots of flexibility in work arrangements. Laid back environment. Pay is decent given the benefits and freedom. Big place with lots of interesting things going on.

Cons

Lots of people who don't work very hard. Hard to figure out why people are managers. Pay stagnent and probably going to drop (furloughs). Big place. Sharp divide between professors and staff. Political.

Advice to Senior Management

Lots of ways to streamline and save money. Many people should be moved out or retired early as some of the most resistant to change are the same who are not contributing much.

Pros

reputation as a good school, Los Angeles weather, respected hospital

Cons

poor leadership in some departments. Good mentors, especially in the medical school are few and far between

Advice to Senior Management

develop professional mentorship programs and make them easily accessible to staff and students

Pros

I worked as an RMT for UCLA Rec. Great experience as far as college jobs go.
-Maintain facilities and equipment, hands on work
-Manage small teams of other students as you get better
-Super flexible, excellent for students who have school and other commitments

Cons

-Because it is 100% hands on, on some days it does get tiring
-Pay does not scale, you max out fairly quickly as a lead

Advice to Senior Management

Add opportunities to grow within Recreation department/facilities
More weekend shifts, more side jobs, more opportunities to make side money
Make swim team do their own start blocks.

Pros

The hourly wage as a peer learning facilitator at Covel is arguably the highest of any on campus job, and the group of tutors are all very tight knit. Good communal environment at the workplace.

Cons

In the current economy, budget cuts to public schools is really hurting employment at UCLA. Funding and many parts of the program are being cut, and their future is uncertain.

Advice to Senior Management

It may be very difficult in the current situation, but keeping the peer learning program is crucial to the success of students and the well being of the institution as a whole.

Pros

Great benefits, discounts, Westwood shops and food. Learning opportunities abound.

Cons

Many bureaucratic layers to cut through makes processes inefficient. Hard to let go incompetent career staff.

Advice to Senior Management

Better intra- and inter- department communication and networking opportunities to integrate processes, share information, and lift staff morale.

Pros

Great support for flexible work schedule. Management was understanding with needing to work from home on occasion. Proximity to and interaction with the med school was really a bonus.

Cons

Job was great, but the facilities, both technical and mundane were pretty lousy. New computers were hard to come by, etc.

Pros

You get paid to practice leadership skills and plan programs. You get to make a difference in students' lives.

Cons

As an RA, you don't earn money, just room & board. Sometimes you have to deal with fire alarms and so forth.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to RAs; my fellow staff members had a lot of really good ideas and they wanted to feel like management was listening to them and considering their suggestions.

Pros

Good vacation, sick pay, benefits

Cons

There is no reward in working there. You are just glad you made it through the day.

Unless you are liked by the 'right' people, there is no chance for promotion or gain interesting assignments. The business unit does not promote or appreciate different view points. There is no incentive to produce. Everyone is too busy playing politics to do any actual work. Projects are seldom delivered on time.
he BRA manager is very controlling unless you are favored or male. I was once told I should tell my co-worker when I go to the bathroom so they would know where I was. I was also told what color to fill an Excel spreadsheet cell and how to format the document. I was told I am not to talk to other group's managers. I was critized for coming back from a meeting a few minutes late. I took the iniative to attend a class and was severely chastised for bein absent, for not getting approval.

There is no sharing of information, no team work mentality. Management lies and condone inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. Senior management waste money to feed their ego and fuel their self importance. The business unit can function better or same with half the staff currently employed. It is a good example of how public sector wastes valuable resources and funds. Their motto is to benefit the students on campus yet the students are required to jump through hoops to get parking. The business does not serve the campus well. The are their to stroke each other's ego. A complete overhaul would benefit the campus and the few good people that actually produce work results.

The work environment is clickish and Physcologically abusive.

Advice to Senior Management

Get over yourself. Your purpose is to serve the students on campus, not to sooth your own ego and abuse other just to feel superior. Find some other avenues to deal with your own insecurity.

Pros

It is a great place to work, also a great place to live. The benefits are OK, and there are good carrier opportunities.

Cons

The salary is too low when compared to private companies, housing is difficult and way too expensive. No phone lines in the offices.

Advice to Senior Management

Please pay attention to housing difficulties, specially for those that are not the top earners. Postdocs are not treated well.

Pros

Student run and student led.

Cons

Disorganized, unable to assess employee performance accurately

Advice to Senior Management

Be more friendly and make employees feel welcomed