Excelsior College Reviews

Pros

Wonderful people and student body

Advice to Management

Use data to develop a planning schedule that can be shared with adjuncts.

Pros

My job is really rewarding - I come to work everyday knowing that my work can have a positive impact on my colleagues, on the institution and on our students. I am given room to grow and to work autonomously. My supervisor is incredibly caring and sets a really great example of what professional commitment and personal empathy looks like. The leadership of the organization maintains an open door policy and genuinely seems to value input. Benefits and compensation are beyond fair - especially medical. Having had to use them I can attest to how much of a difference that makes. The institution has a positive relationship with its students and the staff are mission-focused. You get to work with really great people in a community-minded environment.

Advice to Management

Please ramp up the sense of urgency and please continue to communicate a vision of Excelsior in the 21st century. This institution has the benefit of its history and the vestiges of innovative practices in the past. Our uniqueness in the past is no longer a competitive advantage. Please work with middle managers to create a common understanding of who we need to be to navigate the turbulent waters higher ed finds itself in. Also, please nurture a climate of accountability and follow through. Above all else, lead people with empathy but manage processes with ruthless efficiency.

Pros

Excelsior College has been going through a period of transition. This is a time of rapid change and opportunity. Some employees and former employees have not been fans of the increased pace of change but this is an exciting time to be at Excelsior. The recent period of transformation means that there are opportunities for growth and chances to make a difference in the future direction of your department and the college as a whole. Personally, I would much rather work in a business that is willing to adapt than one which is static and falling behind the times. The reality is that the pace of all businesses today is much different than it was in the past.
While it is true that there were financial challenges in the recent past, the college has turned the corner through making responsible fiscal decisions. Current management was handed a difficult job as prior executives were not proactive in determining current business trends or in reacting appropriately to those trends. Making sure that business trends and data are analyzed and accessible in a timely manner has been a huge priority to the executive team to avoid issues going forward. Being willing to make difficult choices for the long-term viability of the college wasn’t always popular but it was right.
The current executives are very approachable. There are monthly breakfast meetings to bring people up to date on topics of importance and there are opportunities to sign up for small group meetings with the president to discuss ideas of personal interest. It is impossible to work at Excelsior without getting involved in some of the many larger picture projects going on. There are project groups and committees galore and there are often senior level leaders involved in these groups. It is easy to get to know people from across the college and make a place for yourself. I would absolutely recommend working at Excelsior College to my friends and acquaintances. Anyone willing to be passionate and committed will be successful here.

Advice to Management

Keep clarifying the vision for our future growth and motivating the team!

Pros

Tuition reimbursement. Flexible work arrangements e.g. telecommuting.

Pros

At first the online degree was very convenient for my family and I

Advice to Management

Pay more attention to the nursing students recommendations. Please focus of making the CPNE fair

Pros

the benefits and the people there were great. but upper management has a way of messing up everything. be careful.

Advice to Management

Get a clue. you had terrific employees and you managed to downsize over half of them.

Pros

Its mission is key! It is the only place of its kind. It's sorely needed in today's economy.

Advice to Management

QUIT! Give the place a fighting chance. Do a national search and bring in some qualified talents to run the place. The internals keep going in circles and are just digging themselves deeper in the hole.

Pros

Excelsior has a lofty mission and many loyal employees in the front lines.

Advice to Management

Wipe the management slate clean and hire anew. There is much talent in the higher ed arena. Why not find a team who understands higher education?

Pros

Some online courses are well-designed and workload per course is reasonable.
Some program directors are smart, responsive and pleasure to work with.

Advice to Management

You need to resign. This cut-throat business approach of yours is destroying a once-great online college.

Pros

Some individuals were excellent co-workers and made work there seem so easy.

Advice to Management

If you say you are transparent, then be so!