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    Western Governors University Reviews

    Updated October 19, 2017
    404 reviews

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    3.3
    StarStarStarStarStar
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    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    Western Governors University President Scott D. Pulsipher
    Scott D. Pulsipher
    56 Ratings

    404 Employee Reviews

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    Pros
    Cons

    • Hard to get promoted if you work from home (in 24 reviews)

    • Very political and work/life balance can be difficult (in 11 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons

    1. "All the pride that comes with working for a mission-driven nonprofit, without much of the chaos or disorganization."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Salt Lake City, UT
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee in Salt Lake City, UT
      Recommends
      Approves of CEO

      Pros

      Management truly cares about the mission, about serving students, and about employee satisfaction - not just maintaining, but improving.

      It's a nonprofit, but compared to other nonprofits where I've worked, it runs smoothly and without much hand-wringing.

      Cons

      Because of the limited resources of any nonprofit, we're not always as well-staffed as we could be, so sometimes duties seem to compound and can be a little overwhelming.

      Advice to Management

      Keep listening to your employees and emphasizing the student-centered culture of this university. I've noticed employees here seem to directly reflect and emulate the optimism and attitude of their direct management as well as management all the way to the top.

    2. Helpful (15)

      "A truly great place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Course Mentor in Kokomo, IN
      Current Employee - Course Mentor in Kokomo, IN
      Recommends
      No opinion of CEO

      Pros

      WGU course mentors (content area experts) work largely in teams, which means that there is a built in support network for employees. The level of exhaustion one may have felt at other universities can be more effectively manged here, because the team approach often means a simple request for help is all it takes! Management at the team level, in my experience, is very responsive to employee needs. While we do work more days and hours than our previous positions, it's also true that when we need some flexibility, all we need to do is communicate that need to our manager. Additionally, the real benefit to working at WGU is the ability to really interact with out students on an individual basis. I have more extended content-related conversations and individualized instructional sessions now, in an online environment, that ever was possible before at either the college or high school where I previously taught "in person." Finally, WGU seems to have a real commitment to professional development. I have been lucky enough to benefit from tuition reimbursement here and I also expect to receive funding for a conference at which I will present this spring. Overall, most complaints I might have are pretty minor. My perception is that those with many issues often have them because their priorities don't align with the universities. You see, if you work at a student-centered university, you have to be student-centered. If you're not, you may struggle.

      Cons

      Coures mentors do work structured schedules, so the extreme flexibility you might imagine by "working online" is not really there, as at other online universities (however, I think this accounts for our higher level of quality). And, as previously noted, managers seem very willing to accomodate our needs (I've never been turned down for a reasonable request).

      All mentors do work more days and hours that traditional universities. While our pay is fair and our benefits are great, especially considering the lack of commuter expenses, it's not quite aligned with the extra days we work. I made the same amount working 180 days...and I made MUCH more by working summer school, too, which is similar (but still less than) my current schedule. That said, I also graded tons of papers in my off hours and drove an hour per day, so it's a give and take, I guess!

      Umm...my biggest con is this: without a large campus to walk around, weight gain is inevitable! If you decide to come and work here, plan to incorporate some extra exercise into your day :)

      3. Join the Western Governors University team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. Helpful (4)

      "Great Place to Work!"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Evaluator in Salt Lake City, UT
      Current Employee - Evaluator in Salt Lake City, UT
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Western Governors University part-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Flexibility
      Being part of a change in higher education
      Working as part of a great team
      Independence

      Cons

      The pay is low for having a Master's, but the job is enjoyable and so flexible and that is important to me.

      Advice to Management

      On the assessment side the management is great. They are very easy to work with, responsive and fair. They trust that you can work and perform independently and give you the freedom to approach your job creatively.

    4. Helpful (1)

      "On their way to becoming a Great Place to Work."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Student Mentor - Faculty in Phoenix, AZ
      Current Employee - Student Mentor - Faculty in Phoenix, AZ
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Western Governors University full-time

      Pros

      Many employees work from home, schedule is flexible as long as you put in your requisite 40-45 hours.

      Cons

      Metrics are based on student success rates so, while there are many things you can do to have an impact on student success, you don't have complete control over how your numbers ultimately come out.

      Advice to Management

      Keep doing what you are doing on the Mentoring side of things.

    5. Helpful (3)

      "Probably the best company I have worked for."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Enrollment Counselor in Salt Lake City, UT
      Former Employee - Enrollment Counselor in Salt Lake City, UT
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at Western Governors University full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      WGU is a not for profit online accredited university. They treat their employees well. Benefits and vacation time accrue beginning first paycheck. They have a matching 403(b) retirement plan, short and long term disability, 2 floating holidays start on day 1 as well as the traditional holidays. You do work hard to provide the best for the students that you work with but you are treated well for it.

      Cons

      Pay scale is lower than it should be if compared to a for-profit school. Days are filled with lots of work. since they are an online school, there are processes and policies that get updated and clarified frequently. As new technology gets integrated into the process you will be expected to adapt quickly. Not for the faint of heart.

    6. Helpful (2)

      "WGU is a great place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Western Governors University full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      Mission driven, student centered, not for profit, flexible schedule, values family, rewards quality work.

      Cons

      Sometimes difficult to keep up with rapid change because of our quick growth.

      Advice to Management

      Offer an extensive Management training program for new and existing managers. Improve communication about internal opportunities for advancement.

    7. Helpful (1)

      "Excellent Company. Very innovative and generous."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Adjunct Evaluator in Salt Lake City, UT
      Current Employee - Adjunct Evaluator in Salt Lake City, UT
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Western Governors University part-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      Exceptional leadership and clear vision.

      Cons

      Low wages for evaluators and other staff.

      Advice to Management

      Keep doing an outstanding job.

    8. "WGU Indiana-a top place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Mentor in Indianapolis, IN
      Current Employee - Mentor in Indianapolis, IN
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook

      I have been working at Western Governors University full-time (More than a year)

      Pros

      The company stands behind its' employees, believes that family comes first and is always open to considering new ideas. A lot of companies talk about teams, but this organization truly values everyone's contributions and respects everyone for those attributes.

      Cons

      The opportunity to move into different positions while staying in Indiana is fairly limited as only enrollment, administrative and mentoring positions are locally available. Other opportunities exist with Western Governors University in Salt Lake City.

      Advice to Management

      Keep doing what you are doing.

    9. Helpful (2)

      "Great place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Student Mentor - Faculty in Remote, OR
      Current Employee - Student Mentor - Faculty in Remote, OR
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Western Governors University full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      WGU is changing the face of higher education and it's exciting to be part of the growth. Work hours are flexible and being able to work from home is fantastic.

      Cons

      Due to growth, there is a lot of change. You have to be able to cope with constant change and a fast paced environment

      Advice to Management

      If we refer someone for employment, then at least offer an interview. This demonstrates that you value our judgement.

    10. "WGU is a supportive environment"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Evaluator in Terre Haute, IN
      Current Employee - Evaluator in Terre Haute, IN
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at Western Governors University full-time (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Flexible work schedule; pro-student; gives you all that you need to be successful in your job

      Cons

      Pay is just so-so. While I greatly appreciate the flexibility WGU offers, my salary is not on par with my experience and other university scales.

      Advice to Management

      increase salaries

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