Survey ranks University of Michigan as a top college to work for
University of Michigan
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo
An annual Chronicle of Higher Education survey has ranked the University of Michigan as one of the best large four-year colleges to work for.
The Ann Arbor school made the Chronicle's "Great Colleges to Work For 2013" honor roll, along with nine other large four-year colleges. The Chronicle surveyed 45,000 employees at 300 colleges and placed 97 schools on the "great to work for" list.
This is the sixth year the Chronicle has produced the ranking, and U-M has placed on it each year.
Employees surveyed said U-M was a good place for collaborative governance, career development programs and fair compensation. They said working at U-M allowed for job satisfaction and work-life balance, and they reported feeling respected and having confidence in senior leadership.
They said the school has clear tenure requirements and possesses diversity, high-quality teaching environment and good facilities.
Of the 12 areas surveyed by the Chronicle, only one did not receive a high ranking: "Supervisors or chairs make expectations clear and solicit ideas," which was assessed by the Chronicle by asking those surveyed to agree or disagree with statements like "I believe what I am told by my supervisor/department chair."
When listing U-M's "outstanding feature," the Chronicle highlighted the school's Family Helpers program, which pairs students with staff and faculty who need elder care, child care, pet-sitting or yard work.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
sttc
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:50 a.m.
great place to work love it there you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to corporate america.
David Paris
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:31 a.m.
Gratz to The U., and All it's employees!
David Paris
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 1:24 a.m.
Now, if only the Regents would start practicing "Middle-out Economics", and let "see a patch of ground, build something on it economics" take a little breather!
leaguebus
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:26 a.m.
Gee Nick, providing a good place to work helps retain the good people that work there. The better the people the better the institution. By the way, the MCard gets a free bus ride from a Park and Ride to campus. I never paid for parking in my 34 years at the U. It was my bike or the AATA.
dexterreader
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:06 p.m.
Agreed. I don't understand why more employees don't utilize that option if their schedule allows them to.
Dog Guy
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:04 a.m.
Being among 97 out of 300 is not another top-ten listing.
nickcarraweigh
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 11:14 p.m.
Providing a great place to work isn't really the point of large public universities
David Paris
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 1:20 a.m.
And surely, we all know that it's not the private sectors job to provide a great place to work. So, hmm... who's job is it, then???
Don Duck
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 10:30 p.m.
One more horn to toot. Hoorah for A2.
Goober
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 8:23 a.m.
Or a nose to blow.
Tom
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 9:14 p.m.
Sure, like charging its employees nearly $1000 for the privilege parking near their office. This may be standard practice for universities but wouldn't fly in most companies in the private sector.
M-Wolverine
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 1:08 p.m.
Considering the going blue parking rate is $667 "Nearly $1000" is a gross exaggeration (unless $300+ doesn't mean much to you, in which case, why are you complaining?). Which is still way cheaper than parking if you work in Ann Arbor and have to park in a downtown structure (where the monthly rate is a minimum $1680 a year). And lots of people in the "private sector" work downtown and don't have subsidized parking. Now, if you want to complain about the lack of parking abundance.....
First Ammendment Feedback
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 6:17 p.m.
They don't do background checks for directors of social media.
vivian
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 11:39 p.m.
...which sounded like a pretty bogus position anyway...especially when the pay approaches $100K, as I think it did in the case of the discredited first appointee (though perhaps I'm misremembering)...
BlueEyesGirl
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 6:32 p.m.
They do now...
AWUC
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 5:42 p.m.
Is the U of M Health System included in this ranking?
Kellie Woodhouse
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 7:26 p.m.
I think only staff from the medical school, many of whom work in UMHS.
grovest
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 5:35 p.m.
Yeah right. I quit my job at U-M for another opportunity. I couldn't handle the top-down corporate culture. I was afraid to give feedback or voice my opinion because supervisors would tell me I was "stepping outside of the boundaries of [my] role." Also, there are lots of people with six-figure salaries who are grossly underqualified to do their jobs, and many times people in Jr. classifications are much more talented than people in Sr. classifications. I've heard from others that this is pretty standard across the board. I dreaded going to work every day.
John
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 1:07 p.m.
Sounds like you work in the department of Radiation Oncology LOL
sttc
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 12:51 a.m.
this happens everywhere. at least at the U they have some understanding of work-life balance and you don't have to worry about getting laid off every time the stock market dips...
djacks24
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 7:20 p.m.
Pretty much fitting for the public sector.
doglover
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 6:06 p.m.
Even the best places aren't perfect for everyone. Glad you could find something more suitable.
djacks24
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
Yada yada yada...
jcj
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 4:17 p.m.
Whoopie!