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Columbia University

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Tuition exemption makes it worth it - Administrative Assistant Columbia University Employee Review

4.0
Apr 25, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The admin positions are usually through a collective bargaining unit which offers perks such as free computer classes for you and your family as well as a tuition fund if you take classes at a different university. There's also a child care subsidy fund that gets split amongst eligible union applicants with children aged 12 and under. 20 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 3 personal days a year. There's also paid holidays for most major holidays. Set schedule of monday-friday 9-5pm with weekends off.

Cons

Dependent on which department you work in, you may be limited in growth opportunities and would have to look towards other departments for promotional opportunities. Some supervisors micro manage. There's no overtime for union support staff. Starting salaries are also not as high or competitively priced as they should be considering the cost of living in the nyc metro area.

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5.0
May 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

relative stable, diverse, creative and good benefit

Cons

paid not so good, lots of work

1.0
May 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The benefits and work-life balance were generally reasonable.

Cons

The Internal Audit department was one of the most disappointing work environments I have experienced. Columbia promotes a culture of collaboration, trust, and support, but that was not reflected in my experience. Leadership micromanaged employees to an excessive degree, especially on work-from-home days. If you stepped away from your computer for a few minutes, it felt like you had to justify your whereabouts. Rather than encouraging employees to learn and grow, management often made people feel foolish for asking questions or not knowing something immediately. The atmosphere was stressful, morale was low, and trust between leadership and staff was virtually nonexistent. I would not recommend this department to anyone seeking a supportive or professional work environment.

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