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Kansas State University

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KSU physics department is the best place to gain experience and the worst place to make a living out of it - Lab Instructor Kansas State University Employee Review

3.0
Mar 8, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

KSU physics department is considered to be a great place for undergraduates to take apart in. There are a great opportunities for students to be upgraded and gain more experience from it. As an undergraduate, there are lots of potentials and opportunities for students to improve on their skills in teaching and grading other students. Note that it is rare the case in any other university to find an undergraduate instructor having a great responsibility of teaching other students the same age as they are.

Cons

As great as the opportunity in teaching, there are some problems with that. The main problem for an undergraduate instructor is that there are no motivation for a good work at all. The main reason behind that is the management is insulated from the labs themselves. Another problem is that the lab instructor teaches a class for a professor that does not know anything about how the lab works (there are no commutation between labs and lectures) which leaves the professor outside of the lab scheme. Note that, when you work in a lab, your boss is different from your professor. One last Cons is the fact that the salary is too low compared to the amount of effort a lab instructor put through.

Explore other reviews about Kansas State University

5.0
Jun 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Aware and flexible with student schedules

Cons

As a student employee, it is harder to live off campus rates.

4.0
Jun 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- fantastic leave! PTO, Sick, Holiday, maternity - amazing people and students. Ranked high for friendliest students for a reason - tuition assistance for one place semester if you're continuing education - once your foot is in the door, potential to use internal connection to move up within the university

Cons

- pay could be more competitive but makes up for it somewhat in leave - top heavy administration, former leadership made uprooting changes and didn't see the change through; left university scrambling - resistance to change causes siloes. - structural fiscal issues that doesn't work well for interdisciplinary, collaborative work - great coworkers move up the university or leave and don't stay long

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