The Perks of Working on Campus

Tuition Remission, a 403B and Legacy Building

When I started my career in Higher Education at the Boston University Athletics Department I was part of a pretty tight and intense place to work. Intercollegiate athletics is not quite a 24/7 operation, but during the academic year, it was not uncommon for some of us to start our work day before 7:00AM and end it after 11:00PM. I was an athletic administrator in the department.  As such, I interacted with student athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, facilities staff, and worked across departments at the University. So, I had to be in the office during ‘business hours’ and into the evening for events. It was a great opportunity - especially for someone fresh out of college and seeking their first professional experience. At 56 years of age, I look back at the hours I kept at the time, and move myself to my couch for a nap - 35 years too late. 

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Something I learned while working at the Athletic Department was that there were individuals whose employment at the University was life changing. I am not talking about the coaches or some of my administrator colleagues. Rather, the clerical and facilities staff in particular were individuals whose stories resonate with me decades later. Secretarial staff (as they were called at the time) whose children were able to attend BU on a tuition remission scholarship were somewhat common, but these staff were highly loyal to the University. When their children had completed their education, they remained at the institution; racking up their service awards from the Human Resources office - vases, clocks, rocking chairs. Each item signified another milestone in their tenure at the institution. 

An individual who I think of often was a facilities staff member who was a Polish immigrant who did the afternoon shift in our office space. She was a physician in Poland and due to licensure requirements, she was unable to practice in the US after she settled here. She was enrolled in courses in an effort to possibly return to work within a healthcare setting in some way. Several years later after leaving the Athletic Department, I ran into her. She was still working in facilities but she paused her studies so she could put her children through college. One child attended BU and another child was enrolled at one of the hundreds of institutions who are part of the Tuition Exchange program which BU now participates in. A few years earlier she told me that she had decided to get a transfer to the facilities staff at the BU Medical Campus rather than work on the main campus, believing that her background and training would benefit her work there. She was grateful for the opportunity for tuition remission and the impact it had on her and her family. 

Tuition remission is - arguably - one of the biggest perk of working on a college campus. It’s the closest thing to ‘corporate perks’ of yesteryear that may still exist. When I refer to corporate perks, I am not referring to the perks of the aughts into the most recent decades, where corporations were touting ping-pong tables, nap pods, hammocks and free lunches. Rather, I’m referring to the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s era of corporate America, when some companies provided employees with opportunities for internal advancement, and for employees who needed a leg up, the companies provided them with tuition reimbursement to earn a degree. In doing such, corporations showed a commitment to retaining their workforce. Imagine, there were times in the not so distant past where people found great satisfaction in being part of these communities, where, each year they would gather at the corporate picnic, at the end of the year for holiday parties, and perhaps even receive a bonus.

It seems like those days are long gone and admittedly some of the things that happened in those settings were toxic and not super effective, but how many of us know someone in our family who has a watch or a chair from their employer and speaks of fond memories of these corporate picnics and of the times where they actually helped to build something. Leaving a legacy at work can be quite satisfying as well as lead to a degree of loyalty.  

We know those days are long gone in corporate America. Loyalty is not necessarily rewarded in a way that connects with Millennial and Gen Z employees.  

Institutions of higher education are competing against corporate America for strong employees in areas beyond academic support and student services: Information Technology, Research, Lab management, Purchasing, Human Resources, Food Services, Facilities, etc. Campuses are basically small to mid-sized cities, and the breadth of job opportunities available to fill are expansive. While Higher Education may not be giving out stock options, with competitive salaries and better than average benefits including: health care, tuition remission, 403B retirement plans, and more, campuses could be positioned for an influx of engaged and future loyal employees. Especially if we market ourselves right, and recruit intentionally.

For instance, if you aren’t posting your open jobs within your campus Career Center’s recruitment platform (Handshake, Jopwell, People Grove, etc.) you are missing out on possible candidates who already have a commitment and affinity to the institution. Additionally, posting at colleges and universities within a 120 mile radius may also garner you candidates seeking a change, but who want to stay close to ‘home’. 

Career fairs and events are often overlooked by Colleges and Universities, which is problematic. These fairs are especially useful when seeking skilled candidates to fill clerical and facilities positions - and potentially attractive to those who have children who may be pursuing a college degree in the future. Campuses can be an ideal location to host such events. Partnering with your state employment department and your local chamber of commerce are excellent ways to highlight the campus as an attractive workplace. 

Beyond the benefits packages that Higher Education may be able to tout when recruiting new employees, we also need to lean in on the academic calendar as a selling point. Higher Education is cyclical, with each year giving us an opportunity to not only work with purpose but also consider what we could do to do better the following year. How can we be aspirational? How can we grow? How can employees leave a legacy? Never underestimate the value of legacy to build loyalty.

Fortify Features

Dr. Laura De Veau is Principal & Founder of Fortify Associates, LLC. Fortify Associates, LLC is unique in the higher education, not-for-profit, and public service market. Fortify Associates provide comprehensive workshops, program reviews and project management services with a combination of in-person and virtual delivery. Fortify Associates is committed to creating experiences that are unique to the needs and culture of each of their clients. Dr. Laura De Veau is also a consultant with Higher Ed. Consolidation Solutions a leader in creative solutions for HigherEd including closure plans, mergers and strategic partnerships.