Liberty University reviews

The most common complaint you'll hear at Liberty is the gap between what Liberty pays versus other employers. Because Liberty is a non-profit, the ranges are considerably lower than other organizations. The frustration comes from a seemingly endless building and campus improvement budget, but little to no salary improvement efforts. Liberty is able to pay a lower salary range because of the other benefits; despite a high turnover rate, there will almost always be someone willing to fill a position because of education or health benefits. Discussing your salary is a fireable offense. Human Resources is one of the most frustrating entities to work with. During my time at LU, it seemed as if HR was actively working against the employees. The constant secrecy and clandestine nature does nothing to improve this perception. Executive level employees seem to be in a different class, where the rules don't apply to them - leading to frustration of lower-level staff members. Executive level issues come across as petty, while some more serious issues affecting lower-level staff are ignored. For a long period of time, there was an incredible fear of administration. Stories and rumors of people being let go for speaking up about serious issues abound, and everyone knows someone that was let go for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. This isn't as prevalent as it used to be, as administration has changed, but it is definitely an element. Some of the staff work environments are not that exciting. Part of the campus is a former factory that was gifted to the university. While the portions that students will see have been remodeled, the sections a large part of staff work in need to be renovated. I can think of a bathroom that hasn't been remodeled to any extent since the early 1980s. With a little investment, Liberty could easily improve the work environment to allow for more collaboration and creativity, but after more than a decade, this has yet to change.

1.) It’s no secret that Liberty does not offer competitive pay. Since Lynchburg is not a high-income area, it’s not a terrible wage for most entry-to-mid level employees in the region. For the industry, however, it’s quite low and the staff all know it. Despite bragging in the media about how much money they have, the university is hesitant to spend a penny more than absolutely necessary on their staff. Cost of living is given as a “bonus” rather than raises that might accumulate (and therefore actually match the cost of living each year), staff are charged for parking (even those who use their own gas and mileage to run company errands), salaried staff are not compensated for overtime but docked for any time they miss, just to name a few. 2.) Staff are seen as dispensable and valued accordingly. Many direct supervisors truly do care about their staff and try to find ways to reward them, but their hands are tied by a corporate culture where management tactics are often fear-based, expectations and stress levels are high, and employees are expected to be engaged, compliant, loyal, and give above and beyond to the company, while expecting little in return. Expectations change daily, job descriptions are vague enough to encompass drastic shifts in responsibility without any accompanying title or pay change, and exceptional workers are often rewarded with heavier workloads. Turnover is very high, with a majority of employees burning out within 2-3 years. As far as Liberty is concerned, however, there are plenty more where those came from. 3.) Career opportunities are limited and come at a price. On the plus side, Liberty is willing to hire a lot of young college graduates with little work experience, providing employees with an opportunity to build their resumes and gain skills. Once employees have paid their dues and established themselves, however, they often find themselves stuck. It is common for management to fill desirable positions with friends and family members or based upon internal politics, overlooking employees with more seniority or better qualifications. Employees are also unable to transfer to a job that pays less, even if they voluntarily request the transfer to obtain better hours or a job they enjoy more. Job postings do not indicate what a position pays, however, so employees must fill out an application just to find out if they are even qualified. That wouldn't be so bad except that employees cannot apply for any other job in the university without a signed advancement form from their director. This makes it impossible to even casually assess other opportunities or find out if you qualify to transfer to a different position without notifying your boss that you are thinking about leaving. Even if you don't want or get the potential job, you've now eliminated your chance of advancement within your own department. 4.) Liberty does not have a great reputation in the community. There are still many who love them, but a surprising number of residents consider them hypocritical, greedy, and untrustworthy. They aren’t really wrong. 5.) Hypocrisy is epidemic, particularly among the high-level executive leadership. I’ve seen some of the most eloquent speeches, prayers, and social media posts from leaders who, within the privacy of their offices, are well known to be arrogant, manipulative, and dishonest. They claim to be driven by Christian values but the entire town knows that money, sports, and impressive new buildings are their top priorities. 6.) There’s very little trust. It is not uncommon for leadership to lie or cover things up. Verbal contracts can and do change and management often does not feel obligated to honor promises or remedy mistakes unless they are documented, so get everything in writing. Employees may trust their immediate supervisor, or even the next couple levels of management, but they recognize that most managers have limited authority and are often left in the dark about major events and decisions. HR and top-tier leadership make most decisions, which are kept secret from even high levels of management until the very last moment, and are then conveyed with very little detail or rationale. Written communications are rare and purposely obtuse, which means that employees seldom fully understand them and they can easily be interpreted in the company’s favor. Honestly, the expectations you have coming in will determine job satisfaction at this company. If you are looking for a long-term career with competitive pay and advancement opportunities in a uniquely Christian, value-driven culture that fosters trust and transparency and makes its employees a priority, you are likely to be disappointed. But if you recognize that Liberty is just a billion-dollar corporation, like every other, and are just looking for a reasonable job with benefits and an opportunity to advance your education, this job may have a lot to offer.