The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Loma Linda University is a great college to work for.
The publication’s list, released July 17 in the Chronicle’s 10th annual report on The Academic Workplace, is based on a survey of more than 45,000 people from 232 colleges and universities. Of that number, 79 institutions made the list as one of the “2017 Great Colleges to Work For.” The list is based on 1) an institutional audit that captured demographics, benefits, communication and workplace policies and 2) a survey administered to faculty, administrators and support staff.
Employee feedback played a primary role in determining whether an institution received recognition.
Loma Linda University was honored in five categories this year:
• Confidence in senior leadership
• Job satisfaction
• Professional/career development programs
• Supervisor/department chair relationship, and
• Work/life balance.
LLU administrators’ words of thanks
In acknowledging the recognition from The Chronicle of Higher Education, Richard Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University Health, said LLU faculty and staff offer outstanding teaching and dedicated service to the approximately 4,500 students in the university’s eight schools.
“Our entire university team shares a strong commitment to extending the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ,” Hart said. “I am so grateful for the passion, excellence and the commitment to our values each of them exhibits. Their devotion to sharing their knowledge and expertise with our students inspires me.”
LLU Provost Ronald Carter, PhD, said, “We appreciate the dedication of each and every one of our more than 3,200 employees. Visitors, particularly the many accreditation teams that visit our campus, remark on the palpable sense of unity — a family of faculty, staff and students who are glued together by whole person care, academic excellence and service to the world. We are small enough to know each other and large enough to impact our community — both regionally and globally.”
Employee testimony
Two employees of Loma Linda University — one a faculty member, the other a professional support staff member — recently shared their thoughts on the campus work environment.
Aaron Moesser, MOT, OTR/L, assistant professor and academic coordinator of occupational therapy at the School of Allied Health Professions, said the role of senior leadership cannot be overstated in making the university a great place to work. Moesser graduated from the school in 2010 and since then, has observed senior leaders working to improve cooperation between schools and departments.
“I think that’s important because it demonstrates to students that once they graduate, they should be able to work together as a team of medical professionals,” Moesser said. “Recently, I’ve also seen how responsive they are to concerns of employees and faculty members.”
Moesser plans to take advantage of the university’s generous program of educational benefits by pursuing a doctoral degree in occupational therapy. He described his department chair as “phenomenal.”
“She’s very supportive of my opinions and of our field work program,” Moesser said. “She is also concerned with my overall wellbeing, and I really appreciate that.”
Ann Bradshaw, office manager of the Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, exemplifies the way many professional support staff members feel about working for LLU.
Bradshaw, who started working at the university 30 years ago, identified three factors that contribute to her high level of job satisfaction: great educational opportunities for employees to pursue professional growth; a safe and positive work environment; and a faith-based culture that attracts students, faculty and staff who want to make the world a better place.
“I could never see myself working anywhere else,” Bradshaw said, adding that she has declined numerous opportunities to work elsewhere.
Because of a passion to help people overcome substance abuse, Bradshaw seeks balance in her life by volunteering an average of two hours a week at Drug Alternative Program, a Christian recovery program for men, where she facilitates a monthly support group and provides counseling services. She has volunteered for the program as long as she has worked at LLU.
Her favorite thing about working at LLU is the people. “Oh, my goodness, I love the people I work with,” she said. “I love my boss, I love my coworkers, I love the students. And this is amazing to me; I actually feel that they love me.”