Hi all,

basically the examiners reccommended termination after my Viva. The handbook says that you should be given an opportunity to correct things, but this has not been followed. I had no warnings about any problems with my work. They removed all my personal belongsings from my office, dumped them in boxes and left them at the security office, and sent me an email.

They basically got rid of me because I made a complaint. Now I am appealing the academic decision and have raised my harassment complaint to the University administratioh.

TO Dan B, the Dept. were aware of the problems woth my supervisor from early on in my studies. They woudn;t do anything about it.....they sadi that because my supervisor was the P.I. for the project there was no way that they could see another supervisor being appointed,

Packed your things away in boxes. Blimey you must have offended someone! I would leave now and drop the complaint. Academics stick together and for all the good the student union do in backing your corner, you face an almighty mismatch. However, I am but a humble man and you may see things differently. The way I look at it, you could be waiting months for this appeal without income etc. Not a good position to be in.
Good luck

I can understand your "why bother" view. The fact is that the complaint and appeal may take months, then of course, I have the option of independent review by the OIA (office of the independent adjudicator), or to take legal action using a higeher education lawyer. Neither option appeals. There is an imbalance of power, this is undisputed, but to withdraw a complaint like this would be irresponsible.

In the meantime, I am considering my options and plan to start my own business, just to keep things going. I may get some employment as well in the meantime, just to boost my references, but I won't give up....I will get a PhD....and that is a promise.

I'm with Ann. I would NOT recommend lying in an attempt to get another PhD...in this situation, hiding the truth=lying.

Surely it would be best to be open and honest about what has happened. Explain to prospective supervisors that you did a year of a PhD and what you achieved during that time. Explain that unfortunately there was a problem with your supervisor and were forced to leave, but that you don't think there were grounds for such action to be taken. You can explain that you don't normally have problems getting along with people (if this is true) and it was just an unfortunate situation.

Turn it into a positive as much as you can - "I have learnt a lot from this experience", "I gained skills in the lab during my year I wouldn't have otherwise", "this has motivated me to succeed in science".

It's similar to what people who get fired are faced with when they interview for a new job - all the books say be honest and turn it into a positive. Just think before you act.

Just think before you act. Good luck, ophiucus.

Hello Ophiucus,
really sorry and sad to hear about your situation- particularly as you obviously want to do a PhD so much and are trying to overcome what sounds to be completely awful treatment by your uni- your attitude sounds quite admirable, to be honest; I think I'd collapse in self-pity if something similar happened to me!

For what its worth, I think any potential supervisor, simply as a human being, should understand that students and supervisors do not always 'click' and that this is not a reflection on you or your abilities. I really hope that you can find somewhere which treats you a whole lot better than you have been.

Thankyou all for the support that you have all provided from your replies.

It's so refreshing to hear from people who have such good practical advice in a difficult situation like this. I cannot quantify how much some of these emails have allowed me to reflect objectively on my current situation.

I hope no-one has to go through the never-ending process that I am going thru, but if they do then it is good that forums like this exist where people can ask for advice.

This article may be of interet to all:

Nature 393, 407 (04 June 1998); doi:10.1038/30831

Bullying of PhDs

Sir – The 'feudal' master-servant relationship existing between a PhD supervisor and his or her student1 has another facet seldom broached by academics. That is bullying. Employment legislation prohibits bullying at work, but, because PhDs are not salaried or contracted, they are not legally 'employees' and so are vulnerable to capricious supervisors.

I regret to say that the conduct of my PhD supervisor was tantamount to bullying. Corroborative complaints by peers and by me proved futile, culminating in my supervisor misappropriating corresponding authorship after editorial review of our manuscript.
(cont'd)

Although nebulous commitments to PhD supervision published in guidelines are welcome, they are merely cosmetic unless enforced impartially against the occasional aberrant supervisor. Experience has left me disaffected with my university, which is ostensibly content to allow a rogue supervisor to usurp authorship and confidence by allowing vulnerable PhDs to be bullied.

PhDs may now, however, be able to seek alternative recourse. In an unprecedented move, the British High Court has granted a student at the University of Cambridge, Mr Beg, judicial review to challenge internal academic procedures2. Mr Beg was allegedly denied an MPhil because he criticized a professor. If future legal challenges are to be avoided, reform is required to make possible equitable adjudication in alleged cases of supervisor misconduct.

If UK institutions insist on maintaining the status quo, the courts may now intervene and universities will increasingly become embroiled in unwelcome litigation3. Denying the existence of bullying could become costly. Universities competing for funding and kudos can ill-afford to risk harbouring known aggressors, thus condoning their conduct and bringing departments into disrepute.

Inevitably, 'whistleblowers' (whether on matters of personal or academic misconduct) risk damage to their careers4. To ensure scientific integrity, postgraduate students need adequate protection from the repercussions of 'speaking out'. PhDs should surely be protected from bullying and unfair termination of studentships, in the same way as 'employed' researchers are protected by legislation and contracts.

This is an article I discovered in nature, and is one of the rare commentaries on the situation forPhD students.

Sorry about the length, I just though I would share this for all to see.

I agree with DanB- what you are doing is right; though I expect it is extremely stressful and soul destroying, all PhD students should appreciate that there are people like you who are prepared to stand up for your/our rights- you deserve a medal! (And, of course, a decent PhD place at a decent university with a less psychotic supervisor!) Good luck.

I would be very careful about not mentioning that you have started a PhD. As Ann says, you could have your position terminated if it was found out. Also, academics are a fairly close bunch and it is likely that your new supervisor may found out you started a PhD elsewhere

Hi all, yes I think that to be honest in this situation is the best policy. To allow skeletons to hang conspicuously, or not, in the closet, would be dishonest and at the very least risky.

I feel that it is no-ones business what has already happened, and honesty is the best policy. Unfortunately, relying on honesty in this situation may not get me a PhD, but I am not willing to compromise my principles in favour of getting what I want.

It may be of interest to some who are interested in the subject of bullying to consider that it in many cases it is honest people who have strong principles that are targeted for bullying in the first place, because people of this nature/temperament are a threat to the bully in the sense that they have the ability to expose them.

In any case, I feel that it would be wrong to allow myself to become the "devil's advocate" and lie about my past.