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.

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,

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.

Thanks for all your replies.

Shell shocked yes. Angry no! I am outraged! In reality I am just fed up with the ongoing saga. I have a harassment complaint against my supervisor that is outstanding, and an academic appeal against my termination (I believe they failed me because I complained). It's all gonna take months to sort out.

Thanks for all you messages.

Thanks for your advice. I guess I am being too negative.

The fact is that I believe I am a very competent student.

My supervisor was simply the bossy type who didn't appreciate that I am very independent. I think this made my supervisor feel inadequate about things.

Maybe I need a supervisor who wants to support rather than control?

What about filling in the gaps...i.e. the year I have spent?

Am I being too negative about this whole thing?

I was thinking of taking the opposite approach and just bringing all the issues out in the open and telling any prospective supervisor that is interviewing me what the situation is. In this way it also lets me know if they are worthwhile having.

Or, I could work for a year or so, get some good references behind me and then reapply?

What do ya'll think?

So I am screwed then? Should I just become a cleaner then, or work in a box factory?

Erm...I guess I'm just being negative.

Hi all, I seem to be in a sticky wicket at the moment. I have an ongoing dispute with my Dept. and have my PhD (Chemistry) terminated. The fact is that I had an abusive and incompetent supervisor who is the root cause of these problems,
Can anyone give me any advice on what implications this will have on getting another PhD. I can get references from my old Uni where i did my undergraduate degree, but should I just explaint exactly what happened? Maybe it wont be so hard to get another PhD?

Hi thanks for your reply, can you explain a bit more about what you mean by a sacrificial lamb?

Hi all,

I should also say that there was a point when I thought that I was imagining how bad things were, and that I was simply exaggerating things in my own head. Now, I know I was not, as I have more support now.

But, I have read some of the reports that I have mentioned in this thread NPC and OIA reports), and this sort of treatment, is definately not uncommon. It happens all the time.

Up until July (when the complaint became formal), I had recorded a events that occurred during weekly meetings with my supervisor.

These included instances of threatening me that I should simply quit my PhD (she didn't seem to like it when I expressed my own opinion), and yelling at me that she was "in control", and I should do "as I am told". She also lost her temper on several occassions over other trivial issues, such as my reluctance to approach her for help (she was unnaproachable/hostile/defensive at times).

After attempts to obtain informal resolutions a formal investigation was conducted, and the result was that my complaint was unfounded. There were hints of a counter-investigation. The investigator didn't even provide my supervisor's response to the events I reported in my complaint. I should mention that the investigator is a close colleague of my supervisor.

The Uni have stated that they "removed my belongings" to make it easier for me to collect them!

Hi there, thankyou for your reply. What I want to get out of the complaint is that the University right the wrongs that they have allowed to occur, and put me in a position to continue my studies in a working environment that doesn't allow bullying and harassment to occur. The University have a bullying and harassment policy, which I feel they have not followed. I've also just been informed that the Dept. have removed all my personal possessions from my office and dumped them at the security desk. Does anyone else think that this is inhumane and degrading treatment? I know I do. If Universities cannot stick to their own policies then what chance have students got. A recent annual report by the Office of the Independent adjudicator and report produced by the National Postgraduate council (Complaints in Practice - Complaints in Crisis) clearly shows that Uni's don't follow their policies and have a lack of natural justice. This is not a good situation.

The bullying involved threats that I should quit my PhD and other behaviour that I would regard as being unacceptable.

They claimed that my complant was unfounded as they said there was no direct evidence to support my allegations. However, I provided an account with dates, times and details of the behaviour, but they never detailed my supervisor's response to the allegations. This is a tactic that I guess is used often to avoid making the bully answer for their actions and to protect the bully. By not giving the bully's response to the allegations, I am not provided with sufficient information with which to base an appeal.

I've just finished my first year at uni.
I made a formal complaint against my bullying supervisor after going through informal channels initially. A colleague of my supervisor then conducted the (biased) investigation and conluded it unfounded. I was pressurised into submitting my 1st year report under tight deadlines even though I was under pressure due to the ongoing complaint process. They allowed my supervisor who I complained against for bullying to submit marks in my 1st year progress (Viva), and the examiners reccommended termination.

My gutless colleagues took the side of my supervisor during the bullying investigation. I now have to appeal the original complaint and also go through the appeals process for my failed report. The Dept. that I am a member of simply victmises students for making a complaint. You are not treated with any respect. Academics simply close ranks and agree to get rid of the complainant. I would not be surprised if this sort of treatment is endemic within higher education in the UK.

Any similar experiences by anyone?