As you may remember I've had a lot of problems with my supervisors during the last academic year, which I hoped had beens orted out and things were going to improve... thoughts are wonderful things I'm afraid. I was supposed to meet with my new director of studies on Monday, went in only to find that a) the whole department had moved out of their mobiles and into a new building and they never told me and b) they weren't there either. I spend half an hour looking for the person, only to be told that they were not answering their mobile and had probably gone home even though they confirmed that the meeting was in their diary!

I managed to catch the post grad secretary who was sympathetic and said he would send an email in the morning. No comment the next day, but the day after I got an emaill from the secretary of the faculty to say that the person was 'very sorry' and would be in touch - why they couldn't send that themselves I don't know, and I have heard nothing since.

To make matters more complicated I have had an e-mail form my wayward former supervisor who wants to be involved still, so the new person didn't send the e-mail telling them to 'back off'as they said they would. So now I don't know what to do. I have e-mailed back this former supervisor and told them that I have no idea what is going on and I would let them know where I am at and they replied and sounded quite keen.

No-one in the dept has much idea about my area - there has been no meaningful research in it at all. They are very likely to take umbrage in the fact that some of it will be suggesting that teachers do not know everything and some may be winging it quite a lot of the time but will not acknowledge that sometimes they need someone to tell them what to do and how to do it. On the other hand my former supervisor has a lot of knowldge of the theoretical areas which underpin my explanation of my findings. My instinct is to go with my former supervisor despite the problems of the last year, but that would mean going it alone as far as much personal contact goes. That isn't a problem really, except I suppose when they come to choose an internal examiner, but might alienate the head of faculty who never got on with them and who is supposed to be my new director of studies!

It appears to be a total mess. I said this to the post grad school secretary who agreed that they should have done something, but as I had been patient they had done nothing. Shows it pays to be a pain then doesn't it? Anyone got any ideas? (former supervisor is now at a different university by the way, which is partly why this problem has arisen I suppose)