Hi all,

Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm returning to a university where my relations with my old supervisor are not too good. I can't go into much detail, but trust me, they weren't good. Anyway, I just found out that she will be teaching some of my classes next year. I can't avoid her basically. I'm just wondering how to phrase an email to her, that basically says something along the lines of:

Hi, I'm coming back. Just wanted to warn you and to ensure in advance that there are no hard feelings between us, or there certainly aren't on my part. Fresh start, clean slate tabula rasa, all that stuff.

She has no idea (i don't think), that i'm returning. I feel like I have to contact her before I see her again, to save us both from a very uncomfortable meeting...

Any tips? Al.

======= Date Modified 24 Mar 2010 13:13:51 =======
I'm intrigued!

But anyway, how about:

Dear Dr. X,

I wanted to let you know that I'll be returning to [insert uni] to study for a [MA/MPhil/PhD] in [insert month] with great enthusiasm. Since I understand that you will be [teaching/organising] X component of the course, I wanted to let you know that I am very much looking forward to it. I hope that it will be a productive year for both of us.
All best wishes
Albo

Not perfect, but along those lines???

I'd have suggested something like Maria's wording if she hadn't got there first! I think keeping it simple and to the point, and not mentioning the issues from the past, would definitely be the way to play it.

Thank you both. Do you definitely think its best not to mention the past. Not even to say something like 'hope we can put it behind us'?

Hi. Without knowing what the problem is, it's hard to say. If you ran over her dog or something, and she's held a grudge ever since, then yes, you could mention it. Say how you made a mistake/error in the past and you hope it can be swept under the rug, since you'll now be working together again. However, (and this is most likely to be the case), if you had a bad working relationship with her, experienced a clash of personality, an argument, diffference of opinion etc, I don't think you should draw attention to it. I imagine that you want the email to suggest that whatever happened is not so terrible that you cannot ever work with her again, and you're looking forward to forgetting it. Hmm, I'm not sure what the best way to tackle it is...

I think mentioning it directly risks bringing whatever the issue is to the forefront again. The fact that you're emailing is a clear enough message that you remember whatever it was and want to move on, I don't think there's any need to say more. But then again, I don't know what the issue is so maybe the details do change what's best to say? I don't know, but my feeling is to go into as little detail as you can ('least said soonest mended' type of approach).

hi Albo, if it were me, I wouldnt mention the past :-) Maria1's note is very good, I would use it :-)
satchi