Hi all, I'm hoping you wise and experienced posters can offer a little advice!
Its a very long story so I shan't discuss everything (also for privacy), but I have been at my PhD for nearly 5 years (got a 6 month extension to submit after 4 years, then waited almost 5 months for viva).
Just over 18 months into my research I requested a change of supervisor. This was for varying reasons but centred on the incompetence of the previous supervisor. I wasn't the only PhD student who experienced this. With the new supervisor the project changed dramatically, but I was offered no additional financial or academic support by the uni (I was institutionally-funded) nor was I offered reassurance or additional time until the requested extension.
In Jan/Feb when I submitted there was an almighty brouhaha as the Uni refused to pay for the examiner my supervisor and I agreed on. I begged as many managers as possible, got the union involved, but the Uni refused to budge. I then went to the office of the Independent Adjudicator, but they could not act as the Uni refused to give a final resolution letter and said I should appeal post-viva (knowing the viva would be a disaster).
The viva was a disaster, even the examiners noted that they were not the right people to assess it (and there was no-one from my actual discipline there). The chair started playing with their phone halfway through (not on silent) , and I was given resubmission as they did not understand the concept: a theoretical piece whose central theorist neither had read and they were solely empiricists.
I have decided almost certainly not to resubmit, I have sacrificed too much (barely seen friends and family, almost bankrupt) and I need a job. I'll still work on the thesis in my own time, publishing parts etc but I'll look for a job outside academia.
The question remains though - and keeping in mind I have little concern for an academic reputation - whether I should appeal...
Anyone have any motivating/demotivating tales or advice? :-(:-s
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