Hi csoul

I am also a PhD student registered with the student disability center due to physical disability. It takes a lot of courage to do what you did and to stand your ground when you realize that someone is treating you differently due to some criteria that is irrelevant to your academic performance. So first of all you are doing the right thing by standing your ground.
I had a situation where a professor discriminated against me in grading due to medical absences despite the fact that I had an official letter from the student disability office stating that I am a student with disability and that treating a student with disability differently is a discrimination. The rules at our university state that a student with disability is allowed to be absent for 6 classes with no penalty.
This professor basically ignored that despite the fact that I had a conversation with her before our first class as required from students with disability to do. During my meeting I explained to her my situation and that I am going to do my best not to be absent. I did indeed schedule all my medical appointments on days other than the days when I have classes. But she had unrealistic expectations from me, (I am an A student and came to the program with excellent recommendations) which I am not responsible for.
I`ve considered talking to her about her grading but right now I am putting this off as I am waiting for the results of my qualifying exam first.
In your case, if you made a formal complaint, you will have the right for an attorney to be present with you and I suggest first to talk to the professor or official who contributed towards the discrimination. Each university is different and office politics do play a part in handling these situations. The main question for you to answer is what is your ultimate goal from this procedure?. What do you really want?.
In my case it is just a different between A and B. For me as an A student it is not easy to see a B on my transcript but I weighted different alternatives and what is most important for me. On the PhD level, grades dont play major role and in fact later no school looks at faculty grades as much as they examine her/his dissertation and ability to receive funding.
You may like to consider what are the most important factors for you in this situation and make your decision accordingly. Good luck.

I think that you have the full right to be concerned. From what is described, this advisor doesnt sound like he is doing what is really best for you which is to provide you with a candid feedback and not a pat on the back regardless of the context and content of the developments. In PhD listening to your inner voice that tells you when there is something wrong is an extremely important tactic and thats what you are doing right now. This professor doesnt sound to me like a serious professor who is taking you seriously. Since this is your first year, if you are not planning on continuing to work with him next year and on your dissertation then just to ask him any more about courses and found someone else to consult with. ther are many people who can help not necessarily from your department. If I was you, I would reconsider continuing with him next year and would make this known that I am looking for a new advisor for the next year.
Good luck

Hi. I am new to this forum. I`ve finished my first year PhD studies and this week I took the qualifying exam. Some schools call it the Composition exam. Whatever the title is. My exam was 10 hours long from 8 am until 5:45 pm. I had a good feeling while in the exam and I answered all questions in details (I wrote 26 pages to answer 4 questions).

In spite of that, I cant stop obsessing about the exam. Passing this exam will determine the future of students at the PhD program and who stays and who is not.The office assistant at our proram sent me a copy of the exam for my records which was really nice of her. I cant review the exam yet though.
I did go over it quickly and I notice that I numbered the questions incorrectly. Instead of writing 1,2,3,4, it appears as 1,1,2,3. All my answers are recorded but this small thing of numbering I had no idea that it was incorrect. So annoying. The answers were in word document and I wrote 26 pages under exam conditions that last 10 hours. The good news is that the order of the answers is the same order of the questions. Since I discovered that mistake I started to second guess myself about everything I wrote and to think negative thoughts.
I was wondering if anyone have experience with qualifying exam or something similar? How was the waiting period for you and how was it for you?. please share your insights. Thanks.