Comments on: 10 things graduate students want

By: Kat

Kat — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:30:22 +0000

This list is really interesting and timely. I am especially sensitive to points 2 and 4 – having been awarded my PhD and (im)patiently awaiting news about various post-doc applications. In this curious limbo-state, I find myself doing pieces of work, participating in projects/seminars and writing journal articles, all the while trying to maintain access to the library, other buildings and digital resources and preventing my uni email and computer account from being deleted etc. Although I a remain part of an active research lab, it is easy to feel ‘cut loose’ from the larger institution and as if I am the only one going through this – which is bizarre.

By: ana australiana

ana australiana — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:49:15 +0000

Those 10 things say it for this recent PhD graduate. Thankyou, panel.

I’ll be ever so heartened if senior academics give all of these points some consideration and imagine how they, within the promises and limits of their own positions, might be able to address them – towards a saner institutional culture for all of us beholden to it (in whatever way and for however long).

And I’m heartened already that these points are finding their way into public discussion at Institutional Level (caps intentional)

Bring on Thursday!

By: glen

glen — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:00:06 +0000

Would there be some strategic value in utilising neoliberal capitalist discourse in describing the plight of postgrads?

For example, many of the considerations above involve ensuring postgrads have access to worthy opportunities and then being mentored on how to properly maximise the benefit of these opportunities.

Or, another example, to transform postgrads into entrepreneurs of the self they need to be aware of other income streams. Not everyone with a phd becomes an academic, so postgrads need to make to cultivate skill sets that are commercially useful to industry and have the working experience to demonstrate they are going to be useful.

A cross-university work experience program for postgrads would be beneficial. Not everyone develops extra-academic professional competencies during their candidature.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:48:08 +0000

I just wanted to say something about the need to avoid complaining and offering suggestions for improvement.

Part of me thinks that complaining is difficult to avoid, first because when you feel disempowered and depressed about your job prospects either during or after your PhD, often your ability to articulate your frustration is the only tool you have. You feel angry and just want to rage.

Secondly, to characterise something as complaining is a very effective way of dismissing what are very real problems with the system. I think many academics/ administrators are guilty of characterising pay related issues for sessional/casual staff, for example, as complaining.

In the example I’ve mentioned, I have to say that I feel quite unable to offer a solution that would be deemed viable by the accountants. So to that extent, I feel that all I have to offer is a litany of complaints. Either that or just shut up.

I guess what I think would be good is some recognition that there’s a great deal to complain about from a sessional teaching/postgraduate perspective and that those who are senior, those with tenure, at least come to the discussion with a sympathetic disposition that is premised on an attempt to understand the uncertainty, fear and anger that many of their postgrads and sessional staff experience.