random_6772
[Registered User]
12 April 2017 16:17
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Crushed
User: random_6772 - 12 April 2017 16:17
Hi newlease36,
thank you for your suggestions!
Alas the contract the doctoral collage has with the funding body sets a timescale guillotine. I can carry myself for a year money wise; the funding is not the issue. On the 17th November 2017 there is a pass to nominal or a fail.
I've been to see the head of the doctoral collage. He says "with this one we cannot do extensions, or suspensions without significant cause. We cannot give you a benefit others on the same contract do not have; it would not be fair."
Yep, I've been keeping evidence as soon as it was clear I was not being heard; I can evidence my attempts to get supervision to assist. On spelling those out the college director said he thought that I had a case to show ("...if it went to litigation" !!) that the University has failed to provide suitable resources.
He's talking litigation over extension. Is that just to put me off? I don't want to go down that road.
Without the software there is no hope; it is too late to change horses (even if there was one to hop onto).
My game plan at present is to get as much done as possible (ignoring everything else), to blow through the deadline and finish the work at home. With a working system (and some results) to then approach another Uni with everything and say "can you put together a board to look at this?".
Fortunately I have some material likely to form an interesting 3rd paper / another thesis chapter. It's looking OK as far as the work goes.
What else to do? Take an MPhil and walk away? Perhaps both the MPhil and another Uni.
And I really do not know what to put in the thesis Acknowledgements; it has been loathsome throughout.
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newlease36
[Registered User]
12 April 2017 15:37
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User: newlease36 - 12 April 2017 15:37
just wanted to add and hadn't space in last message
People are emotional beings at the end of the day, so you need to sell yourself and your case at meeting. 2 publications are great: this all universities really care about (my uni anyway). You have a lot going for you going going into this meeting. Don't let self-doubt take that away from you.
Good luck. every problem has a solution.
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newlease36
[Registered User]
12 April 2017 15:36
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User: newlease36 - 12 April 2017 15:36
I am sorry to hear of your situation. But it does seem like there are solutions, provided others are prepared to work with you (not a given, I know, but you have reasonable grounds).
From what you wrote, it seems like if you had a year you could get it done, but you only have 6 months left. I would ask for a meeting with supervisors/committee/ head of dept. I would demonstrate 2 things in that meeting. Firstly, what you have been doing in last 3.5 years and as result why you need an extension. and secondly your plan for proceeding forward with time line. So you need to sit down and make realistic plan to finish before the meeting. Be realistic, but i think if you need 14 months not 12 better ask for that now not later. I wouldn't expect to be funded for that 6/8 month extension- not saying that is right- but i just wouldn't expect it. So that's another hurdle... if you can't get a loan from family member or friend , maybe credit union or bank (live frugally, it will be worth it, since you have come this far)
I would document meeting and try to keep record of as much as possible (emails ect) . Maybe if there is a grad student adviser I would go to him/her first. or if you think one of your supervisors would support you, go to them first . it would be nice to have someone in your corner at meeting.
You are not really in a bad position, asking in advance for extension. also you need it due to difficulties that weren't to do with laziness or procrastination; you have been working hard and have valid reasons for needing extension.
I know every school is different. But I know lots of people who got extensions and it wasn't seen as a big deal. some had to pay fees (or partial fees) and their funding wasn't extended, but they got it done and it was worth it.
Contd
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random_6772
[Registered User]
12 April 2017 12:49
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User: random_6772 - 12 April 2017 12:49
Hi guys...
In final year of doctoral variant and crushed by situation. This is a fixed term course - the funding includes a guillotine on duration.
Long story short - no-one has addressed my topic in the UK as no suitable software. I'm a mature student and have software development experience, so started developed my own tools.
A lot of meddling from supervision (such a dominant character) who has complete power over direction - but no development experience; knows no coding languages and does not get the need for design.
System design stage banned ("takes too long!") - seconded by the course director who let me know that I was to comply or consider the effects of a split (which I took to mean booted out).
Two years later - changes and lurches in goals. Significant wasted time, re-interpreted intents (which I made sure were clear and in writing).
Upshot - I'm 6 months away from the guillotine. Yes, I have the nominal, but I need a plausible draft thesis -
and other than waffle about what might be - I have nothing, for there are no results. Further effort will take, I think, 6 months minimum.
This is not a software doctorate. This is all for a tool to address a gap (= novelty). I'm over 60,000 lines of complex executable code, no design except my notes and more effort needed to complete it. I'm lost in the scale of this thing (yet got 2 papers out of techniques developed to make progress). But it's an aside; not what the doctorate's about.
I am burnt out from effort, stress, the changes in direction, the wasted time (this year! 6 weeks lost on a method discarded by diktat) the grind and the IGNORED calls for supervisory help (1:1, in writing, in front of others, in the upgrade/transfer report).
Second supervisor - powerless (and no coding experience). My colleagues are chemists and don't know anything of what I do so cannot comment or help.
The guillotine forces a fail; I see no way out.
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