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Originally Posted by GoCubsGo
cobra, that sounds like an awful situation. ouch...makes my situation seem much less bad:
I am starting in the fall. When I was deciding in the spring where to go, I received a fellowship at my institution. My potential advisor emailed me and said this was great news, it saved her some grant money, so she could supplement my base income, giving me about 4k extra. Additionally there would be extra funds around for things like moving costs to new university, travel costs to attend a conference, etc. I accepted.
The other day I met with my advisor, and she hadn't really thought about funding at all. She had to look up how much my fellowship was, then told me that she wasn't sure if there was enough money in her grant to give me that extra 4k - ish. She said that she wants to save some money for travel costs to conferences and save it for next year in case I don't get another fellowship.
I will be okay without that extra money, but I'll be living a pretty basic lifestyle with very little spending money. After rent, food, cell phone, I'll have like $100ish per month. So that 4k makes a big deal to me. Also, my advisor said she wants to extend her grant money one more year, so she doesn't have to write a grant proposal this year. This frees up more time for writing manuscripts, she said.
Currently my relationship with my advisor is very good (I've only met with her a few times), but this comment upset me. She is getting paid 3 or 4x what I'm getting paid, and it seems like she is cutting corners. How about writing the grant proposal AND the manuscripts? Isn't that her job?
In our meeting, I didn't bring up the email where she had kind of offered the extra money. I figured that would create a lot of tension so early in our relationship. But what can I do about this? She said she'll look into the funding, see how much is left, and I should remind her in a few days.
That is bull**** on her part. She's just being lazy about writing grant proposals. If you have what she said in an email, then you need to confront her about it. A promise is a promise and needs to be kept. Being weak at this point is the wrong way to start the relationship. She'll just continue to take advantage of you. Point out that part of the reason you accepted the offer was because of this "promise". If she still refuses, go to the Head.
The fact that she's being this way already indicates that you may have chosen a lousy advisor. You might consider switching.
Back in the day, my advisor forgot that he promised me summer funding after i defended my dissertation. I called him on it, showed him the emails, and he never held it against me. Unless she's a total ****, she shouldn't hold that against you either.
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How about writing the grant proposal AND the manuscripts? Isn't that her job?
Yes, that is her ****ing job. You have every right to be pissed.