PhD exams--asking examiners to pay out of pocket for travel?

[pedanticromantic]

Well, this is a new one for me. I've done PhD exams all over the world. Usually I get paid a small stipend and my travel is covered. There have been a couple cases in North America where I did not receive a stipend, but my travel was covered.
I agreed to do a PhD exam assuming the travel would be covered, and was informed that travel is no longer supported by the university.  I questioned this, and was told that it's policy now at many universities to not even cover travel.

Am I nuts or is this the new normal? I think if you're asking me to do roughly 50 hours of work for free, the least you could do is make sure I'm not out of pocket to do it.

[Ruralguy]

Can you pay out of *your* travel money or some Dean slush fund for doing good deeds for the academic community?

Anyway, I don't know about "new normal," but certainly some schools have had to reduce travel funds and/or equipment funds, etc.

[Parasaurolophus]

My PhD institution didn't offer examiners money for travel or a stipend, and hasn't for decades. Examiners are not expected to attend the defence (though they do if they're local or in town); they're just expected to write up a report, and the primary supervisor takes over the examiner's role for the defence, and must ask at least some of their questions.

From what I've seen at two of Canada's Big Three schools, this is actually fairly common, at least outside STEM. If budgets weren't so tight, things might be different.

[Puget]

Our outside people join by video conference unless they happen to be local or visiting for some other reason.

[pepsi_alum]

Having outside examiners was not the norm in my field or at my graduate university. That having been said, yes, I do think it's reasonable to expect that they will cover your travel costs if they expect you to attend in-person.

[wwwdotcom]

As Puget mentioned, just request to join via Zoom.  This is our norm.

[pedanticromantic]

Unfortunately I'm expected to be there in person, despite not having expenses covered. Next time I will ask up front. Considering most countries I'm aware of cover not only expenses but also a stipend for the work involved, it was unexpected to get stuck with having agreed before I had understood the details. Live and learn, I guess.
I do see it as another assault on the profession, though. I remember serving on a granting agency committee who had just been through a major financial audit. The auditors could not believe that we professors do all this work for free.
Yes, it may be part of "service" in some cases, but those of us who are more senior in our careers end up doing more service than teaching or research sometimes.

[pigou]

Unfortunately I'm expected to be there in person, despite not having expenses covered.

If they want you there, they can pay for the trip. If they don't want to pay for the trip, they can set up Zoom. If neither of that is an option, they can find a new examiner.

You clearly have the stronger position in this bargaining situation... there's no way a department or a college can't scrounge together $1,000 for something like this. Not pointing this out in advance is just deceptive and they shouldn't be rewarded for it.