The Venting Thread

[Puget]

Oh yes, Geneticist, she's been provided with all that and more. And she has been putting together good lab presentation PowerPoints for over 2 years. It really should not be that hard to then move the data into a poster format.  I think she's looking for gold stars every time she reports how long things take to do.

I think a big part of this is a deep realization that research science is not a good fit for her. But I'm not sure that she has consciously accepted that yet. If she could, then we could really talk about alternatives that better serve her strengths.

As for the color- she seemed offended that I said I had a hard time reading the poster given the eye searing pink.  Maybe she doesn't want anyone to read her poster? And you are not allowed to change the color scheme on the university logo!

Yep to the bolder part. I know this is the venting thread and you may not need/want advice, but for anyone playing along at home who ends up with such a student, I have found it helpful to get them to reflect on what they have discovered they like and don't like about what they've been doing in grad school, and use that to start a conversation about what kinds of jobs might have more of the stuff they like and less of the stuff they don't like. I try to make sure they hear from day 1 that an academic career not being a good fit is not a failure, and I support them to the best of my ability in whatever path they decide to take.

[marshwiggle]

Oh yes, Geneticist, she's been provided with all that and more. And she has been putting together good lab presentation PowerPoints for over 2 years. It really should not be that hard to then move the data into a poster format.  I think she's looking for gold stars every time she reports how long things take to do.

I think a big part of this is a deep realization that research science is not a good fit for her. But I'm not sure that she has consciously accepted that yet. If she could, then we could really talk about alternatives that better serve her strengths.

As for the color- she seemed offended that I said I had a hard time reading the poster given the eye searing pink.  Maybe she doesn't want anyone to read her poster? And you are not allowed to change the color scheme on the university logo!

Yep to the bolder part. I know this is the venting thread and you may not need/want advice, but for anyone playing along at home who ends up with such a student, I have found it helpful to get them to reflect on what they have discovered they like and don't like about what they've been doing in grad school, and use that to start a conversation about what kinds of jobs might have more of the stuff they like and less of the stuff they don't like. I try to make sure they hear from day 1 that an academic career not being a good fit is not a failure, and I support them to the best of my ability in whatever path they decide to take.

I was one of those who realized while doing a Master's that I didn't eat, sleep, and breathe research, so I didn't go on to a PhD. I've never regretted my choice, and now that I am responsible for labs, I am working in academia, all teaching, with no research. A very good fit for me.

[the_geneticist]

Oh yes, Geneticist, she's been provided with all that and more. And she has been putting together good lab presentation PowerPoints for over 2 years. It really should not be that hard to then move the data into a poster format.  I think she's looking for gold stars every time she reports how long things take to do.

I think a big part of this is a deep realization that research science is not a good fit for her. But I'm not sure that she has consciously accepted that yet. If she could, then we could really talk about alternatives that better serve her strengths.

As for the color- she seemed offended that I said I had a hard time reading the poster given the eye searing pink.  Maybe she doesn't want anyone to read her poster? And you are not allowed to change the color scheme on the university logo!

Your student sounds very vent-worthy.

It's a shock to some students that it's the results that matter now.  Saying "this took me X hours" doesn't mean anything if the product isn't acceptable.

Ironically, she's probably get a LOT of folks coming over to see the eye-searing pink poster. As in "Who approved that dreadful color choice? Did the printshop screw it up?"

[mythbuster]

I vetoed the Pink. I'll keep you all posted on what new color scheme she selects. She's a Master's student so now is a great time to realize that a research career is not for her. My previous grad student now works in diagnostics at the department of health. She was hired to help with the Covid tests and now has moved on more interesting things. Something like that, with defined shifts, and the comfort of only doing a few types of tests would be a much better fit.

[Langue_doc]

And now, for something completely different from the pink poster (the object, not an individual).

So I'm at the vaccine site at one of the branches of the hospital conglomerate. The receptionist verifies that I have an appointment, I check in on the screen and sit down in the main waiting area. A family comes in with a child, the child unmasked, exhibiting visible flu-like symptoms of sneezing and coughing (continuous, not intermittent), and sits down in the same small reception area, waiting to be tested for Covid. My stress levels are through the roof as I had not expected to be exposed to what could have been Covid while waiting for a booster. The receptionist to whom I complain assures me that they would be called in soon, so I don't have to worry. Not only is this a facility that requires masks, but also asks patients to cancel appointments if they are exhibiting symptoms of Covid.

Part II (in the very small waiting area for the vaccine)
There were 6 occupied chairs for people waiting for their shots. The spacing wouldn't have been a problem for a short waiting period, but we had to wait for more than half an hour to be seen because there was only a single nurse instead of at least three who were in adjoining cubicles during my first booster appointment. People were tired of waiting--one of them was here on her break and needed to get back--so they walked into the cubicle as soon as the previous occupant left without waiting to be called. I did the same because the facility didn't seem to observe the most basic Covid protocols, so it seemed to be in my best interests to minimize the time I spent in the waiting area. The only nurse who was administering the shots hadn't been able to use the restroom for at least 6 hours, so I told her to take as much time as she wanted and also pointed out that the facility should have more nurses to take care of the people who had made appointments for their shots.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Langue_doc:

That is disconcerting!

[ab_grp]

Langue_doc:

That is disconcerting!

Yes.  Holy cow! I am really surprised that this level of disorganization is going on this far into things.  Is there some difference now (other than laxer attitudes)? Hopefully they didn't ask the usual question about whether you had recently been exposed to covid.  What a $hitshow.  I feel for that nurse as well.  Seems like some changes need to be made, like right now. 

[mamselle]

After prepping all AM for what turned out to be a worthwhile but wacky online conference, and listening to about half of the J-6 committee presentations, I'm tired.

Guess who is now transcribing a German patter song for a voice student because apparently the sheet music exists nowhere in the universe?

At least he will appreciate it. He's a good kid, hence the extra bit of work for him.

I can sleep after.

M.

ETA: Transcription done. Time for a quick bite pre-lesson. I might survive...

[Langue_doc]

Langue_doc:

That is disconcerting!

Yes.  Holy cow! I am really surprised that this level of disorganization is going on this far into things.  Is there some difference now (other than laxer attitudes)? Hopefully they didn't ask the usual question about whether you had recently been exposed to covid.  What a $hitshow.  I feel for that nurse as well.  Seems like some changes need to be made, like right now.

Thanks, EPW and ab_grp. I will be writing to my PCP, who is affiliated with this conglomerate, and asking him to forward my letter to the appropriate people. Most of their hospitals and clinics are quite efficient. I chose this one because there were no convenient slots at the location where I got the first two shots nor at the one where I got the second booster. I'm just waiting for my mind to clear before composing the letter.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Unrelated.

You son of a bitch bean counter. I hope karma bites you in the ass.

[Langue_doc]

This goes beyond a vent--I just voted; not only did I have to hold my nose, but also suppress my gag reflex.

On the bright side, I didn't have to stand in line at a polling site.

[AmLitHist]

I have a metric shit-ton-and-a-half of grading to do. 

Yet I've spent this morning, NOT grading, but instead, filing a student behavior complaint against an asshat in an online class whose response to my notification that his rough draft was fully plagiarized verbatim was to send me an incoherent, angry, and threatening email to me.  The opening phrase was, "You better not talk to me that way. . ." and went off the rails from there.

This, in St. Louis, where the cops and FBI are crawling all over every K-college institution, chasing down random threats against schools, and screaming from the rooftops that if you see something, you need to say something. And seriously--you're going to send something like that?

Oh, please. This guy picked the wrong one (on the wrong day) to pull this crap with.  I guess the good news is, I'll have a campus cop and a county cop outside my door when I teach at 11 (since my campus and this area have a record of high crime and gun violence, not to mention that the whole blessed region is still one giant raw nerve). 

And my grading didn't do itself in the meantime.

[poiuy]

I have a metric shit-ton-and-a-half of grading to do. 

Yet I've spent this morning, NOT grading, but instead, filing a student behavior complaint against an asshat in an online class whose response to my notification that his rough draft was fully plagiarized verbatim was to send me an incoherent, angry, and threatening email to me.  The opening phrase was, "You better not talk to me that way. . ." and went off the rails from there.

This, in St. Louis, where the cops and FBI are crawling all over every K-college institution, chasing down random threats against schools, and screaming from the rooftops that if you see something, you need to say something. And seriously--you're going to send something like that?

Oh, please. This guy picked the wrong one (on the wrong day) to pull this crap with.  I guess the good news is, I'll have a campus cop and a county cop outside my door when I teach at 11 (since my campus and this area have a record of high crime and gun violence, not to mention that the whole blessed region is still one giant raw nerve). 

And my grading didn't do itself in the meantime.

Goodness, AmLitHist! 
That sounds scary and unnerving.  I hate to think that there is a right day and right person for anyone to vent these threats at.
I am glad you will have a campus and county cop response, though it's awful that the situation needs such.
Hope it all turns out that this student, having blown off steam, leaves it at that, though the mental violence is done.
Grading can really take a back seat for now.

[downer]

This goes beyond a vent--I just voted; not only did I have to hold my nose, but also suppress my gag reflex.

On the bright side, I didn't have to stand in line at a polling site.

Now you have me wondering which way you went.

[clean]

et I've spent this morning, NOT grading, but instead, filing a student behavior complaint against an asshat in an online class whose response to my notification that his rough draft was fully plagiarized verbatim was to send me an incoherent, angry, and threatening email to me.  The opening phrase was, "You better not talk to me that way. . ." and went off the rails from there.

Good for you!  Here, we can make a recommendation that includes Expulsion. That would be extreme, but threats would certainly make that resolution less so, and it may have included a ban from campus... if the student  steps foot on campus they are arrested. 

So I hope that this is taken seriously by your university Dean of Student's office.