HistoryGypsy

I think this is super important.  There is so much bias that is unintentional, even within the most conscientious of people.  And then there is also the perfectly deliberate bias that REALLY needs to get routed out.
 
Honestly, I think that gender and race have no business at all showing up on applications.  It should not matter if I am a white woman, a black woman, an Asian man, a purple hermaphrodite -- it is my qualifications alone that should be viewed and judged.  For that reason, I also think it would be far better if we went by assigned numbers on applications rather than by our names.

I had a dog when I did my MA, and I honestly would never have gotten through it without him.  Every time I was stressed, there was Jasper with his crazy antics to make me laugh.  I was forced to get outside regularly to take him for walks, which meant taking more breaks and also helped with stress.  Every time I got home after a long day, he was there to greet me with such enthusiasm that it was as if Christmas had come again.  
 
Now that I'm going for a PhD, I'm once again entering a program with a wonderful little dog.  Daphne is the most cheerful, bubbly, snuggly pet in the world!  She got me through two stressful, horrid years as an overstressed teacher, and I've no doubt that she'll be the perfect cure for many graduate woes, too.  Studies have shown over and again the immense value of pets for both mental and physical health of their owners.
 
You do absolutely need to have housebreaking at least at a 75% success rate before you start your program, or else it will add way too much stress.  Also, it's a good idea to invest in a baby gate (easy to find at garage sales or on Craigslist) so that you can pen your dog into a bathroom, kitchen, or other non-carpeted room when you're away if it's for longer than 4-5 hours at a time (a crate is great for training, but if a dog is in for too long, it can have an accident and then get stuck sitting in its own waste -- this happened to me before and I felt HORRIBLE for my poor dog).
 
Also, another tip:  Build your study/work-at-home schedule around the dog, with walk breaks, play breaks, and training breaks built in.  This will keep you working in healthy chunks of time and will automatically ensure a healthy amount of breaks.  I'm a bit of a workaholic in academia, so having a dog really helps me to keep healthier habits.  

I had a dog when I did my MA, and I honestly would never have gotten through it without him.  Every time I was stressed, there was Jasper with his crazy antics to make me laugh.  I was forced to get outside regularly to take him for walks, which meant taking more breaks and also helped with stress.  Every time I got home after a long day, he was there to greet me with such enthusiasm that it was as if Christmas had come again.  
 
Now that I'm going for a PhD, I'm once again entering a program with a wonderful little dog.  Daphne is the most cheerful, bubbly, snuggly pet in the world!  She got me through two stressful, horrid years as an overstressed teacher, and I've no doubt that she'll be the perfect cure for many graduate woes, too.  Studies have shown over and again the immense value of pets for both mental and physical health of their owners.
 
You do absolutely need to have housebreaking at least at a 75% success rate before you start your program, or else it will add way too much stress.  Also, it's a good idea to invest in a baby gate (easy to find at garage sales or on Craigslist) so that you can pen your dog into a bathroom, kitchen, or other non-carpeted room when you're away if it's for longer than 4-5 hours at a time (a crate is great for training, but if a dog is in for too long, it can have an accident and then get stuck sitting in its own waste -- this happened to me before and I felt HORRIBLE for my poor dog).
 
Also, another tip:  Build your study/work-at-home schedule around the dog, with walk breaks, play breaks, and training breaks built in.  This will keep you working in healthy chunks of time and will automatically ensure a healthy amount of breaks.  I'm a bit of a workaholic in academia, so having a dog really helps me to keep healthier habits.  

I would think that University exams are valid excuses to not serve (I know Yahoo answers isn't the greatest source but apparently some people have seen students get out due to exams), your professor probably knows more though (I assume you aren't their first student to be summoned). 
 
Worst case you have to appear, just wear a shirt with "I <3 Jury Nullification" on the front of it. They should dismiss you shortly.

I had a dog when I did my MA, and I honestly would never have gotten through it without him.  Every time I was stressed, there was Jasper with his crazy antics to make me laugh.  I was forced to get outside regularly to take him for walks, which meant taking more breaks and also helped with stress.  Every time I got home after a long day, he was there to greet me with such enthusiasm that it was as if Christmas had come again.  
 
Now that I'm going for a PhD, I'm once again entering a program with a wonderful little dog.  Daphne is the most cheerful, bubbly, snuggly pet in the world!  She got me through two stressful, horrid years as an overstressed teacher, and I've no doubt that she'll be the perfect cure for many graduate woes, too.  Studies have shown over and again the immense value of pets for both mental and physical health of their owners.
 
You do absolutely need to have housebreaking at least at a 75% success rate before you start your program, or else it will add way too much stress.  Also, it's a good idea to invest in a baby gate (easy to find at garage sales or on Craigslist) so that you can pen your dog into a bathroom, kitchen, or other non-carpeted room when you're away if it's for longer than 4-5 hours at a time (a crate is great for training, but if a dog is in for too long, it can have an accident and then get stuck sitting in its own waste -- this happened to me before and I felt HORRIBLE for my poor dog).
 
Also, another tip:  Build your study/work-at-home schedule around the dog, with walk breaks, play breaks, and training breaks built in.  This will keep you working in healthy chunks of time and will automatically ensure a healthy amount of breaks.  I'm a bit of a workaholic in academia, so having a dog really helps me to keep healthier habits.  

I had a dog when I did my MA, and I honestly would never have gotten through it without him.  Every time I was stressed, there was Jasper with his crazy antics to make me laugh.  I was forced to get outside regularly to take him for walks, which meant taking more breaks and also helped with stress.  Every time I got home after a long day, he was there to greet me with such enthusiasm that it was as if Christmas had come again.  
 
Now that I'm going for a PhD, I'm once again entering a program with a wonderful little dog.  Daphne is the most cheerful, bubbly, snuggly pet in the world!  She got me through two stressful, horrid years as an overstressed teacher, and I've no doubt that she'll be the perfect cure for many graduate woes, too.  Studies have shown over and again the immense value of pets for both mental and physical health of their owners.
 
You do absolutely need to have housebreaking at least at a 75% success rate before you start your program, or else it will add way too much stress.  Also, it's a good idea to invest in a baby gate (easy to find at garage sales or on Craigslist) so that you can pen your dog into a bathroom, kitchen, or other non-carpeted room when you're away if it's for longer than 4-5 hours at a time (a crate is great for training, but if a dog is in for too long, it can have an accident and then get stuck sitting in its own waste -- this happened to me before and I felt HORRIBLE for my poor dog).
 
Also, another tip:  Build your study/work-at-home schedule around the dog, with walk breaks, play breaks, and training breaks built in.  This will keep you working in healthy chunks of time and will automatically ensure a healthy amount of breaks.  I'm a bit of a workaholic in academia, so having a dog really helps me to keep healthier habits.  

I had a dog when I did my MA, and I honestly would never have gotten through it without him.  Every time I was stressed, there was Jasper with his crazy antics to make me laugh.  I was forced to get outside regularly to take him for walks, which meant taking more breaks and also helped with stress.  Every time I got home after a long day, he was there to greet me with such enthusiasm that it was as if Christmas had come again.  
 
Now that I'm going for a PhD, I'm once again entering a program with a wonderful little dog.  Daphne is the most cheerful, bubbly, snuggly pet in the world!  She got me through two stressful, horrid years as an overstressed teacher, and I've no doubt that she'll be the perfect cure for many graduate woes, too.  Studies have shown over and again the immense value of pets for both mental and physical health of their owners.
 
You do absolutely need to have housebreaking at least at a 75% success rate before you start your program, or else it will add way too much stress.  Also, it's a good idea to invest in a baby gate (easy to find at garage sales or on Craigslist) so that you can pen your dog into a bathroom, kitchen, or other non-carpeted room when you're away if it's for longer than 4-5 hours at a time (a crate is great for training, but if a dog is in for too long, it can have an accident and then get stuck sitting in its own waste -- this happened to me before and I felt HORRIBLE for my poor dog).
 
Also, another tip:  Build your study/work-at-home schedule around the dog, with walk breaks, play breaks, and training breaks built in.  This will keep you working in healthy chunks of time and will automatically ensure a healthy amount of breaks.  I'm a bit of a workaholic in academia, so having a dog really helps me to keep healthier habits.  

I think this is super important.  There is so much bias that is unintentional, even within the most conscientious of people.  And then there is also the perfectly deliberate bias that REALLY needs to get routed out.
 
Honestly, I think that gender and race have no business at all showing up on applications.  It should not matter if I am a white woman, a black woman, an Asian man, a purple hermaphrodite -- it is my qualifications alone that should be viewed and judged.  For that reason, I also think it would be far better if we went by assigned numbers on applications rather than by our names.

Now that's just EVIL!  I refuse to believe that the sender did not maniacally giggle while pushing 'send'.

Send a ton of emails with subjects like:
 
"We are pleased to announce...our fall seminar series on xyz"
"Congratulations! ... you're on our mailing list!"
"WELCOME...to spring! Here are the top 5 ways to enjoy YOUR spring equinox"
"ADMISSIONS DECISIONs for undergraduate programs came at a slower pace in 2015 than previous years...more analysis inside"
 
 

While it is frustrating, you do have to keep in mind that none of it is actually personal, so reacting bitterly toward them would not only be an inappropriate choice, it also would unnecessarily burn bridges.  Telling a university to "go screw themselves" might satisfy your current frustrated self, but it's also extremely unprofessional behavior that could very easily come back to bite you later.  Also keep in mind:  A number of schools are delayed in their decisions this year because of missing so many days from snow, AND numerous universities have financial constraints that make them more tightfisted or cautious with approving funding requests from departments -- both of those issues can really gum up the works in terms of getting decisions sent out promptly.

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

I think this is super important.  There is so much bias that is unintentional, even within the most conscientious of people.  And then there is also the perfectly deliberate bias that REALLY needs to get routed out.
 
Honestly, I think that gender and race have no business at all showing up on applications.  It should not matter if I am a white woman, a black woman, an Asian man, a purple hermaphrodite -- it is my qualifications alone that should be viewed and judged.  For that reason, I also think it would be far better if we went by assigned numbers on applications rather than by our names.

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

Lately, I feel like a bit like a dejected Disney heroine abandoned in a forest or locked up in the tower waiting for her decision to come: "Someday, my decision will come, Some day I'll find my reply And how thrilling that moment will be When the POI of my dreams comes to me He'll email, "We want you, And here's 20k, too." Though he's far away, I'll find my POI some day Some day when my decision comes through."

I think this is super important.  There is so much bias that is unintentional, even within the most conscientious of people.  And then there is also the perfectly deliberate bias that REALLY needs to get routed out.
 
Honestly, I think that gender and race have no business at all showing up on applications.  It should not matter if I am a white woman, a black woman, an Asian man, a purple hermaphrodite -- it is my qualifications alone that should be viewed and judged.  For that reason, I also think it would be far better if we went by assigned numbers on applications rather than by our names.

Maybe unusual - but my main goals would be automation and transparency - making the selection more fair, speeding the process up, and saving uncompetitive applicants time & money. 
 
Integrate some kind of survey-esque/Qualtrics-like software that can quickly and neatly divide applicants based on the most relevant stats, such as GPA, GRE, and years of research experience [if most schools have this, they really have no excuse for their slowness]. If sub 3.5 GPAs don't cut the mustard and/or the university has strict GRE score requirements, auto-email all applicants fitting those criteria w/in a week of their submission with a short message explaining just why they were rejected so that they don't reapply next year.  (related to the above) Have such spoken and "unspoken" stats published on the admissions website. (related to the above) Release stats for the previous five years of admits.  If interviews are required, reject all applicants who are not invited to interview IMMEDIATELY. List whether or not faculty are seeking students on their webpages, preferably 2 month in advance of the application deadline. Indicate in instructions whether students should contact faculty or not; make it clear when individual faculty are responsible for accepting students [uT-Austin is, admittedly, very explicit on this front]. If I were a faculty member, have guidelines for exactly what I would want for a prospective to email me (CV + 1 page research statement, etc.) (related to above) Maintain a separate lab email for this purpose Expunge identifying information like name, race, gender, and undergrad/master's university from adcomm's first read-through materials. Add back in uni information and names only after top 5-10% are chosen based on CVs and SOPs. Publish this exact process as well as any other relevant procedures on the website.

While it is frustrating, you do have to keep in mind that none of it is actually personal, so reacting bitterly toward them would not only be an inappropriate choice, it also would unnecessarily burn bridges.  Telling a university to "go screw themselves" might satisfy your current frustrated self, but it's also extremely unprofessional behavior that could very easily come back to bite you later.  Also keep in mind:  A number of schools are delayed in their decisions this year because of missing so many days from snow, AND numerous universities have financial constraints that make them more tightfisted or cautious with approving funding requests from departments -- both of those issues can really gum up the works in terms of getting decisions sent out promptly.

I don't even know what the fuck you are talking about at this point. 

I have decided that the two cruelest words in the English language are "under review."