Tsail

I've been in my program for 3 years and am behind compared to my colleagues. At first I thought this was exclusively due to illness (I had to take some time off for a surgery), but now feel that my advisor has also contributed to the delays. He has pressed me to take so much course work (more than any other student in my program) that I haven't had enough time to develop my experiments, and has also made me prioritize work he regards as a side project over my actual dissertation. He has been dismissive and obtuse about these issues, even though many other sources in our department have agreed with me. Despite being in the program for so long, he has always brushed off scheduling a committee meeting; I had my first one (in 3 years) in October after approaching the grad chair about it. My advisor then set me up for this meeting by telling me to keep it '5 minutes long,' when it should have been much longer. This caused me to look unprepared, which I think was deliberate on his part to diffuse any blame on him for my delays. I was furious, and still am to be honest. Now I'm inching towards my proposal defense and have been on the fence about continuing to work with him. He is insisting that a project I have worked on for 3 years in the program shouldn't be a part of my dissertation. He is adamant that it won't be one of my three chapters needed to graduate. Bear in mind that I have not advanced in any other research at this point. I also find it strange that my advisor told me that I cannot use the project, but strangely, has told our grad chair the opposite. At this point, I do not trust him, like him, or respect him professionally. He has a reputation for being lazy and duplicitous (e.g. yelled at his female postdoc, 'Are you deaf?!'; hasn't applied for grants; did not provide or discuss the protocol for a new round of experiments I did last summer; bad-mouthed me to another grad student), and I feel like he is taking advantage of my time. I would very much like to work with another advisor, but am worried about the ramifications of doing this so late in the program. However, after mulling it over for months I think the trade-off would be worth it. My health deteriorated under him, and even though he always said he cared, he was never responsive to my concerns. I will give him one last chance. On our weekly meeting this Monday I will ask again to use this 'side project' for my dissertation. I will ask professionally, with evidence as to why it should be included. If he stills says no, then I will leave his group and work with someone else. I don't deserve to be further delayed and robbed of my time.