How to decide if I should try to get a second or new supervisor?

[2400]

I am in the midst of writing my dissertation and am trying to figure out if it is worth it at this stage to push for a second supervisor or new supervisor. It's tough for me to look at this objectively, so I am hoping for some advice.

I have had difficulty getting advising from my supervisor since I started my PhD and know his other advisees face the same difficulty - so it's not just me. He's a nice guy though and we do get along which has made it difficult to decide if I should do anything or just keep getting advice on my dissertation from friends and other professors to 'fill in' for the lack of supervision. I also don't know if I am expecting too much. In the past, he held up my fieldwork (I won't go into detail in order to maintain my anonymity, but in the end, it cost me money and several months). I could add to this that he has ignored my emails requesting LOR's for grants and research fellowships, but I don't want to totally go off on a rant. To be blunt, he usually doesn't read my work prior to supervision meetings. Usually he scans my work during our meetings. The advice I have received this year has been minimal and he only made himself available to meet three times during the academic year. His advice, when I ask him questions about a chapter, is to write another chapter and he assures me that will help me figure it out. I now have a deadline with my university to submit two completed chapters for my next defence. My supervisor does not seemed concerned about helping me meet this deadline and I am left with work that hasn't been developed to a stage where it can be submitted but I do have rough (really rough) drafts of several chapters.

The other issue I have right now is that during our last meeting, he decided that I should review an unpublished set of chapters loosely related to my topic and make the ideas from these chapters a major part of my dissertation. There is other more relevant work which would be better placed in my dissertation. To me, it seems he wants me to summarise these unpublished chapters because he can then use that as part of the introduction to the book these chapters are part of. This is just a guess though.

I have been working with my supervisor for several years now, so I am hesitant to make a complete switch to a new supervisor. But, if I try to get a second supervisor, I know it will affect our relationship as he has not been open to this idea when I have brought it up in the past. This is why I would be open to making a switch to a new supervisor. On the positive side, de does have a good sense of when my work is complete and ready for submission. I trust his advice on that - but I am at a point now where I need the help of a supervisor to help me get my chapters to that point.

Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this? Should I just keep plugging along as I have been? I do think eventually I will finish (I am determined), but I am running out of time and finances are also a big concern. If I do push for a second supervisor, what would be the best way to do this without totally ruining my relationship with my supervisor? Or should I not be worried about that? My main priority is to graduate at this point, after all the time I have invested but I also want to be strategic about this so I don't get into a worse situation....

[Dal PhDer]

Hi there,

The student/supervisor situation is always difficult, and decisions must be made with consideration to the present and future of your career. I think a lot of us have dealt with difficult situations where we have to balance the issues currently at hand with progress and supervisor, and the potential benefits of LOR and future work.

I would suggest your first steps are (1) talking to your department of graduate coordinator about the expectations that your supervisor should be meeting, and whether he is upholding his responsibilities as your supervisor; and (2) I might try and find a mentor or someone on my committee/department that could provide you with some guidance without stepping in as a co-supervisor.

My opinion, not experience/knowledge, is that since you are so far along (or so it seems from your post), it is unlikely that another individual would step in. They might feel uncomfortable taking on a student so late in their degree because they don't want to burn a bridge with your current supervisor and/or they might not feel comfortable with providing guidance so far into your progress.

I would also make a list of what you want your surprivisor to help you with. If it's providing comments and feedback with writing, I might seek out other students and/or your school's writing center to help you. If it is content specific, maybe ask another person in your department of a committee member. If you go into this with specific things you want your advisor to address/help with, it will make it easier for you to get results.

Good luck!

[2400]

Thanks Dal PhDer. I have been going back and forth about this decision for quite some time and I appreciate your advice. The graduate coordinator in my department is aware of the situation (though it has been a while since I have talked to him), as well as two other profs in my department who stepped in on their own to offer me advice (it seems my supervisor has a reputation and these two profs expressed their concern and also offered to help). I have tried different tactics to try to improve and focus my meetings with my supervisor. Yes...it is difficult because I am so far along (but I will feel like I have a way to go before being ready to submit). I can see the benefits of either staying with him or trying to make a change. Another worry is that I recently found out that there are a few other advisees of his that have now gone two years over the expected time for completion (of course I don't know their situations so I don't want to get too worried over this).

I will take your advice though and try talking with my coordinator again. I am willing to try anything at this stage and maybe there is someone in my dept. who could serve as a mentor to help get me through to completion...

[Eigen]

I second trying to find another faculty mentor, but not bringing them on as an official supervisor.

One of the more important things a supervisor does is help you get things to publication, and you say yours does have a good eye for when yours is ready to publish.

The communication issues are troubling (and frustrating, I'm sure), but this far into your PhD I think you're better off just sticking with the one you have. As frustrating as they are, they're more common issues than anyone would like, I think.

Lots of people I know have "unofficial" mentors- on their committee or not- and have even recommended having a mentor that is not your supervisor, but is also someone you can go to for advice *about* your supervisor. Having more people for advise, assistance, and letters of recommendation is never a bad thing.

[AnonymousAcademic]

Hi there,

I am in the same boat - sort of.

I have been in communication with a potential PhD Supervisor for about 4 months now. We have spoken over the phone once and have e-mailed many times. This past week, I had an appointment for a meet and greet (I live over 12 hours away, and my spouse and I drove to the university). Well, the morning we left (which was the day before the meeting), I received an e-mail advising that they weren't going to be at the university, but if I could simply meet them Sunday or Monday. I had advised that it was impossible because my husband took 2 days off of work so we could drive there (we also had a family function going on the same weekend, but was 4 hours closer to where we lived). I even emailed the moment we arrived in the city, thinking that they would be around that evening and might be interested in meeting... but no response to any of my emails. I had this appointment booked for over 2 months, and it was even confirmed the week before. The e-mail from them advising that they weren't going to be at the university sounded like "it's Friday, I don't want to be there, I want to enjoy a longer weekend"...no mention of "I am really apologetic, an emergency has come up, etc. etc."

I haven't been able to find any negative reviews about this professor from graduate students; however, on ratemyprofessor there are multiple negative reviews from undergraduate students who are mostly in first year.

I'm not sure what to do. I really like the university that this professor works at, and no other professor at this university will take on my project because the legal aspects are beyond their expertise. This professor has even agreed to fund my research, and has discussed other funding with me. I am applying at my home university as well for the PhD program; however, I am really disappointed that this professor basically blew me off. I'm not sure if I should still apply to this university.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

AnonymousAcademic

[Dal PhDer]

Hi there,

I am in the same boat - sort of.

I have been in communication with a potential PhD Supervisor for about 4 months now. We have spoken over the phone once and have e-mailed many times. This past week, I had an appointment for a meet and greet (I live over 12 hours away, and my spouse and I drove to the university). Well, the morning we left (which was the day before the meeting), I received an e-mail advising that they weren't going to be at the university, but if I could simply meet them Sunday or Monday. I had advised that it was impossible because my husband took 2 days off of work so we could drive there (we also had a family function going on the same weekend, but was 4 hours closer to where we lived). I even emailed the moment we arrived in the city, thinking that they would be around that evening and might be interested in meeting... but no response to any of my emails. I had this appointment booked for over 2 months, and it was even confirmed the week before. The e-mail from them advising that they weren't going to be at the university sounded like "it's Friday, I don't want to be there, I want to enjoy a longer weekend"...no mention of "I am really apologetic, an emergency has come up, etc. etc."

I haven't been able to find any negative reviews about this professor from graduate students; however, on ratemyprofessor there are multiple negative reviews from undergraduate students who are mostly in first year.

I'm not sure what to do. I really like the university that this professor works at, and no other professor at this university will take on my project because the legal aspects are beyond their expertise. This professor has even agreed to fund my research, and has discussed other funding with me. I am applying at my home university as well for the PhD program; however, I am really disappointed that this professor basically blew me off. I'm not sure if I should still apply to this university.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

AnonymousAcademic

Hi there!

That realllly.....reeeeeeally sucks!! However, I can't tell you how many times I show up for a confirmed (twice confirmed) meeting with my supervisor and either wait 3-4 hours past our meeting time to meet, or don't end up meeting. It's not right by any means, but I would say it happens a lot.

It's a difficult situation because you are kind of on their schedule and have to go with the flow. I would let it slid this time, but would suggest that for future meetings, you use skype to meet (or phone calls). Because you are at such a distance, it really is hard for you to travel, especially for a 1-2 hour meeting. So, in order to ensure you don't waste your time, skype might be the better choice.

Also, not to take the side of the professor- because I think what happened to you is really rude and disrespectful of them - but the summer is often the worst possible time to meet. I find fall and winter, professors are much more reliable with their meetings, as they are on a tight schedule.

Another point- I am sure they know you are 12 hours away, correct? And that you were specifically coming in to meet with them? They might need to be reminded that this is a very long trip for you.

Hopefully things can work out for you...perhaps you can chalk this one incident up as a mistake and not a routine happening - you never know, perhaps they had a personal/family emergency.

[2400]

Hi AnonymousAcademic,

That does sound frustrating. Why don't you ask one of the administrators of the program if you could be in touch with one or two of your potential supervisor's advisees? They might even be listed on the department's website. Of course, its always hard to determine for sure what it will be like to work with someone, but you could get a general idea from other students.

I did however do this when I was checking out my PhD program years ago and contacted one of my current supervisor's students. She sounded completely positive. It was only when I actually arrived on campus that I heard negative stories and warnings from other students. That said, my issues only started this year - now that I am getting closer to completing. Each persons experience is different, even with the same supervisor - I recommend doing as much research and asking around as you can, but in the end, you will just have to weigh out all the pros and cons of each program and make the best decision you can with the information you have.