Session 3: When Things Go Wrong
This is a rough outline of some of the stages in the postgraduate journey.
Here are the main players in the story:
Student: Ms Julie Workalot Professor
Supervisor: Kay Worthy
Dean: Professor Clementine Hardasnails Dr
Examiner: Solomon Seldomseen
Registrar: Ms Ruby Rule
Chapter 1: The story begins
It was a lovely day at the University of Gracelands when this email was sent.
Date: 23 September
To: Ms RR
Cc: Prof CH
From: Prof KW
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"This email is just to confirm that I have submitted my student (JW) thesis to your office for examination by the examiner as selected at Senate last month. I understand that the examiner has six weeks in which to conduct the assessment."
Sometime later, still at the University of Gracelands …
Date: 12 October
To: Ms RR
Cc: Prof CH
From: Prof KW
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"As I received no reply to my previous email, (dated 23 September) I would like to confirm that the thesis has indeed been posted to the examiner."
Sometime later, still at the University of Gracelands …
Date: 16 October
To: Prof KW
Cc: Prof CH
From: Ms RR
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"Apologies for the delay in my reply. The thesis of student JW has been posted to the examiner as indicated in the Senate minutes of August. We await the examiner’s report."
Chapter 2: The plot thickens…
Date: 4 November
To: Ms RR
Cc: Prof CH
From: Prof KW
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"It has now been six weeks since the submission of my student JW thesis and I was wondering if there was any response from the examiner yet?"
Date: 8 November
To: Prof KW
Cc: Prof CH
From: Ms RR
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"As you know the examiner has six weeks in which to conduct the assessment and, while I understand your need to know the outcome, let’s just give it a few days more and then I will phone the examiner."
Date: 9 November
To: Ms RR
Cc: Prof CH
From: Prof KW
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"Thanks for your understanding in this matter. I would be grateful if you gave this matter your full attention as the student must make travel plans to be at graduation in April."
Chapter 2: Disaster looms…
Date: 3 December
To: Prof CH
Cc:
From: Prof KW
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"As you know I have been copying you on all my correspondence to the Registrar and I would like to request that you intervene on behalf of the student in this instance.
It has now been nine weeks since the thesis has been submitted to the examiner and we have not had a response. Please could you follow up on my behalf.
Date: 8 January
To: Ms RR
Cc: Prof KW
From: Prof CH
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"I would like to enquire about the outcome and the examiner’s report for student JW for whom a thesis was submitted more than twelve weeks ago. We need to know the outcome of the assessment process as the student hopes to graduate at this year’s ceremony and needs to make travel arrangements."
Date: 30 January
To: Prof CH
Cc: Prof KW
From: Ms RR
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"In response to your email, I phoned the examiner in person to find out how far she was in the process of assessing the thesis. She informed me that she had received the thesis, but she was unable to examine it due to her lack of subject matter expertise in the field. What do you suggest we do? Please bear in mind that all results must be finalised by 14 of March for the student to graduate at this year’s ceremony."
Date: 14 February
To: Ms RR
Cc: Prof KW
From: Prof CH
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"I have discussed the matter with Prof KW and she finds this very hard to believe. Dr SS is a renowned specialist in the field of microbiology and was approved at the Senate meeting in August last year. We are also puzzled about that you refer to Dr SS as ‘she’ in your correspondence."
Chapter 2: All is revealed…
Date: 28 February
To: Prof CH
Cc: Prof KW
From: Ms RR
Subject: Submission of Doctoral thesis for examination purposes
"I must apologise most profusely. There seems to have been an error in the Senate minutes of August last year and it appears that the names and addresses of the examiners for microbiology and neuropsychology were transposed. The result is that the thesis went to the wrong examiner. Your advice in this matter would be highly appreciated."