dartsndeacs
THE quintessential dwarf
Seems a bit light for a Chancellor
I was once married to a postdoc. It's criminal how universities will string them along for cheap research labor.
Yeah, and having said what I said above, I actually think it would be a good move for universities to pump out few PhD degrees overall. We produce way more degrees than my field can support. Many students end up as number crunchers in other fields because they can't find work in conservation or wildlife management. So, it would be win win, offer fewer degrees and pay the students we do accept into programs more money.While at the same time hiding the fact that their job prospects are zero to less than zero when they finally get done being used.
what is driving the high number of participants in the PhD program when almost everyone going in knows it's bloodsport come job search time in many fields?Yeah, and having said what I said above, I actually think it would be a good move for universities to pump out few PhD degrees overall. We produce way more degrees than my field can support. Many students end up as number crunchers in other fields because they can't find work in conservation or wildlife management. So, it would be win win, offer fewer degrees and pay the students we do accept into programs more money.
I am sort of on the other side of this, as a sort of Prof that writes grants for projects to support PhD students and post-docs. I definitely sympathize with students and increasing wages (I had to enroll my kids in Medicaid as a grad student 15 years ago), but, in my field at least, increasing wages will mean there are simply fewer positions to give out. The amount of money to pay graduate students and fund research projects is finite and not growing, especially not on pace with inflation, so budgeting on research projects becomes a zero sum game. Here is one anecdote: I am currently trying to get a grant/contract together for a PhD student project that includes $25K in annual salary, plus health benefits and free tuition for 4 years. The funder has now told me that the budget is simply too big at $250K and they need me to cut $35k over the 4 years. That basically means I'll only have 3.5 years of funding, which is too short for a dissertation. Meanwhile the student I offered the position to said she really wants to come work with me, but is asking to up the salary to $30K. The student has a reasonable request, but I have no options for increasing the funding. It's a squeeze from both sides.
This is project specific funding, which means the money available is dependent on the funder and how much they value the proposed work. Frankly, funders and society at large is putting less and less value on academic research. TA positions are a different story. That money is sourced form tuitions $ at the university and those decisions are solely the purview of the University. Still, I think that increases in TA stipends will likely lead to fewer positions available.
what is driving the high number of participants in the PhD program when almost everyone going in knows it's bloodsport come job search time in many fields?
is it universities looking for cheap labor? because most aren't charging tuition, right?
my job market isn't bloodsport, idk.what is driving the high number of participants in the PhD program when almost everyone going in knows it's bloodsport come job search time in many fields?
what is driving the high number of participants in the PhD program when almost everyone going in knows it's bloodsport come job search time in many fields?
is it universities looking for cheap labor? because most aren't charging tuition, right?
Fear of entering the non-academic work arena.
I think there is also a bean counting component. Professors are rewarded to supervising and graduating PhD students, so individual professors try to bring on students with out thinking about the job market and future for those students. Programs at Universities get rewards and prestige from producing PhDs, the provost might reward the program with more funding or what ever. Then Universities, get extra points in the US News and World Reports rankings for producing more PhDs. Basically the system is rewarding it's self for producing a product but society at large is not sure they need/want the product.what is driving the high number of participants in the PhD program when almost everyone going in knows it's bloodsport come job search time in many fields?
is it universities looking for cheap labor? because most aren't charging tuition, right?
I don't think it is a fear. I think it is a dream for many to work in academia and giving up a dream is hard.Fear of entering the non-academic work arena.
Why would you want someone to come see you during your office hours?I can't imagine going through all those years of school and study, just so I can sit in my office and realize that nobody wants to come see me during office hours.