Questions Distributed with Advisor/Advisee Scenarios

Questions Distributed with Advisor/Advisee Scenarios

1. What is the role of the thesis committee in a situation like that described in Scenario 3: the Endless Dissertation?
2. How important is your dissertation advisor to your career (after you have graduated and started your first job)?
3. What is meant by a ``good'' relationship with a faculty research supervisor? What is the scope of matters that supervisors ought to regularly discuss? What guidance would you give to a new faculty member about how much to accommodate a student's particular:
   • learning style
   • life circumstance (e.g., having to drop out for a period of time to support or care for family members)
   • high need for feedback, or special sensitivity to criticism?
4. What limits -- such as sexual contact -- would you place on advisor/advisee relations? What sorts of prior relationships (e.g., family, neighbors) might undermine an effective advisor/advisee relationship?
5. What can and should a student do (e.g., forget it, discuss it with it with the supervisor, find another supervisor) if a supervisor:
   • misunderstands the student's suggestions for the project an unusually high percentage of the time?
   • expresses views that people of the student's gender, race or ethnic background are less talented or motivated than others?
   • does not recognize the student's sense of humor?
6. At what point does a misunderstanding become serious enough to require the mediation of a third person? How does a student go about finding a good person for this role? How does a faculty member?
7. At what point is a advisor/advisee relationship best ended? How does a student initiate this process? How does a faculty member?
8. What if a student believes himself or herself to have been significantly injured by some action of the faculty member and wants redress? How can/should a student proceed? How should a faculty member?
9. Are there any safeguards for students who bring up a problem involving one of their professors?
10. What characteristics do you expect in a mature researcher with respect to his or her:
    • ability to stay with a research topic that has taken a difficult turn?
    • recognize and admit errors and mistakes?
    • defend his or her work in professional gatherings?
    • be tough -- withstand aggressive attacks in professional settings?
    • assert himself or herself in the face of unreasonable demands?
11. What ought a supervisor do when a student completes a worthy thesis but has not yet acquired such research maturity?
12. To what extent must a faculty member empathize with a student in order to give that student ample time and attention? What can or should one do when cultural or other extraneous differences interfere with personal understanding?