What is going on with my RA job?
I'm working as a research assistant for a professor in another department. She has always treated me kindly -- if anything she worries too much about whether I'm enjoying the work, considering that she pays me -- and I like her a lot. She seemed to really like the work that I did with her during the academic year, and we agreed that I would work about 10 hours per week for her over the summer. Since she knew that I didn't have summer funding, she insisted on paying me in advance, so I have been paid for about two months of work.
But it's August and I have barely done anything, because she just stopped answering my e-mails. She was going to set up a shared drive for us so that I could access the data, and she also said that she would answer my questions about the data that she has given me so far -- she told me some vague plans for the project, but I don't know enough about what I'm looking at, or what she wants, to do anything without more guidance.
About a month ago, I e-mailed her with questions about what I should be doing, and she said she would get back to me the next day -- and then she never responded. I followed-up to suggest that we meet on campus, and she never responded. Yesterday, I e-mailed her again to touch base, but still nothing.
So I've been paid for two months of work, but I haven't done anything, and I can't seem to get in touch with this professor. I know that professors avoid grad students for months at a time, but my experience is that they do respond when you're working on their projects. Wouldn't she want me to move forward with the project? All she has to do is give me the data and the instructions, and then many hours of work will get done for her.
So what is going on? My primary theory is that she has been so distracted and busy with other things, whether it's professional obligations or vacations or family or what, that she hasn't found the time to deal with the project long enough to get me started. But I'm also worried that something else might be going on, because it has been so long since she even contacted me to apologize for not answering my questions. It has reached the point where I've been worried about her, hoping that she is okay.
I've been paid anyway, so I guess I should just wait to see what happens... but if we get to the fall quarter and she still hasn't contacted me, I'm going to owe her a lot of work, and the money will be spent.
But it's August and I have barely done anything, because she just stopped answering my e-mails. She was going to set up a shared drive for us so that I could access the data, and she also said that she would answer my questions about the data that she has given me so far -- she told me some vague plans for the project, but I don't know enough about what I'm looking at, or what she wants, to do anything without more guidance.
About a month ago, I e-mailed her with questions about what I should be doing, and she said she would get back to me the next day -- and then she never responded. I followed-up to suggest that we meet on campus, and she never responded. Yesterday, I e-mailed her again to touch base, but still nothing.
So I've been paid for two months of work, but I haven't done anything, and I can't seem to get in touch with this professor. I know that professors avoid grad students for months at a time, but my experience is that they do respond when you're working on their projects. Wouldn't she want me to move forward with the project? All she has to do is give me the data and the instructions, and then many hours of work will get done for her.
So what is going on? My primary theory is that she has been so distracted and busy with other things, whether it's professional obligations or vacations or family or what, that she hasn't found the time to deal with the project long enough to get me started. But I'm also worried that something else might be going on, because it has been so long since she even contacted me to apologize for not answering my questions. It has reached the point where I've been worried about her, hoping that she is okay.
I've been paid anyway, so I guess I should just wait to see what happens... but if we get to the fall quarter and she still hasn't contacted me, I'm going to owe her a lot of work, and the money will be spent.
-- Di Di at
4:20 PM
6 Comments:
It's good that you have written evidence of your efforts to contact this prof. Personally, I feel that your agreement was for summer work. Schedules change in the fall, her lack of planning or competing priorities that prevented her from responding to your e-mail, should not require you to restructure your fall. You, of course, should do what you're comfortable with. But, I think you could tell her that you're only available until end of August for 10 hours per week, as agreed.
By
PG, at 8/11/11, 8:40 PM
Since our fall quarter doesn't begin until the end of September, there is still a reasonable amount of time for me to make up most of the hours if she gets back to me soon -- but if she doesn't, I don't know if I can find ten hours per week for her during the fall quarter.
I'd be willing to work fewer hours per week over a longer period of time, though. She didn't have to pay me in advance -- in fact she insisted on it, even though I had said it might be easier to just pay me after I do the work. I'd also like to keep a good working relationship with her for future RA work and collaborations. And I really do like her as a person.
So I'm going to try to work these hours somehow, but 10 per week probably can't happen in the fall.
By
Di Di, at 8/11/11, 10:12 PM
The timing on paying you may have been a "use it or lose it" issue.
That issue aside, I still think that if it comes down to it, you would be within your right to tell her that you can't work once the fall quarter begins and whether she gives you enough work to get her money's worth shouldn't affect whether you keep the money. In fact, if the idea was that you were getting paid for 10 hours per week for a 4 month period, you should not be expected to make up time for the past weeks/months that she has been missing in action.
Having been taken advantage of as a research assistant before, I get kind of worked up about this kind of stuff. Now, when I'm doing work, I write up a contract that basically says, if you don't have your shit together, it's your problem, not mine.
I'm sure if I were in your situation, wanting to keep a good working relationship would be a major factor to consider. I suspect that a conversation with her would lead to some sort of compromise.
By
PG, at 8/12/11, 1:24 AM
I've learned the hard way the amount of time needed to get an RA going is difficult to do. (UGH). I would personally feel like I had paid you and our deal was done once the Fall started....
By
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