Grad.Students (ab)use

[Alexander Berezin]

GRADUATE STUDENTS AS GRANT PRPOPSAL WRITERS FOR 
THEIR BOSSES : HOW COMMON THIS PRACTICE IS ?

In a private e-exchange on the research funding 
theme a colleague has informed me of a practice 
when (some) professors use their graduate students 
in the capacity of grant proposals writers for 
themselves (the professors).

Specifically, example was given when a student was
requested to write grant proposal for the "boss"
as a part of his/her PhD comprehensive examinations.  
"Write a proposal in the style of NIH grant".

In another case student "would hardly finish one of 
the boss' grants and the boss give him/er another".  

My correspodent concludes: 

"It's generally accepted by most grad students that 
I've talked to that this is abuse, but I really don't 
know what it thought by the tenure professors".

As I (A.Berezin) am presently working with another
colleague on a paper/letter about PhD (over)production 
and grantsmanship, I will appreciate comments on the 
above issue form profsessors AND graduate students
(and, of course, all other who may have info).

Any ideas on how widespread this practice is ? 

What are the moral/ethical "justifiers" behind it, if 
any ?  [ Yes, one can say that "we have to train 
students how to write grants" ], etc.

Do you personally consider it as abuse or "okay" ?

Comments can be either posted of e-mailed to me
privatly - in the latter case, the confindentiallity
of respodees will be, of course, respected.

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Alexander A. Berezin, PhD
Department of Engineering Physics
McMaster University, Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada, L8S 4L7
tel. (905) 525-9140 ext. 24546
e-mail: BEREZIN at MCMASTER.CA
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