Advice needed

[Linnea Ista]

Hi Laura!

This sounds like it is indeed a tricky situation.

Here are some questions
1. Is there any other professor in the same department or at the same 
university with whom you could work? I was in a bad situation with my 
first advisor and switched, although this meant that I had to start a new 
project. 

2. Would it be possible to find someone at another institution and 
transfer your funds?

3. Is there a graduate committee in your department which could address 
the issues you raised? Or perhaps an Ombudsman (person) or someone 
"official" who could tell this guy that what he is doing is not okay? Or 
would making waves be a bad move for you politically in that department?

Some other things

1. When I started grad school over 10 years ago there were some grad 
students making $17000 a year on certain programs. $18000 is *not* IMHO 
overly much for a grad student, *especially* if you are the person who 
went out and got the money in the first place. I don't think it is 
ethical, and it in fact may be illegal, for your professor to demand a 
cut. After all, presumably his name will be on the papers you produce. 
And *he* was the person who told you that you had to get external funding.

2. Given other students' problems with this individual, I would seriously 
consider going someplace else, unless this is the *only* project you can 
imagine being totally entranced with for the next few years.


Just my opinion of course!

Good luck!
Linnea