what should you do as a graduate student when your priciple investigator can't get the tunure and leave?

Question

I'm closing to graduate. Should I get out of here right away?

Answer 1

Clue in, folks. A lot of graduate students in the US -- especially in science fields -- are from foreign countries and do not have the same command of English that native speakers have. If you have ever seen the TOEFL, you will know that it doesn't ask testers to quote Shakespeare. It is common for grad student instructors to have trouble teaching their classes because students can't understand their speech (engineering students can discuss this phenomenon at length). That's too bad for the students, but them's the breaks!

It is not uncommon for a PI to leave an institution. It happens. Universities often screw around with their associated faculty. There are some "rock star" professors out there that schools keep as trophies (at my old uni, we had John Searle, a few Fields medalists, and several Nobel Laureates -- guess where I went!). But if you aren't a big name, you don't get paid much and you don't get much support.

What should our poor grad student do? Either he can follow his PI to his next bench. Or he can be adopted by another lab. I recommend he join a new lab and try to continue his old project as best as he can.

Answer 2

I agree that your education hasn't done much for your spelling ability. Where I live, a university is required by law to provide an academic advisor/supervisor for graduate students. That advisor must be highly qualified in the student's area of study. If the university is unable to keep that advisor on staff, they are required to recruit another expert at no cost to the student, and the student's studies cannot be slowed down as a consequence of the search. Check with the Dean of your department and schedule a meeting with the university Ombudsman if you're concerned.

Answer 3

You have two choices -- follow him to his new school or get a new advisor.

Most universities will allow you to keep your old advisor on your committee even though he has moved on.

If you can keep him on your committee, this may be a blessing in disguise. Having a nontenured professor as your advisor is not the best move if you want to get an academic job. This way you can choose someone who might be able to help you get a good job when you get out while still working with your old advisor.

Answer 4

You should go back and sue the college.

For the amount of education you supposedly possess, you can't spell worth a darn.

They have stolen your money!!!!!!