Might lose my postdoc, advice?

[AlmostDone?]

My committee may not be able to meet over the summer, so I may not be able to defend. If I don't defend by August, I lose my postdoc. This is really hard and embarrassing for me. I don't know how to share this with my postdoc site. Any advice?

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[LadyHalcyon]

My committee may not be able to meet over the summer, so I may not be able to defend. If I don't defend by August, I lose my postdoc. This is really hard and embarrassing for me. I don't know how to share this with my postdoc site. Any advice?

When you got the post doc when did you tell them you would defend? Whatever you do, I would tell them sooner rather than later
Maybe they can be more flexible with the start date?

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[AlmostDone?]

Thanks. Earlier, my advisor was thinking August (and this is what I shared with my postdoc site during interviews) but now says that it does not seem as realistic anymore (still possible but unsure), given how far we are with edits and will need to check in with the committee. I'll let the site know and will call the training director on Tuesday, after the long weekend. I wonder if there's a good way to share this, any specific advice?

 

[MCParent]

My committee may not be able to meet over the summer, so I may not be able to defend. If I don't defend by August, I lose my postdoc. This is really hard and embarrassing for me. I don't know how to share this with my postdoc site. Any advice?

Restock the committee with people willing to meet for two freaking hours so that you can, you know, get a job? Ugh, some people make academia deserve the reputation it gets.

 

[LadyHalcyon]

Restock the committee with people willing to meet for two freaking hours so that you can, you know, get a job? Ugh, some people make academia deserve the reputation it gets.

Well that ain't going to happen. It's pretty difficult to change committee members at my university once you have proposed. I would wait until you know for sure that you can't defend before you contact your post doc

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[MCParent]

Well that ain't going to happen. It's pretty difficult to change committee members at my university once you have proposed. I would wait until you know for sure that you can't defend before you contact your post doc

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It might be possible if there is just one committee member, who is not the chair, who is holding it up.
I definitely agree that OP should make sure of the plan before contacting the site. But if the plan was August I think it is complete baloney to bail on that at this stage, unless OP is somehow at fault in not completing the project.

 

[LadyHalcyon]

It might be possible if there is just one committee member, who is not the chair, who is holding it up.
I definitely agree that OP should make sure of the plan before contacting the site. But if the plan was August I think it is complete baloney to bail on that at this stage, unless OP is somehow at fault in not completing the project.

Totally agree
I hated the whole process and was so happy when I defended.

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[erg923]

My committee may not be able to meet over the summer, so I may not be able to defend. If I don't defend by August, I lose my postdoc. This is really hard and embarrassing for me. I don't know how to share this with my postdoc site. Any advice?

It would be shocking that your committee is really this disinterested and apathetic about your career.

Who's fault is this, really? Be honest.

If it's just a committee member or two saying "oh I don't know if I'll be able to make it" when they were previously agreeable, I think that's total bull****!

 

[AlmostDone?]

Thanks, everyone. I don't want to get into details (in case it's identifiable) but my main concern is how to move forward. I appreciate the advice about telling the postdoc site about it after I get more clarity. I'm thinking that if it's still up in the air in a week or two though, I want to tell the site, so they can hire someone else, if needed (I don't want them to not have someone because of me). This is really tough, so thanks for responding and feeling upset/disappointed with me.

 

[Kadhir]

Restock the committee with people willing to meet for two freaking hours so that you can, you know, get a job? Ugh, some people make academia deserve the reputation it gets.

I agree. I'm not sure why people insist on making life like this for graduate students. They've forgotten about their former selves, 20 years ago. Many people refuse to meet over the summer and act like it's a heavy burden, when they're going to read the darn thing 2 days before anyways.

I came close to this situation last year (ultimately, my adviser ended up taking responsibility and pushed it forward without belaboring edits). If this is your gross negligence, it might be more difficult to gain favors. But it doesn't sound like it is, and even if you are partly responsible, the faculty have a responsibility to you (and frankly, to themselves as mentors) to help you get out and get going. Obtain clarity and set a date. Insist on August and make clear to them the consequences of you not defending in August. If you end up having to contact the post-doc site, your adviser should go to bat for you as well and provide a written explanation.

 

[LadyHalcyon]

Thanks, everyone. I don't want to get into details (in case it's identifiable) but my main concern is how to move forward. I appreciate the advice about telling the postdoc site about it after I get more clarity. I'm thinking that if it's still up in the air in a week or two though, I want to tell the site, so they can hire someone else, if needed (I don't want them to not have someone because of me). This is really tough, so thanks for responding and feeling upset/disappointed with me.

I think the suggestion about having your committee chair write a letter to the site is a great suggestion. If it comes down to having to let the post doc site know, I think honesty is the best policy. You were led to believe defending over the summer was a possibility but due to unforeseen scheduling difficulties yada yada yada

Maybe your post doc site has some flexibility with the start date. When they hired you they knew you had not defended. Now, if the reason you can't defend is because you dropped the ball on your end but not submitting drafts on time.... Well then that is a different story imo.

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[LadyHalcyon]

My committee may not be able to meet over the summer, so I may not be able to defend. If I don't defend by August, I lose my postdoc. This is really hard and embarrassing for me. I don't know how to share this with my postdoc site. Any advice?

Also, scheduling problems happen all the time. Can some of your committee attend via Skype?

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[AlmostDone?]

Thanks! I also really like the idea of a written explanation and that being open and honest with the site is the way to go. Thanks, everyone.

 

[AlmostDone?]

That's a great idea, I'll see if there is the possibility for Skyping in.

 

[LadyHalcyon]

That's a great idea, I'll see if there is the possibility for Skyping in.

I know many people who have done it before. Good luck!

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[AlmostDone?]

Thanks for all your help with this!!

 

[MCParent]

I agree. I'm not sure why people insist on making life like this for graduate students. They've forgotten about their former selves, 20 years ago. Many people refuse to meet over the summer and act like it's a heavy burden, when they're going to read the darn thing 2 days before anyways.

To a degree, I get it. I don't think people should have to work if they're on 9 month salaries and not getting paid, and I also get a department not wanting to fall into having half a dozen defenses packed into the end of august right before classes start. But, in this case, it sounds like the arrangement was for a summer defense and then someone changed their mind (or, maybe the chair didn't check if everyone was available, or whatever), which should not happen [assuming that the OP was not the reason for their own delay].

 

[futureapppsy2]

Thanks. Earlier, my advisor was thinking August (and this is what I shared with my postdoc site during interviews) but now says that it does not seem as realistic anymore (still possible but unsure), given how far we are with edits and will need to check in with the committee. I'll let the site know and will call the training director on Tuesday, after the long weekend. I wonder if there's a good way to share this, any specific advice?

I'm confused, is the problem that your committee won't meet over the summer or that your dissertation won't be ready to defend by August? Those are two very different issues...

 

[singasongofjoy]

I was able to switch out a committee member (deans rep) before my defense for similar issues. It may be a possibility.

 

[123EW]

I've only heard of apathetic committee members from 2 friends, and both went to professional schools. Just so happens they had to pay for more credits to stay enrolled in the university so they could defend. It sounded very sketchy to me.

My program would have never allowed a situation like this. Our training director would have personally driven people to the defense before they would have allowed someone to be ABD after internship or back out of a post doc. Granted, their intention would be more about program reputation than student advancement.