I almost got a job at Stirling once. But there was always that sore spot on my cv, which cannot be handled well no matter what. It was always there - the end of the PhD, and the gap. Mind the gap. I think the women who were interviewing me knew, but the older man on the panel didn't. The culture prevalent in universities today probably weren't back when he began. He actually asked my what happened, why I didn't finish. there is no appropriate response to that question, and believe me, over the years I tried to find a way to put it on my cv, in the way that would do the least harm to me, and to the university. Nothing worked. One could say I wasn't suited for the job, but from what I've seen around in my life, that wasn't it. The reason was that there was a problem at the university, and if I was at fault, they wanted no part of it. If the university were responsible, then they didn't want me around anyway.
Recently, I asked to have a small piece placed in CAFAS newsletter (Council for Academic Freedom and Academic Standards,) of which I am a member, but who have never done anything to assist me in my situation with the university. It went like this:
I recently had the following email interaction with a university professor, which I believe illustrates one of the problems that can arise from unresolved disputes between students and professors at universities.
The interaction began with my request to him to act as referee, if required, for a job I was applying for.
I would like to put your name down as referee for a job I am applying
for, to do teaching at a university. I hope that's alright.
He responded,
I am certainly able to write a reference for you,
upon which I wrote again, asking,
Will you, if asked? Would you write a good one?
My concern was that he would not write one, or if he did, if would not reflect my capabilities. But he wrote back, saying,
Sorry if my last message was not sufficiently clear. I was confirming that
I am happy for you to put my name down as a referee and that I will write
a reference in support of your application when asked.
He always did have a precise way of writing.
Since being forced out of university I have applied for many jobs, and despite the good references I believed would have been written about me, had not been able to get one. I decided to write back to the professor, expressing my concerns over the lack of results, despite many times having put his name down as referee on my application:
You don't think that whatever good things you might say contradict your actions - ie. withdrawing your support as supervisor of my PhD dissertation?
I haven't worked since you did that, you know.
You do realise that you have the power to stop me from getting ahead at all. Just because you do pretty much next to nothing doesn't mean that secretaries, colleagues, other students, etc. don't try and do what they think you want, whether it is or not, in regards to me. And if not what you want, then its another professor with whom I'd had problems they're trying to please.
They say men often don't realise the power they have. You're not the first one I met who overdid it and contributed to putting me down at the bottom. You're a very powerful man. Too bad you don't know how to use it in a good way. And if it's because you don't want to, then you're something worse than just unaware.
I hadn't really expected a response from the professor. And the other one, the one who made sure I didn't get to teach any more as a student, had closed me out long ago, not even allowing me to correspond by email. I didn't imagine I was telling him anything he didn't already know. We (those of us in unresolved disputes) keep hoping that things will end up all right, that life really is fair. But it isn't, is it.
Sue McPherson 2005
Later, I asked CAFAS to place it in the wider public view, on their website. But they wouldn't.
Sue McPherson
----- Original Message -----
From: Adele Laing {PG}
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 2:16 PM
Subject: New Wonder Drug
OAS_AD('x90');
Some of you might find this interesting, apologies to those who don't.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/46032
adele
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