WWYD--Job related?

RachNRich

I am a graduate assistant at the university I am getting my PhD at. I've worked under the same professor since I started.

We are repeatedly told by the head of our department that our jobs as GA's are not to be gophers--but rather we are supposed to assist the professors we work for in research/teaching related endeavors.

Currently, and in the past, 95% of the work he has me do on a daily basis consists of responding to his emails (as him...not as me), responding to his voicemails (as me), and scheduling students appointments to come and meet with him. Essentially, I am his secretary.

I made an appointment to speak to our department head on Thursday as some of the requests made of me by the man I work for have just gotten too much for me to handle. For instance, while he is on the phone--he will leave his office, come find me, bring me back to his office--and have me get on the phone with whomever he is talking to, schedule an appointment on his computer, and leave so he can return to his call. He also puts me in charge of handling other students grades--the majority of which are peers of mine. Needless to say, I legally should not have access to their grades.

What would you do in this situation? Ask to be reassigned and risk pissing the prof off? Ask for advice on how to handle prof/ask for meaningful work? Or something else that I am not thinking of?

Night_Sprite

When is the move happening?

lauralaur

I would ask for advice on how to handle the situation. Even if it doesn't work out with this guy in the end and you get reassigned, you will want to know/be able to say/show that you tried to work on the work relationship.

RachNRich

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wwyd-job-related-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:043e66f5-41b7-4837-a745-4b860817f3d3Post:4217a01e-701d-42d2-a781-37d022cc10db">Re: WWYD--Job related?</a>:
[QUOTE]When is the move happening?
Posted by Night_Sprite[/QUOTE]

Move happens this summer---but this job ends in four months.

Rich doesn't want me to run in there with guns blazing and get reassigned to a different, worse position----and neither do it. Afterall, it's just four.more.months. But this man is adding a ton of stress on me, and I'm not sure I can handle it.

Laura, I think I just need advice from someone in my department on how to approach him, and request different work. Right now, I don't know how to approach him and raise my concerns without pissing him off.

sarah0725

That's a tough one. In my department, we tend to be TAs rather than GAs, and sometimes you get a crummy assignment, but it only lasts a semester and then you're off to working with someone else. Given that the department is small and assignments are short, in our situation the best thing to do if you're working for one of the nutcase professors is to keep your head down and do your best to get through it, rather than risking your reputation. That's what I would probably do in a setup like mine.

In your case, though, you do need to do something about what is going on, because it doesn't sound like you're really learning meaningful job skills. I'd go into the meeting with your department head asking for advice to make the situation better, and maybe some suggestions of more meaningful things you could be doing. Rather than going into the office in high dudgeon with a chip on your shoulder, approaching the whole thing as a learning experience and a negotiation will probably come off better.

Hope that makes some sort of sense.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I'd try to get him to give you more meaningful work. You'll need recommendations once you graduate in order to get your first job, so I'd avoid pissing people off in your department as much as possible. But you'll also need to know more than how to answer emails.

I worked as a TA and was assigned to one specific class and I did way more than that - took attendence, made up a quiz or two, helped to grade papers. My school has TAs rather than GA (my school doesn't do PhDs, just MAs/MSs, etc), but we're also told that we should be doing things like grading and helping students.

RachNRich

That makes perfect sense, Sarah. During my Master's, we were reassigned every semester...so I'm not used to being with the same individual for so long. Normally I wouldn't complain, but at the doctoral level (and specifically in my field)--I would hope to be gaining some substantial experience in Higher Ed.

I don't want to ruffle feathers...I just want to make the next four months as tolerable as possible.

The only experience I'm getting right now is how to be a damn-good secretary.

JK10910

I'd ask for advice on how to handle it.  And you're right--you should NOT have access to your peers' grades.  Undergrads yes, peers no.

sucrets4

Give the prof a blow job and then tell him to do his own secretarial shiit?

I kid.

I'd go in there with the "I want to learn more, how can we make this happen?" attitude and see where that gets you.

RachNRich

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wwyd-job-related-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:043e66f5-41b7-4837-a745-4b860817f3d3Post:beebf2ff-422a-4749-a55e-32bdecf8ab7c">Re: WWYD--Job related?</a>:
[QUOTE]Give the prof a blow job and then tell him to do his own secretarial shiit? I kid. I'd go in there with the "I want to learn more, how can we make this happen?" attitude and see where that gets you.
Posted by sucrets4[/QUOTE]

No blow jobs. I think I just threwup in my mouth thinking about it.

I've contemplated asking for more meaningful work straight-out...but I'm fearful that it would not reduce the other secretarial work, but just increase my overall workload! oy.

Night_Sprite

Do you think he might react well to something like, "I want learn from you more.  Can we rethink my responsibilities so I can absorb your oh so wondrous knowledge?"

sucrets4

Sorry about the visual.  Bet you'll never look at him the same way, though. 

Oh no, I wouldn't ask him.  I'd just tell the department head that you're not being fulfilled and would rather do more meaningful things than answering emails for him.

RachNRich

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wwyd-job-related-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:043e66f5-41b7-4837-a745-4b860817f3d3Post:096f6c75-573b-45ae-bd8f-ee0a9a89ec18">Re: WWYD--Job related?</a>:
[QUOTE]Do you think he might react well to something like, "I want learn from you more.  Can we rethink my responsibilities so I can absorb your oh so wondrous knowledge?"
Posted by Night_Sprite[/QUOTE]

baahahah!!! I just choked on my Pez!!!

ricksang

I know in my department GAs grade undergrad papers but not grad papers. It sounds like you are basically a secretary. Unless you are going to school to learn the skills of a secretary, what he is doing is not cool. Has another student worked for him? Can you ask what he/she did while working for him? I'd get advice from someone and then maybe talk to the professor. Heck, you are a PhD student. You should be able to speak to him with concerns without him getting pissed, hopefully.

RachNRich

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wwyd-job-related-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:043e66f5-41b7-4837-a745-4b860817f3d3Post:3fbebffb-e42d-4464-beef-fff659e4267d">Re: WWYD--Job related?</a>:
[QUOTE]I know in my department GAs grade undergrad papers but not grad papers. It sounds like you are basically a secretary. Unless you are going to school to learn the skills of a secretary, what he is doing is not cool. Has another student worked for him? Can you ask what he/she did while working for him? I'd get advice from someone and then maybe talk to the professor. Heck, you are a PhD student. You should be able to speak to him with concerns without him getting pissed, hopefully.
Posted by ricksang[/QUOTE]

The students that have worked for him in the past are long gone--but, from my understanding, he's done this with the majority of his GA's. I <em>should</em> be able to talk to him without him getting pissed---but, he called me at home the other day pissed because other student in my cohort went to the Dean with problems rather than him---I don't want to face that wrath head on. I'll get advice first--and hopefully be able to approach him in a way that does not piss him off....

ricksang

Omg, that sucks Rach! He sounds like a 5 year old. GL :P