What exactly does a PH'd mean anymore ???

[leckert]

Awesome, MotoKid!

I called the Department of Air-education. We should be getting our Air-Certificate to teach soon!

Of course they are sending it by...

yeah, you know...

air mail! (sorry, couldn't resist that)

All of you interested in getting your doctorates, as soon as we get our Air-certificates, we will besending you your air-applications. We need you to fill them out as quickly as possible (suggest using an airbrush), and return them with your Air-thesis.

Upon review by our Air-professors, we will send you your Air-diploma, upon receipt of payment.

Unfortunately, given the rapidly growing student roster, and our aggressive business plan, we will be unable to process air-payments at this time. It is requested that all payments be forwarded to MotoKid, (c/o The Bad Ass Coffee fund), in the form of check, money order, or, of course, cash.

 

[sirmyk]

I think I'll phD in suicide.

 

[bobbyburns]

when are you going to kill yourself to celebrate this achievement?

 

[leckert]

I think I'll phD in suicide.

That thesis is a bitch !

 

[bobbyburns]

I'm sleepy...

 

[Kookamoor]

To deviate back on topic...

I'm fascinated by the gender aspect of it and why there are so few woman who do it."

I'm not entirely sure of what she's researching, but it sounds more like a gender study than a specific treatise on doing 'air guitar'. Sounds like she's milking the 'air guitar' component to gain publicity and thus funding. Frankly, more power to her if it gets her where she wants it. I think the subject of gender roles in dance and movement would actually be kinda interesting. Research doesn't need to be aimed at building a space shuttle, you know. Why would this research be any less valid than someone writing a thesis on the parallels between Wordsworth's poetry and WW1?

 

[leckert]

To deviate back on topic...



I'm not entirely sure of what she's researching, but it sounds more like a gender study than a specific treatise on doing 'air guitar'. Sounds like she's milking the 'air guitar' component to gain publicity and thus funding. Frankly, more power to her if it gets her where she wants it. I think the subject of gender roles in dance and movement would actually be kinda interesting. Research doesn't need to be aimed at building a space shuttle, you know. Why would this research be any less valid than someone writing a thesis on the parallels between Wordsworth's poetry and WW1?

I think both would be a waste of taxpayer's money.

I don't have a problem with people studying these things. I just have a problem paying for it.

You have just been made privy to the opinion of one of the first graduates of the PhDs-Air-Us institute of technology. I will be sending you a bill.

Sincerely,

leckert, APhD

 

[Kookamoor]

I don't have a problem with people studying these things. I just have a problem paying for it.

You've got an uphill battle to fight, then! There are plenty of people being Government funded to research inane things.

Remember, though, that research builds on itself. For example, this study into the gender roles in movement and kinesiology (basically, what such a study is) could be used to further study how best to communicate correography to the men/women, which would then be a basis for improving dance teaching. Just an example...

 

[mehastings]

I think both would be a waste of taxpayer's money.

I don't have a problem with people studying these things. I just have a problem paying for it.

Is this:

Why would this research be any less valid than someone writing a thesis on the parallels between Wordsworth's poetry and WW1?

the second part of your "both"?

If it is, I'm intrigued. Why would you have a problem with taxes financing someone writing a thesis on something liberal arts related? The world needs people who are highly educated in non-science subjects. Otherwise, we won't have anyone to teach those subjects to college students. Without college students that study these subjects we won't have qualified people to teach our school aged children. You do want your kids to learn to think creatively, read, and write coherently don't you? Not everyone has the money to finance their own education and teachers don't make the kind of money you need to pay off huge student loans.

 

[leckert]

Is this:

the second part of your "both"?

If it is, I'm intrigued. Why would you have a problem with taxes financing someone writing a thesis on something liberal arts related? The world needs people who are highly educated in non-science subjects. Otherwise, we won't have anyone to teach those subjects to college students. Without college students that study these subjects we won't have qualified people to teach our school aged children. You do want your kids to learn to think creatively, read, and write coherently don't you? Not everyone has the money to finance their own education and teachers don't make the kind of money you need to pay off huge student loans.

Yes, the Wordsworth/WWI was the second part of my "both".

You hit on several issues here that are probably best left to another thread.

Teachers need to be paid more. Which could be brought about by competition in our education system (i.e. vouchers).

I think liberal arts education is vitally important. (It is unfortunate, though, that it produces so many liberals, but that is another forum! ) I fail to see, though, how one can hold out their hand for public education money then be offended when the public decides how that money is spent.

I do not have a problem with assistance for those who need it.

I do have a problem with a support system that fails to encourage productive citizenship.

If you want a degree in philosophy, so that you can sit cross-legged on a mountain top and spout wisdom, that is absolutely fine. Just do it on your own dime.

I guess, if the Wadsworth/WWI thing were related to a teaching degree, I wouldn't have a problem with a public program paying for it. I am just irritated with the "entitlement" mentality that we seem to have that says "Here I am. Feed me, house me, cloth me, educate me, then support my children while I insert my thumbs into my ass and sit upon them!"

Many a disandvantaged youth has struggled and worked their way through college to emerge with a greater sense of accomplishment and pride in themselves. We tend to think that struggle and hardship is an evil to be avoided, and we make valiant efforts to shelter our youth from these things. I would suggest that any victory in life must be over something. Strife and pain produce leaders and victors. Those who have not struggled, do not know the taste of victory. Those who have been provided with the means to do what they wish cannot know the pain of disappointment, nor the joy of overcoming adversity.

 

[Kookamoor]

I am just irritated with the "entitlement" mentality that we seem to have that says "Here I am. Feed me, house me, cloth me, educate me, then support my children while I insert my thumbs into my ass and sit upon them!"

I'd like to know your basis for why you think grad students feel 'entitled'. As a funded grad student myself, I live on a very meagre bursary and it is in return for being a research assistant to my supervisor (ie: it is not money for nothing). I also work as a teaching assistant and have a second job in another university department as a research assistant to bring in extra cash. So do I feel 'entitled' to the money I receive? Hell bloody yes, because I *earn* it.

 

[leckert]

I'd like to know your basis for why you think grad students feel 'entitled'. As a funded grad student myself, I live on a very meagre bursary and it is in return for being a research assistant to my supervisor (ie: it is not money for nothing). I also work as a teaching assistant and have a second job in another university department as a research assistant to bring in extra cash. So do I feel 'entitled' to the money I receive? Hell bloody yes, because I *earn* it.

You are receiving "assistance", which I do not oppose. (edit: actually, what you are receiving seems to be "compensation", which I applaud.)

I oppose "support", which is given with no expectation that the recipient do anything in return.

we are really getting down an entirely different rabbit hole, here, but I do not oppose helping those who need it and who are attempting to help themselves.

I am opposed to hand outs for those who are unwilling to make any effort on their own.

(edit: If I seem to have painted all funded grad students with a broad brush, that has not been my intention.)

 

[Kookamoor]

I am opposed to hand outs for those who are unwilling to make any effort on their own.

(edit: If I seem to have painted all funded grad students with a broad brush, that has not been my intention.)

Yeah, I jumped on you a little hard there, perhaps, but that's because I do consider what I do a legitimate job. While I'm going to receive a piece of paper at the end and thus it may seem that this is self indulgent, I am also performing what many consider to be important research in my field, and thus I am providing both a product and a service to many.

I'm not sure what you mean by "unwilling to make any effort on their own". A graduate assistantship is usually either in the form of a scholarship, in which case it is granted to someone who is believed to have the intelligence and experience to do very well and produce good research, or in the form of funding for the research they will be doing. In the latter case it is the research itself that is deemed important, and the grad student is being compensated for their efforts. In all cases, research must be done and results given in order for the funding to continue. In my opinion, that's the 'effort' that is required.

 

[leckert]

I will relate this all to my own, first hand, personal experience...

My parents could not afford to send me to college. I went to work out of high school.

While working, I went to school at nights to get an associates degree. I would stand in line to get my student LOAN each semester behind people who had NEVER HAD A JOB who were there to get their grants. I later had to quit school because my job kept me on the road a lot.

That is the "entitlement" mentality that I despised which prompted my comments. I assumed there were students pursuing their doctorates who receive funding just for showing up. maybe this isn't the case at that level.

I don't think there is anything wrong with receiving compensation for the work you do, and you should be proud of that!



(kissy-kissy, make up?!)

 

[Kookamoor]

That is the "entitlement" mentality that I despised which prompted my comments. I assumed there were students pursuing their doctorates who receive funding just for showing up. maybe this isn't the case at that level.

I don't think there is anything wrong with receiving compensation for the work you do, and you should be proud of that!



(kissy-kissy, make up?!)

I agree that there are some undergrads who are simply at school because their parents expect it, or just because 'everyone else is doing it'. And they bitch and complain about the work they have to do... you're paying to be there! If you don't like it, WHY ARE YOU THERE!?!?! I could go on and on about *that* arguement! I have to say, though, that at the graduate level people are pretty solid on what they're doing, why they're doing it and appreciate the opportunity to have people interested in their field and willing to contribute funding (those that are there for other reasons don't tend to last too long! That's based on a few experiences!).

Blows kisses in Leckerts direction

The North American student loan system, based on my experience here in Canada, is whacked. You work and they give you less money... does that make sense to anyone?! In the US I can imagine it's especially bad because of the high cost of colleges. I mean, I have a $25 000 debt back in Oz, but that's nothing compared to one year at some US schools (I should note that it's a very different system there - no loans, most places are subsidised by the government and the money you 'owe' is recorded by the tax office and comes out of your paycheck at 3% per year with the only interest being CPI. It's a damn good system).

 

[leckert]

Blows kisses in Leckerts direction

...back in Oz,

leckert affectionately wipes lipstick from his cheek

I have seen you mention "Oz" before, and I don't get it. Is this a Canadian/Australian thing?

 

[Kookamoor]

leckert affectionately wipes lipstick from his cheek

I have seen you mention "Oz" before, and I don't get it. Is this a Canadian/Australian thing?

Oz is Australia... sorry, I assumed that was a universal abbreviation. I'm Australian, but currently living (and studying) in the Great White North (eh).

Oh, and I must have some seriously funky blown kisses if they send lipstick with them! I always wondered what my superhero power was

 

[leckert]

Oz is Australia... sorry, I assumed that was a universal abbreviation. I'm Australian, but currently living (and studying) in the Great White North (eh).

Oh, and I must have some seriously funky blown kisses if they send lipstick with them! I always wondered what my superhero power was

Never heard of Australia being called Oz before! Cool!

And now you know! You are Kiss-Woman!

 

[Kookamoor]

And now you know! You are Kiss-Woman!

Heh heh... this inspires a new thread!

 

[Clara]

Just going back a little, the woman doing the PhD in question is funding herself so the taxpayer isn't involved. Also, in reply to Leckert's concerns, I don't know any PhD students (self-funded or recipients of a studentship) that take anything for granted. We all work very hard, much harder than we did as undergrads, and have very little money to spare after rent, food, travel etc. I'm not trying to make this a sob story, just trying to point out that we don't feel entitled to anything. In fact, I think most of us just enjoy researching that we put up with everything else.