Damn their eyes.....

So I'm thinking, what's my first post going to be about? Will I talk about something I've just read that sparked some really interesting questions on the nature of the freedom of the press, maybe I'll have a bit of a go at McDowell's 'reforms', I could link through to some of the especially interesting and original blogs I've been reading this past week. But I'm not going to do any of that. I'm going to rant, at length and with feeling, with ire and vitriol and bile and venom about my supervisor. This is after all, what is taking up the entirety of my consciousness at the moment.

I'm a librarian, and about three years ago it seemed the thing to do to, to get a Masters in my chosen(?) field in order to increase job and salary prospects etc. I considered the notion of going back into full time education and it's associated living on twenty euro a week, and rejected that option. So I study at night, distance learning over the net.

I pay just under two thousand pounds sterling a year in tuition. This year I have received in return for my two grand, two emails. So that works out (in case you're behind me here) at one thousand pounds per email. Last email received 29th November, 2006. So I have, at approximately weekly intervals, been sending off increasingly nasty emails, to supervisor, course coordinator, dept EO, and indeed anyone else I can think of. No response. Eventually course coordinator says he'll have a word. This was in January by the way.

Coordinator today responded to a missive from me that was one step down from a solicitor's letter. He very calmly explained that he had spoken to her and (I quote) 'asked her to get in touch'. I pointed out that this was all very well but she hadn't in fact done so. He suggested I should email her some of my drafts (again) and see what happens, see what happens.

This is appalling, surely? Is it just me that thinks this is absolutely loony? But they have a way of making you feel insane and completely unreasonable for asking for the education you've paid for. If I bought a toaster and got the thing home and there was no toaster in the box -- no problem, money back or decent toaster. But because this is education, (and this is an internationally recognised university, and the dept has quite a high profile in the industry), no one seems to feel in any way compelled to provide a quality (or in fact existing) product. No apology, no will try harder, no let's see how we can make up for the immense mental and emotional trauma you are suffering. Perhaps I am supposed to be grateful merely for the honour of my name appearing in their auspicious enrolment lists.

I now hate the woman, with the all the intensity that a pavlovian response to extended stress, worry and frustration can bring. And I'm stuck with her till I have the wretched dissertation in. This I just know, is going to be a quality working relationship.