Thread: Patience is a virtue ..... they reckon

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

While I do not have the electronic version or the hardcopy version of the testamur yet, I did receive official notification from the university yesterday that I have been conferred the award of Doctor of Philosophy. I can now officially call myself "Dr. Lionel Evans" or Lionel Evans (PhD). All the academic hoops have been jumped through.

While I am now Dr. Evans, there are still just a couple more hoops to negotiate for the graduation side of things. The next graduation ceremony is not until December 2022. The day after my birthday. I had hoped to get all aspects of the doctoral studies over and done with while I was still in my fifties. As Maxwell Smart used to say, "I missed it by that much" when I graduate in December.

Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement.

Kind regards
Lionel

Congratulations!!!!, My colleague pointed out the last time that we were away for work together that his noticeably better room for the same rate was due to the Dr at the front of his name, make sure you get all the perks of the title :-)

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by Tote

Congratulations!!!!, My colleague pointed out the last time that we were away for work together that his noticeably better room for the same rate was due to the Dr at the front of his name, make sure you get all the perks of the title :-)

Regards,
Tote

If you're a Doctor of Divinity, would you get the top floor?

Originally Posted by Tote

Congratulations!!!!, My colleague pointed out the last time that we were away for work together that his noticeably better room for the same rate was due to the Dr at the front of his name, make sure you get all the perks of the title :-)

Regards,
Tote

Hello Tote,

Yes, there can be some unexpected perks that can go along with the title - Tote. I was flying cattle class once on an interstate flight. An attendant came up to our row of seats and said to the person next to me, "Dr. so and so, a spare seat has come up in business class. Would you like to be upgraded?" The person soon vacated their seat. That little piece of information was stored away.

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Saitch

If you're a Doctor of Divinity, would you get the top floor?

Hello Satich,

I suppose that could happen for a Doctor of Divinity. I am not sure what I would get with a Doctor of Philosophy (Arts, Humanities and Education) though. Then within that disciplinary level I undertook an applied specialisation in disability and cultural studies that focussed on Autism, identity and wellbeing.

Where 'applied' means a practical application in daily life - not theoretical. Or alternatively real not pretend. I probably just annoyed some of my academic peers out there with that last comment. Hmmmm, too bad - how sad!

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello All,

As of today the only thing I need to do regarding my PhD studies is to attend the local graduation ceremony in December.

Today, I received a link from the University library that links to a PDF formatted downloadable version of my PhD thesis. I pointed out to the library that the URL only links to a title page - not the full thesis. If I sent the link to people they would and have written back and let me know that the link only opens a one-page document. Ask me how I know this ...

I did discover through trial and error if the university provided URL is clicked on - the single-paged title page is downloaded and opened up. Then if the citation URL within the title page is clicked on - which ends in V1 - then the computer goes to a new webpage with new "Download PDF" button. This new button then opens the full thesis up. However, the URL in the citation box is not written in bold font to quickly distinguish it as a live URL within the single-page title page. Nor is there any instruction on the single-page title page for people to click on the URL within the 'Citation' box. I suggested to the university why don't they provide a link direct to V1 of the thesis. Or perhaps they could bold the URL in the Citation box and provide an instruction on their single-page title page to click on the URL within the Citation box. This request was disregarded.

Earlier, I only received the link to an invitation that opens a webpage that provides official proof that I have been awarded the PhD and can legally call myself "Dr Evans" on the 4th of July.

Since my last email I have been jumping through numerous university administration hoops. Some of these hoops link to other university departments which brings up student fees page and it shows that the account is in the red due to outstanding fees for 2019. Apparently this is a known fault in the system all Higher Degree Research students who were studying in 2019 have the same error. The university and authorised federal government department have been negotiating with each other since 2019 to fix this error. I was told that the other department in the university knew about this error. I was told not to worry about it. I was also been given totally contradictory information that I had to navigate to be able to complete the list of administrative tasks. This also included receiving information that I was officially Dr. Evans, then four days later I was not able to call myself "Dr. Evans". I had to wait until I received an official "conferral" letter. Then I had to go to another organisation that provides the link to the transcripts and an electronic version of the official testamur. This is the scroll you receive upon graduation. You know, the bit of paper you get to hang on your brag wall after it is framed! Once electronic access to the testamur is achieved then I am officially "Dr. Evans".

So yes my university has run true to form. A friend in the USA has likened my experience with the university with Kafka’s sense of the absurd.

Anyway - after that update ... well okay "rant" ... as of the 4th of July - America's Independence Day when I received the link to the official proof that I am "Dr. Evans" I can now apologise to Martin Luther King - Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I am free at last... from the university that is.

How come I feel like Monty Python's Black Knight - "it's only a flesh wound!" Then the uni takes a couple more swipes with a sword.

How about ...

"I am Dr. Spartacus"
"No you are not. I am Dr. Spartacus" ...
"No, I am Dr. Spartacus"...

Kind regards
Lionel ... Dr. Lionel