But the overall School we’re part of has been increasingly Swedified. We don’t get offered language training as part of our jobs, and it’s not a requirement in our contracts, so it’s not like we knew this when we started. But they are forcing us to do unpaid work as part of the disbandment, for one.
They also say it can only be done in Swedish. They will do an English summary “with the help of ChatGPT.” In fact, since they started using it, they use it for ALL communications in any language other than Swedish. They used to do a Swenglish version (SOMETIMES) for really urgent stuff.
Now we get a pile of word salad that’s been run through ChatGPT. Even though the other PhD students are happy to hold meetings in English, we’ve been told that’s not possible (but not why). I’m assured that this is not a work environment issue. Communicating exclusively through ChatGPT is fine!
I was just in a meeting where I asked how they planned to gather input from those of us who can’t be part of the meetings because I’d like to contribute, and I was told that I should visit the university counseling center. I said, “I’m not continuing this call.” and red buttoned out.
Ooof this is all so terrible and I am sorry you're in the middle of it
Thank you! It’s rotten. I mean I had to get supervision from outside the department already, so I could just ignore it all and be unaffected. But I actually care about the future of the discipline AND about my fellow PhD students, so I mean… Just the PETTINESS of these people.
Oh god Jane, this is all awful. I’m so sorry 💜
Thank you! Thankfully, two of the other PhD students on the call messaged right away to be like “wtf omg what is happening here” But man, the number of ways they find to be insulting and terrible and then say it’s “just a misunderstanding” on my part is astonishing
Just nightmarish what you’ve been going through there. 😔
I always knew academia was terrible, but this is a level I couldn’t have imagined.
What the fuck? Considering the average degree of English fluency in Sweden this feels more like active sabotage and bad will than anything else
Oh yeah, it’s absolutely being done so I can’t attend or participate. The whole thing is a shitshow anyway. We’re all affected in different ways, and me prob the least