StudentSupervisor Partnerships: Building an Effective Working Relationship

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Student/Supervisor PartnershipsBuilding an
Effective Working Relationship

• Suzette Doctor
• Counsellor
• Student Services Unit

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Workshop Outline

• What are boundaries?
• Relevance to Supervisor/Student relationships
• Common trouble spots
• Tips for managing boundaries
• When to see a Counsellor

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What is a boundary?

• The boundary delineates the roles of
  supervisor/supervisee ensuring professional,
  effective and safe working relationships for both
• Useful to clarify expectations and
  responsibilities regarding sessions, progress,
  feedback,communication outside sessions etc.
•  
• Frequently ambiguous and may need
  discussion.
•  
• Assumptions of supervisor and student may
  differ
•  

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• Improper boundaries can foster a sense of
  mistrust, and impair learning.

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Potential boundary issues in the
supervisor/student relationship

•  
• Given the significance of the relationship
• Excessive confiding of personal matters to
  supervisor
• Confusion in the working relationship due to
  multiple roles and unclear expectations
• ? example supervisee also works for
  supervisor, supervisee is also tutor of
  supervisors subject
•  
•  

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• Unexpected shifts in the professional role,
  leading to role conflicts or feelings of
  discomfort
• Significant mismatch in supervisor/student pair

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Discussion Point

• What are some situations where boundaries have
  become (or may become) a problem in the
  student/supervisor partnership for you?

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Common boundary trouble spots for supervisors and
students

•          Meetings held outside usual office
  situation
•          Social engagements
•          Giving or receiving gifts
•          Personal, intimate or private
  conversations
•          Babysitting
•          Financial transactions
•          Co-authorship issues
•          Issues of confidentiality

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Possible indicators of problem in the
partnership/boundary

•     When you find yourself in power struggles on
  a regular basis
•  
•     When you feel uncomfortable about the process
  of communication or the level of intimacy in the
  working relationship

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• You feel overwhelmed or intimidated in the
  relationship
•  
• Meetings become argumentative, there are
  problems with cooperation, appointments are
  missed, or progress is hindered

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Discussion Point

• What are some strategies that you could use to
  manage boundaries?

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Tips for dealing with boundary issues

• Be aware of cross-cultural issues
•  
• Discuss boundaries together if comfortable to do
  so, speak to higher degrees coordinator or
  consult Counselling Service
• Respect the boundaries that you have set up
  together

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• Be aware that various students and supervisors
  will request different boundary lines
• ?example formality of communication, method of
  contact

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What can you do to get back on track when a
boundary has been crossed?

• Clarify the roles, expectations and boundaries
•  
• Address issues early. Avoid avoiding!
•  
• See higher degrees coordinator
• See a counsellor for assistance

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When would it be appropriate to visit UTS
Counselling?

• Repeated miscommunications and you cannot work
  out why
•  
• Personality differences that interfere with your
  ability to re-establish clear boundaries
• Reluctant to discuss the issue with supervisor.
•  
• Discussions with supervisor are ineffective

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UTS Counselling Service

•   Free of charge
• Confidential
• Open 9am-6pm
• Intake appointments (face to face or phone).
• Easy to access Tower 1, level 6
• Tel.[phone]

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Counselling for Postgraduate Students

• Study related issues
• Improving concentration or motivation
• Increasing confidence
• Becoming more organized
• Dealing with procrastination or perfectionism
• Difficulty with your supervisor

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• Personal Issues
• Improving relationships
• Handling life crises
• Dealing with depression
• Managing stress
• Improving problem solving and decision making
• Grief issues
• Family stress
• Moving out of home
• Other personal matters that may affect your
  studies

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• Administration issues
• Special consideration
• Academic and non-academic misconduct
• Review of final assessment grade

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Useful Resources

• www.first.edu.au
• Username uts.edu
• Passworduts2000nsw
• http//www.first.edu.au/members/supervision/index.
  html
• http//www.first.edu.au/members/relationships/inde
  x.html
• http//www.postgrad_resources.btinternet.co.uk/