Need advice - (May/18/2009 )

I came by a little information and I need some advice. My PI told me that the co-investigator on our grant has indicated that his position may be ending in the next year or so, due to cutbacks in the department. I'm not really sure whether I was told this in any sort of confidence, and this is where my dilemma comes in. One of the co-investigator's techs is not really a friend, but we seem to get along well enough. She has been of great help to me, basically teaching me everything I know about Westerns, and part of me feels like I should let her know that she may want to start looking for a new position. At the same time, I don't know how serious the CI was about his position ending, and I'm not sure it's really any of my business. I'm a little torn as to what to do. Any advice? Would you want to know?

Thanks

gfischer on May 18 2009, 04:16 PM said:

hey gfischer,

but she probably knows more about this than you do, I meant, her boss had maybe already told her or gave her an indication of this possibility...there are a lot of "ifs" in this situation so if I were you, I wouldn't say anything unless you're prepared to get entangled in it...

Agree with casandra and add that this is rumor at this point and, even if true, is a maybe in a year or two.

Trust GeorgeWolff to hit the nail squarely on the head in less than twenty words (I have to start following his footsteps really) but just this once, let me add a bit more....

you feel you have a dilemma, you wanna help someone who's been a great help to you, although I find this admirable, you're on very shaky ground here...you've got info given by your PI but you don't know the whole of it, and like George said, the situation may or may not change in a year or two. If news about losing his position is fairly recent, your CI is probably just only beginning to deal with it and in time, he'd start thinking about his people- his tech, his students etc. and if he doesn't care at all then it serves him right to lose his lab ..ok that's maybe too harsh...but let's also give him the benefit of a doubt....

and if I were the tech, of course I'd like to know if it's time to start looking for a new position but I'd prefer to hear it from my boss than from a well-meaning colleague and since it's my job and my professional life, I should be on top of things from day one..so I should know when my contract ends, where my salary comes from, the status of my boss and if he's not tenured, then there's always a possiblity that he could lose his lab so I should be prepared for any eventualities...etc. iow, the tech can't be that clueless so let's also not underestimate her...but if indeed she's totally clueless and you really feel that you have a responsibility, then there are subtle, devious and underhanded ways to point her in the right direction.... (if this addendum is too long, pls go back to George's post..it sums up everything...don't worry anymore, gfischer...


casandra

I think you're right. I don't really know anything, and it's really none of my business anyway.

gfischer on May 19 2009, 01:44 PM said:

99.99% of the time I'm right ....you know something but it's probably not enough and you can get in trouble for it. Furthermore, you can always make it your business so noone can stop you there but right now, technically, it's only hearsay and just think, will you do more harm than good? But this doesn't mean that we should stop caring about the stuff that goes on around us...


regards,

casandra

No way! Cassandra is right ONLY 99.9% of the time!

GeorgeWolff on May 20 2009, 06:01 PM said:

.....my mistake.......actually, it's 99.999%.........besides, it's cassandra with one s...

casandra on May 21 2009, 12:07 AM said:

She always forgets the zero, it's 0.99% ....

hobglobin on May 20 2009, 06:25 PM said:

well at least it's 0.99% more than you..... I wonder if they will also close this thread, dr H ....at least this time we're just posting percentages...so behave yourself....