Dear Cassie,
I am a project leader in my graduate school engineering department and have one more year before I complete my studies and graduate. My problem is someone we were assigned to work on our team. She is the daughter of the dean, and was sent to work for us not because there was an opening, but because they created a position for her. However, her grades are barely passing, she does not listen to direction and she is not sensitive to meeting our schedule for her tasks. Unfortunately, this is starting to affect me as I have my own work to do but I also have to mentor her. When I make corrections and ask her to redo her work, she gets angry and does not do it, leaving me to do it over again. How can I handle this person without jeopardizing my own position?
Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place, CA

Dear Stuck,
You have two choices here: continue to let her take advantage of you, or notify your managing professor about this situation and suggest having her removed or re-assigned to another position. Unfortunately, politics happens in any environment, both in academia and in the real world, and this will be a good exercise for you in effective communication, conflict management and ensuring quality work regardless of who is working on in it. The first choice is obviously not the answer, so I suggest that you have her re-appointed to another job or department. Since you want to do this in the most delicate way possible without stepping on toes or offending anyone, take the following actions:

-- Document her work assignments and the status of each. Enter due date and delivery date, and any discrepancies requiring additional work, without using any negative words. The missed deadlines and discrepancies will speak for themselves.

-- Document your own work assignments and the additional work you did to correct her errors and how much time that took. Indicate any impact on your tasks, if any, and again, state the facts without making any criticisms or complaints.

-- Do some inquiry in different departments to see if there might be room for someone with her skills (or a simplified set of them). Make a recommendation for her to fill that job.

-- Talk with your managing professor about the situation, show him/her your documentation and suggest that she be moved. If your professor is reasonable, then he/she should understand the impact this person is having on you and help you to resolve the issue.

-- Talk with the girl and let her know that the tasks for her in your department are complete, and that she might be able to help in another department, which you have already checked out for her.

By helping her to make a smooth transition to another job, you will be seen as resourceful and helpful rather than someone who is annoyed by an incompetent worker and just wants to have her fired.

However, if your managing professor does not take action, she is not willing to move or the dean is not amenable to this recommendation, then you need to decide how important your position is as it relates to your graduation. If you aggressively pursue moving her, will it affect your relationship with your professor, or with the dean? This now becomes a matter of principle and whether or not you are willing to let a higher up dictate the situation, or if you are willing to face the obvious nepotism that is happening and correct the system. Whether you are working in a university or in a company, you have to stand up for your rights, and that includes unfair manipulation of you by higher authorities.

If all else fails, contact your university ombudsman, who is a confidential, independent and impartial resource and who can provide assistance in resolving conflicts, problems, complaints and other issues when normal processes and procedures have not worked, or if you don't feel comfortable addressing an issue directly. This will help them to identify problem areas facing faculty, staff and students, and recommend changes to university policies and procedures. Good luck to you, and I hope you can correct your situation and have smooth sailing until you graduate.

Cassie

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