Irish Research Council 2013/2014

k_tos · 15-07-2013 1:31pm

yep...we've definitely gone down insanity lane at this point...

kiria · 15-07-2013 2:20pm

Baldlydrawnboy wrote: »

Sigh, I had secretly hoped it would be automated and just click on through at midnight. Having just checked the smartsimple site, I can confirm that is indeed *not* the case.

My inner cynic says they'll be released at 5pm tomorrow so they don't have to deal with rejection emails (e.g. From me) demanding detailed feedback instantly, wanting to know who the assessor etc is to hunt them down, etc etc. I am hoping it's a 9.30 or 10.00 (after a morning team brief) release. Have done no real work for days now other than obsess about this: very much looking forward to getting a life again!

I'm starting to think that's exactly what's going to happen today... Honestly, don't they realize in the IRCHSS office that there are literary hundreds of people waiting for their life-changing decisions??? That's a real sadism or a total ignorance. And I don't know what's worse...

Realt Dearg Sec · 15-07-2013 2:24pm

kiria wrote: »

I'm starting to think that's exactly what's going to happen today... Honestly, don't they realize in the IRCHSS office that there are literary hundreds of people waiting for their life-changing decisions??? That's a real sadism or a total ignorance. And I don't know what's worse...

It's odd how strict they are with everyone else's deadlines and word counts, and how quick they are to disqualify applicants over minor oversights, coupled with utterly lax they are on themselves over the same things. Really puts the "Irish" in Irish Research Council.

fifac · 15-07-2013 2:25pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

It's odd how strict they are with everyone else's deadlines and word counts, and how quick they are to disqualify applicants over minor oversights, coupled with utterly lax they are on themselves over the same things. Really puts the "Irish" in Irish Research Council.

Brilliantly put.

Ginge Young · 15-07-2013 2:30pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

It's odd how strict they are with everyone else's deadlines and word counts, and how quick they are to disqualify applicants over minor oversights, coupled with utterly lax they are on themselves over the same things. Really puts the "Irish" in Irish Research Council.

You deserve funding just for that.

OpenYourEyes · 15-07-2013 2:31pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

It's odd how strict they are with everyone else's deadlines and word counts, and how quick they are to disqualify applicants over minor oversights, coupled with utterly lax they are on themselves over the same things. Really puts the "Irish" in Irish Research Council.

Even some transparency and more clearly saying whats going to happen would help things from our side!

Something like "applications will be deemed successful/unsuccessful during the two weeks beginning the whatever of June, a final rechecking of the status of all applications will take place on Monday the 15th with the aim of releasing results at 5pm..an email will be sent promptly if there is to be any delay"

Rather than - "we'll email you monday, we have a good idea of what time we'll email you but we're not going to tell you ....unless you want to believe our twitter account in which case it could be as late as the following friday..."

fifac · 15-07-2013 2:33pm

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Even some transparency and more clearly saying whats going to happen would help things from our side!

Something like "applications will be deemed successful/unsuccessful during the two weeks beginning the whatever of June, a final rechecking of the status of all applications will take place on Monday the 15th with the aim of releasing results at 5pm..an email will be sent promptly if there is to be any delay"

Rather than - "we'll email you monday, we have a good idea of what time we'll email you but we're not going to tell you ....unless you want to believe our twitter account in which case it could be as late as the following friday..."

Exactly, it's so unnecessary for them to be so secretive.

Realt Dearg Sec · 15-07-2013 2:34pm

Ginge Young wrote: »

You deserve funding just for that.

Something tells me they wouldn't see it that way.

k_tos · 15-07-2013 2:36pm

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Rather than - "we'll email you monday, we have a good idea of what time we'll email you but we're not going to tell you ....unless you want to believe our twitter account in which case it could be as late as the following friday..."

Sneaking suspicion that this might actually be the case, e.g. that there is no real co-ordination between the person that updated the website, twitter and sent the mail. You would have thought all three would have said the same thing- getting on a bit at this stage!

Raphael · 15-07-2013 2:38pm

The reason they haven't announced a time, I think, is that the website would just go down at that time when everyone who's applied logs on simultaneously to check.

By not publishing he exact time, they spread out the load on the website - first all the people who compulsively refresh see it, followed within minutes by the people who've been compulsively refreshing their email, followed a bit later by the people who got the email and rushed to a computer, etc.

It's the same reason UCD (and I believe most Universities) don't say what time they'll release results, just the day.

Edit: Also, re: differences in reported dates - Website update was the 3rd, tweet was the 5th, email was the 9th. Meaning the changing story was probably just them locking down the date.

Ruki · 15-07-2013 2:39pm

Let's hold off the IRC-bashing. You'll be heading round there with roses, champers, and chocolates for them if you've made the grade! Also, on top of having fewer staff and a new structure, they advertised about three IRC postdoc/PhD-liaison jobs to begin in July, i.e. there could be up to three newbies getting ready to deal with the hell that some are (crazily) threatening to unleash on them... The sense of entitlement that comes through on these posts from time to time makes me uneasy.

OpenYourEyes · 15-07-2013 2:41pm

Raphael wrote: »

It's the same reason UCD (and I believe most Universities) don't say what time they'll release results, just the day.

It helps that often UCD have released results very early in the morning - people didn't know in advance what time, so they didn't set alarms or anything, so you just get people checking at whatever time they wake up - which spreads out the load.

kiria · 15-07-2013 2:43pm

Raphael wrote: »

The reason they haven't announced a time, I think, is that the website would just go down at that time when everyone who's applied logs on simultaneously to check.

By not publishing he exact time, they spread out the load on the website - first all the people who compulsively refresh see it, followed within minutes by the people who've been compulsively refreshing their email, followed a bit later by the people who got the email and rushed to a computer, etc.

It's the same reason UCD (and I believe most Universities) don't say what time they'll release results, just the day.

That could be an explanation. However, wouldn't it be better if they just emailed the results? Like they mailed letters in previous years? Why should I log on their website to find out? To create more traffic? That seems senseless.

Realt Dearg Sec · 15-07-2013 2:44pm

kiria wrote: »

That could be an explanation. However, wouldn't it be better if they just emailed the results? Like they mailed letters in previous years? Why should I log on their website to find out? To create more traffic? That seems senseless.

I can understand them not wanting to mail results because it creates a security issue, whereas if you have to log in that gets around it. But the odds of the server NOT crashing are slim enough I'd say.

Raphael · 15-07-2013 2:49pm

kiria wrote: »

That could be an explanation. However, wouldn't it be better if they just emailed the results? Like they mailed letters in previous years? Why should I log on their website to find out? To create more traffic? That seems senseless.

Excellent question., I was wondering that myself earlier. It's possible they want to track accesses, i.e. know who has read what, so they can then follow up with people who haven't read the thing. It's also possible that the offer is accepted in the same location, and they want to encourage people to see it.

Or maybe, their email server can't take the strain of sending a bunch of large (containing feedback/details) emails at once. If you've ever send a large number of emails in one go, you'll know it's not as simple as just sending one, and rather than have to send staggered emails they did this. Though if that's the case, you'd expect them to put a yes/no in the email and a "click here for more details"

Security concern I don't really see, but I guess it's possible some people aren't careful with emails. *shrug*

Danera · 15-07-2013 2:56pm

One of my referees decided not to submit the reference. He couldn't even respond to my emails. I was gutted but not anymore having recently been awarded a PhD studentship at University of Ulster in Northern Ireland (2013 Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship). I am extremely delighted about it. All the best guys.

Realt Dearg Sec · 15-07-2013 3:00pm

Danera wrote: »

One of my referees decided not to submit the reference. He couldn't even respond to my emails. I was gutted but not anymore having recently been awarded a PhD studentship at University of Ulster in Northern Ireland (2013 Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship). I am extremely delighted about it. All the best guys.

That kind of thing would sicken you, when you put the amount of work in that this application needs. Glad it worked out for you in the end lad.

Danera · 15-07-2013 3:15pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

That kind of thing would sicken you, when you put the amount of work in that this application needs. Glad it worked out for you in the end lad.

After I was awarded the Ulster PhD Studentship, I sent him an email informing him about it, what surprised me was that he responded to my email within minutes congratulating me. I concluded that the man just didn't want to submit the reference.

I just felt bad for my proposed supervisor at DIT who was very helpful when I was preparing the research proposal.

OpenYourEyes · 15-07-2013 3:18pm

Danera wrote: »

After I was awarded the Ulster PhD Studentship, I sent him an email informing him about it, what surprised me was that he responded to my email within minutes congratulating me. I concluded that the man just didn't want to submit the reference.

I just felt bad for my proposed supervisor at DIT who was very helpful when I was preparing the research proposal.

You would think that if he didn't want to submit the reference he'd at least come up with some excuse to not do it, rather than lave you waiting and ultimately unable to complete your application!

I was emailing my 2nd referee a lot in the run up to the deadline, with mixed fortunes - ended up with me ringing him all morning the morning of the deadline - eventually got in contact and got it submitted thankfully!

Glad your story had a happy ending anyway, and best of luck with the new phd!

smeedyova · 15-07-2013 3:22pm

When they wrote that the results would be out on Monday, I assumed that they would be ready on the Friday. Seems to me that they are still tinkering away with it...Sigh.