The Amazing Art of Administrative Avoidances

Since I have suddenly (and fortunately) learnt that my advisor will be on leave until mid-August, I now have the excuse to push back my Thesis submission date. The problem is, I handed in a form saying I would hand it in at the start of August. I wanted to find out what to do.

Boss Office:

Boss: You should not ask ZZZ (Division Guy) because he knows nothing. You should ask VVV's assistant WWW, but I don't know who it is because the previous assistant left.

Chair's Office:

XXX: I don't know who replaced WWW. I've never heard of WWW. I'll just call YYY and ask. Hang on!

YYY: I don't know what to do. We just accept submissions from the Division and hand it to the Graduate Studies Office. Talk to the Division guy, ZZZ.

Division Office:

ZZZ: Oh, it doesn't matter, just hand in whenever. *Gives some information I know to be false* Just check the university website. {subtext: you die your business}

Boss Office:

Boss: Go to GSO.

Graduate Studies Office:

Oops, the whole place is locked. Only one person at the reception, AAA.

AAA: Oh, I don't know. The phd people aren't in now. {a lie since I could get through on phone later!} You take this email and email them, they'll give you the answer. *hands a post-it with a generic enquiry email*

Office:

Me: Ok this is getting nowhere. *searches the GSO website and finds a phone number for research thesis matters*

Call GSO number:

BBB: Oh, we only count your advisor's endorsement date, not the date you submit the thesis.

Me: I can't submit without my advisor to endorse, and he isn't coming back until *insert date*

BBB: Just try to submit within the month. But only the endorsement date matters. When the thing comes in, I'll look at the paperwork, so I can't promise anything. {subtext: you die your problem}