[Topgamer7]

If someone behaves like the mentoring professor did, they aren't a mentor, they are a crux bringing you down. Burn their reputation, your life is worth more than their "research".

I do understand the pressure this person was feeling, unfortunately they didn't see a way out.

[ridv]

You know how people are protesting the structural policing systems in the US in part because the systems seem like they're built to protect police instead of holding them accountable?

It's been my experience that tenure provides something similar in academia. As a lowly grad student, even in the most outrageous of cases, you aren't likely to succeed in bringing these issues to light. It would take tremendous determination and there's a very good chance you will derail your own academic career.

In most cases you have two options when you run into something like this as a Ph.D. student: A) Stick it out, get the degree. B) Bail.

Unfortunately I don't see folks within the system acknowledging (at least not openly) that the system is broken without extremely tragic events such as this one taking place.

[ISL]

There is an option C): Switch advisors.

As long as the department is sympathetic to the student's complaint, it will accommodate the switch if it can.

Furthermore, there is increasing attention to providing "Faculty Mentors" -- people of faculty rank who are emphatically not the student's advisor, tasked in that capacity with advocating for the student's needs alone. Look within the University for other outlets for your concern.

You're going to be working very closely with your advisor and relying on them for guidance and networking after graduation. If the relationship is toxic and the only options are A or B, think real hard about the upside of B before selecting A.

[loeg]

Or D), blow the whistle and get out of academia.

[desi_ninja]

as international students, there are far more limitations, paperwork and deadlines than just switching advisors. also, the problem of heading. angry one professor , and their clique will be angry at you

[idoeestuff]

what dept are you in where faculty wouldn't support each other? surely the powerful faculty usually are the ones with the grants coming in, sometimes funding the other faculty (at least the dept/university).