When I started my PhD program, a faculty member I was hoping to work with was gearing up to go on tenure. I got an immediate lesson in boundary setting from seeing them prepare for and take their sabbatical. So when my first sabbatical came up, I immediately thought “what boundaries am I setting with my graduate students?” It was a question I entered summer with and continued to cycle back to until September, leaving a blank document called “sabbatical availability” open on my computer. In the end, I chose boundaries that protect my research time while continuing to be available to my students.
The first thought I had as I attempted to draft my boundaries for sabbatical was “I can’t leave my graduate students hanging.” I’d heard the horror stories of advisors who were completely MIA during sabbatical, expecting graduate students to figure it out and leave them alone. No one ever did that to me and I couldn’t imagine doing that to any of the students I work with. Just as I am available as a chair and mentor over the summer when the lack of structure and community can make some students feel out at sea, I wanted to still maintain contact. So I knew what my sabbatical would not be for my graduate students. But what parameters should I set?
I dug up that old email from the faculty member who took sabbatical as I was starting my PhD journey and studied it for clues. The professor was available and expected contact, but also laid out clear expectations for when students should ask for feedback and how feedback would be provided. This was helpful for thinking about students further into the dissertation, but what about those not in writing producing stages?
In the end, I opted to continue to be available, but on a stricter schedule than I would be during a normal semester. Need to meet? Great, I’m available Thursday afternoons or Fridays. Have a set meeting with me? Has to be Thursday afternoons or Fridays. Need me to read something for you? I’m going to do that on Thursday afternoons or Fridays. Containing the meetings and work for graduate students frees me to focus on my research work without interruption the rest of the week. Something I only have access to when I’m not teaching.
So far, a month into sabbatical, this system is working. I have time to think and analyze and write without interruptions, and time to guide and advise and mentor to keep my graduate students supported and moving forward.
