Do institutional roadblocks build you as graduate student?

I recently wrote a blog entry focusing on the idea of being “scooped” in scientific research. I’m convinced institutional roadblocks and lack of resources can contribute to this unfortunate event.

This is my first year at Tennessee State University but it is not my first time being in graduate school nor conducting competitive research. I mention these things the lay the groundwork for my current struggle which is.. ORDERING AND RECEIVING SUPPLIES.

I started a really cool experiment in September of 2019 and ran out of supplies to continue. I submitted my order and after four weeks I became weary. I submitted inquiries that went unanswered. I submitted the purchase again and confirmed the purchase order with the company. Another month went by and still I had no supplies. We are now half way done with the semester and I’m still waiting on proprietary item to continue my project. Five months later, I’m so frustrated that I opt to use my scholarship money allowance for “professional development”, which should be used for conference travel, to attempt to pay for lab supplies. I’m STILL being being confronted with roadblocks. All I want to to do is do some biochemical analysis and flash gas chromatography on some bacteria. That’s it!!

I’m not use to this at all. I don’t want to compare TSU to the other research institutions I’ve attended but it’s hard not to do so. How can a student or research professor be competitive and relevant in their field if they can’t even get the materials needed to do experiments in order to publish? Publications lead to grants. Grants lead to more research and money for the institution. I would think with that type of positive feedback loop, the university would make getting materials purchased and delivered a high priority for the research departments

It’s pretty embarrassing at this moment and I started to raise the issue with a few faculty. What’s even more disheartening is that the response I’m receiving is “that’s just the way it is here” or “welcome to TSU, that sounds normal.” None of this should be normal nor acceptable. Mediocrity has no place in scientific research. To be as blunt as possible, there is no way this institution can desire to be respected on the same level as some of it neighboring universities if they are functioning at a mediocre level when it comes to ordering and supporting the research departments.

I honestly am concerned about my future as a graduate student. Will my time to degree be extended to 6 or 7 years because I spent so much time waiting on supplies? Will I have to result to using my own funds to order what I can from Amazon or the manufacturer and just hope and pray that I’ll get reimbursed? These are thoughts that never crossed my mind in my previous graduate program. I simply would order an item, get approval from my advisor for the purchase grant and the item would arrive at the lab in less than a week. Time is money is research and there really needs to be a revamping of the purchasing system at TSU. Central Receiving needs to be bypassed for research laboratories as well. Our labs have a physical address that can be accessed by USPS, UPS, FedEX and DHL. There is no excuse for this hold up ESPECIALLY if the money is there and approved to be spent.

This is a recipe for getting scooped in research. Personally, I’m not trying to change my research goals around every semester due to someone else publishing my research all because I’ve been waiting 5 months for some aluminum caps to be delivered.

Has anyone else experienced purchasing woes? What’s the next step? Should the graduate students come together and approach the president about this issue? Where do we start?