Graduate Research Assistant taking spring break off??

Graduate School
1

<p>Hey, </p>

<p>I have an odd question. I'm a grad student in engineering and I was hired as a graduate research assistant (GRA) near the end of the semester. A few months BEFORE I was hired, I made plans for an 11-day trip/vacation with a few old friends during the university spring break period (no classes in session at this time). The break is 1 week long (9 days including the weekends).</p>

<p>However, it just came to me that this might be a problem since I'm now hired by the university, and not simply a student whose only constraint is classes. The spring break period is obviously not a notational holiday (unlike chrsitmas break, thanksgiving, MLK, etc.) so I have no excuse not to show up. This was previosly okay since I wasn't a university employee, but that has now changed. </p>

<p>So, my question is:
Is it appropriate for a GRA to take spring break off?<br>
Would it be percieved as unprofessional?
Is it common for GRAs to leave during spring break?</p>

<p>I already asked some administrative people but have not recieved a response (probably because of the break). I wanted to find out if it's common to take spring break off before I ask my advisor, which may give him a poor impression since I was just hired and have yet to even prove I'm worthy of the position. </p>

<p>Any input would be great!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>9 days is a really long time to take off. It wouldn’t be completely out of line to ask well in advance, but it completely depends on your PI. I would recommend working even more than you are now in the time leading up to that vacation, if you’re able to take it.</p>

<p>Even the “national holidays” shouldn’t really be treated as days which you are guaranteed to have off. Many grad students have enough flexibility to take a day off now and then, making up the time when they can. Ask your lab-mates. But again, I think 9 days would be really hard to justify if this isn’t your wedding and honeymoon or something.</p>

3

<p>Ask. Generally speaking I can take the spring break off, but I typically don’t take the entire time off (perhaps one weekend of it and a few of the weekdays). 9 days is a bit of a long time to take off if you are expected to work 20 hours/week.</p>

4

<p>I’d start by asking other students in the lab what the atmosphere is. In some labs missing more than one day in a week is unforgivable, while in mine we don’t even have to ask permission for vacations. We’re expected to make progress on our own, and it’s up to us to make sure it happens.</p>