PhD committees: share defense and meeting availability as text
Dissertation meetings span advisors, outside members, and students on different campuses. Nobody wants another scheduling account for a one-hour proposal review.
Each person can generate plain-text free times from Google Calendar, paste into the shared thread, and the student or chair finds an overlap. The invite still goes out after agreement.
Example note from a student to the committee
Example only — sample times, not live calendar data.
Looking to schedule the proposal meeting (90 minutes). Here's my upcoming availability (EST): Mon (9/28): 1-4pm Wed (9/30): 10am-12pm, 2-5pm Fri (10/2): 9am-12pm If you reply with windows that work on your side, I will find the overlap and send the Zoom hold. Sent with shareavailability.com/s
Practical tips
- 1
Collect lists, then find overlap
Have each member paste a short free list. Merging three lists beats endless reply-all.
- 2
State defense length up front
Proposal, practice, and formal defense blocks differ — name the duration beside your times.
- 3
Use a poll only when needed
If five or more people must attend and lists conflict, escalate to a poll instead of more email.
Frequently asked questions
Does everyone need Google Calendar?
Only the person generating a list needs Google sign-in. Others can reply with typed times if they prefer.
Can this book a room on campus?
No. It only shares free times. Room booking stays with your department process.
Is this better than Doodle for three people?
Often yes for small groups — plain text in the existing thread is enough when calendars are mostly open.
Ready for your real calendar?
Sign in with Google — read-only access — and copy your free times in about ten seconds.
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