text:
Is there a way for students to use a figure from an article, for a 'students-only' presentation, without paying a hefty sum?
There is a figure that is unbelievably clear and efficient in getting my point across. More specifically, I'm doing a presentation about modeling a certain real-world object to math students who are not familiar with the problem, and the figure beats any sort of clumsy explanation I can give. Nor is there any chance of me 're-imagining' the figure, or drawing from another example.
Now, asking for the rights to reproduce the figure will cost around 70euros (I study in Europe, the journal is Nature Computational Science). Are there any benefits given to students to get around this issue? Also, the presentation is only to ~40 students in my university, and the slides won't be public, so perhaps this may be another way out?
I've seen this, does my use case fall under fair use?
Edit: Added the selections I took in Nature's RightsLink.

We can't really answer legal questions about whether a particular use constitutes "fair use", but you can find lots of resources on it. Importantly, though, "fair use" is a specific legal doctrine so it's entirely dependent on jurisdiction. I can say that it is common practice in lectures and academic talks to present figures created by others, with clear citation and credit for the original author and where it is published, without paying any sort of fees.

I think "fair use" is more of a US concept, actually. But what do you mean by "reproduce"? Publishing something (youtube, available printed notes, ...)  is different (under fair use) than sharing it closely, especially in an educational setting.

@Buffy plainly: I would like to screenshot the figure and present it to the other students.

Are you a student? Are you intending something like a powerpoint presentation?

@Buffy yes, and yes

You say you're in Europe, but you really need to specify the country in order to have an informed legal discussion. In practice, I doubt there'd be a problem in showing a figure during a presentation to a small group. Some related questions: What is the legal status of using copyrighted images in academic/conference talks?, Showing figures from a paper in presentation

Can you double check your quote for the figure? I have used many figures during writting book chapters, and it was always, without exception, free and automatic (a one click form). I think your quote is if you want to buy a copy of the article, but most probably you need only the copyright cleared. Have you checked this link: https://www.nature.com/nature-portfolio/reprints-and-permissions/permissions-requests

Even if you do need permission (which you may not), and even if 70 euros is the quoted fee (which as Greg says should be double checked), you can ask the journal to waive the fee.  They'd look pretty greedy saying no for a student talk.

You might ask at your library. The librarians are often familiar with these issues and have to address it regularly.

@Greg I've added the choices I made in Nature's RightsLink

Note that you have proposed "using" the figure, not changing or "adapting" it. And you aren't proposing publishing it.

@Buffy unfortunately those were the least false options

@AyamGorengPedes I think the problem is that you want to purchase the figure, too, not just asking permission to use it. I have previously used exactly the same interface and got 0 as cost.

Yes, there is a way to do it without paying the fee. Just go ahead and include it in your presentation.
This is not a violation of a copyright law as it is fair use. The US law, for example, explicitly allows the use for teaching, and literally all the "factors to be considered" listed in the law to determine fair use work in you favor: you use it for non-profit, only a small portion of an article, it does no damage to commercial value etc.
I'll be as bold as to say that the king is naked: even if the publisher had a valid claim that you have committed a copyright infringement, it would be of no practical consequences. First, they would never learn about your presentation. Second, if they do, they wouldn't sue. What would they ask the court to do? Make the audience unsee your presentation? Make you pay 70 EUR?

"Fair use" is part of US copyright law, so it only applies in the US. OP is not in the US. Certainly other countries have similar ideas in their copyright laws.

@BryanKrause, fair enough, but I frankly feel that it is those who are making the preposterious claim that it is not a straightforward issue should corroborate their claim with specific court cases.

The answers so far mention "fair dealing" (law in UK and several commonwealth countries) and "fair use" (US law). Especially the latter is a very open-ended doctrine for reusing copyrighted works. However, EU copyright law (to the extent that copyright law has been harmonized between the countries in the union) tends to work in a different fashion. The Copyright and Information Society Directive includes a list of explicit limitations and exceptions to copyright that member countries are permitted to implement. Among other things, member countries may allow educational uses. But the details vary from country to country. The European Union Intellectual Property Office has a useful FAQ on copyright for teachers, which provides answers for the different EU states to questions like the following:

Under what conditions can teachers or students use copyright material (such as images, articles, photos) from the internet for educational purposes, such as in an assignment, presentation or in a digital learning environment?

If you are in an EU country, chances are you'll find there is some kind of educational exception to copyright, and an outline of it in that FAQ or at least references to applicable laws and industry agreements. If you are in a non-EU European country, you'll have to look to the appropriate national law.

This is is useful answer. When you write "the detail vary from country to country", does that mean that there are countries where what OP wants to do is not OK? If so, could you give an example?

@Kostya_I It might be the case that there is some country without any educational exception. I'm not too interested in going through answers from 27 countries to find out (and answers from Portugal are incomplete). What I primarily meant, however. is that implementation of the exception varies. In some countries (e.g. Ireland, Sweden) it appears to only apply to institutions that have specific licensing or have signed some agreement. On the other hand, Poland appears to be quite permissive and Germany seems to allow the use of images and up to 15% of works in scientific journals.

in Sweden, this is a non-issue, as per BCA guide: All universities and higher education institutions in Sweden have agreements with Bonus Copyright Access. Same in Finland.

You should contact the publisher (not the author) and ask permission, clearly describing your situation.  I can’t believe there’s a fee for just asking.
For what you describe (an internal event), I would normally not even bother and use the figure, but it’s a good exercise to just go through the process of asking.
I can’t imagine the publisher will require you pay the fee; at worse you may be required to acknowledge the source of the figure, which is something you should do anyways.
I don’t have experience with the reuse of figures in your field, but graduate students of mine often reuse figures in their thesis and have never had to pay, although they have gone through the process of formally getting permission (sometimes electronically) and properly thanking the publisher for allowing the re-use of images.

I think you are free to do this, but it is a legal issue and IANAL. And the law varies.
In the US, "fair use" is defined in one way. In the UK "fair dealing" is similar, but not identical. Other places...???
One of the most important aspects of these exceptions to copyright law involve whether you affect the commercial value of what you copy. Another is the nature of the use. Publishing a figure in some paper needs some consideration, but very limited "sharing" in an educational environment is likely (not assuredly, likely) to be considered fair.
Another aspect is that copyright infringement is almost everywhere a civil matter. It requires a lawsuit to enforce. So the copyright holder has to know about the infringement and has to decide that a lawsuit is "worth it". If you were to republish he entire Bob Dylan songbook, they would take notice, certainly, and some are paranoid about smaller things, but only if it is worth the effort. In your case I can't see that as an issue.
But it would be best if you have proper access to the image to start with. Even finding it in a library is fine. Otherwise it has ethical implications that go beyond copyright.
And, cite the source when/if you present it.


text:
Does changing department affect my rank?
I am a PhD graduate from department of CS. I might get an offer to join as an assistant professor at a different department (industrial design) to work in a multidisciplinary project. My question is that if I change my department or even my institution in future would it affect my rank? Will my researching effort being counted in future?
EDIT
I need to clarify that after the end of my contract, I will be evaluated to be promoted as an associated professor. My question is that since I might work for industrial department, the rank given to me would be valid if I join, say, CS department?

Unfortunately, your edit makes this question off-topic

@AzorAhai-him- How so?

Questions about moving between depts/universities are not topic, questions like "what happens if I move from Dept A to CS?" are not.

@AzorAhai-him- I guess it was an obvious case without Edit.

Seems heavily dependent on the institution (if transferring within one) or between institutions. For example the recent question on a tenured professor changing univeristies.

@JonCuster You mean if changing both institution and department I may grade down to even a lecturer?

@lonesome - it seems unlikely that you would want to accept such a job offer.

@JonCuster Why wouldn't I?

I think it is unlikely, not impossible, that your rank would be reduced at a given institution, but might be if you change universities, especially when moving to a new field. It is also possible to move up in rank, even within a given institution, but it might take some special action to do so.
When changing institution, rank is probably negotiable. If they want you a lot, you have leverage, especially to avoid moving down in rank.
But rules differ, especially for such "edge" cases.
And, there is a subtlety here. If you are a Professor of CS and change to something else, say, mathematics, you might not automatically become a Professor of Mathematics. Rules Rule. And your pay might change, depending on how budgets are managed.

All in all it seems the rank wont be mobilized?

When you receive your job offer, it will offer you a specific position/rank. It would be unusual to offer someone a lower rank than they already have, but not inconceivable when moving between universities (i.e. moving from Northern State University to Harvard). It would be very unusual for a department within your university to offer you in effect a demotion.
You would always have the choice to not accept.

When you change departments, even within a university, your research progress towards tenure needs to be negotiated as part of your offer. Even within similar fields (say, computer engineering and computer science), standards vary widely. Some comp. engineering departments place a lot of stock on journal publications (I turned down such an offer because I was explicitly told I'd need to produce IEEE journal publications to get tenure, so leaving my current research community), whereas CS departments generally recognize conferences as valid venues for publications.
Whether your progress in a different department will be recognized in effectively another field strongly depends on
a. how much intersection is there between your work in the current department and your prospective future move.
b. how willing will a future department be to accept your progress in a different field. Some CS departments are more interdisciplinary than others, and this decision could depend on who the current head/dean is, your own attractiveness as a hire, and a variety of other factors.
I would say that from my (obviously anecdotal) experience, cross-disciplinary jumps are not sufficiently incentivized since the research products of disciplines are not necessarily recognized by others. However, I've also seen success stories, especially in cases where the researcher has maintained ties with the prospective discipline. So - if you feel like you may switch to CS later in your career, then you should definitely maintain professional ties (in the form of co-supervising CS students, maintaining a publication record in relevant venues, applying for grants etc.) with a CS community.

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text:
What are motivations for companies to fully fund your degree and how do you find those companies?
I have heard the military can fund your M.S./Ph.D. completely, provided that you give them X number of years of service after degree completion.
But aside from providing X years of service after degree completion, are there other motivations for a non-military organization (companies or civilian government organizations) to fund your degree?
Here is what think:
Perhaps a company would be interested in fully funding your M.S./Ph.D. only if

you put their name at the top of all your published papers.
any patents that come out of your research are owned by the company

Are there more?
Also, how do you find companies or civilian government organizations that will fully fund your degree(s) and not require X years of service after degree completion?

I forgot to mention that universities often provide their employees with cheaper/free education.  Some give these benefits to the immediate family members of employees, too.

1.  Companies sometimes fund research groups to get the benefits you've listed

Perhaps a company would be interested in fully funding your M.S./Ph.D. only if

you put their name at the top of all your published papers.
any patents that come out of your research are owned by the company

When a company wants advertisement through publication or patent rights, they'll tend to fund a research group instead of an individual student.
In turn, the group typically claims their corporate sponsor in publications and often focuses research on topics that the sponsor's interested in, including sharing intellectual property rights.
This doesn't really work when a student's funded directly.  For example, most schools tend to claim rights to their students' inventions, which would prevent the students from being able to pass them to their employer (at least simply).  Additionally, there's little reason to have someone who's already an employee go to grad school to get 'em to do research; R&D departments can just do it directly.
2.  Reasons to pay employees' tuition
Tuition reimbursement's primarily synergistic, motivated by an alignment of interests.
This is, if you pay for an employee's tuition, that's a huge perk for them, and thus part of their compensation - kinda like health insurance and other benefits are.
And like other benefits, you might provide them to an employee instead of just paying the employee more because there's some sort of synergy.  In the case of education, it's often that you want educated employees, and by educating one who's already in-house, the result is an educated employee who knows the ropes and is invested in the company.
There're more factors involved, but they can get pretty situational.
3.  You can probably negotiate this benefit with many companies
If you want to go back to school, you're asking the company to incur a cost.  So just like getting a pay raise, you'll want to show them that it's in their interest to give it to you.
Hypothetically, say that you're about to leave the company and don't want to have to agree to stay after your education's complete.  Then, how do you make that worth their while?  That might almost require you taking a pay cut approximately equal to the tuition.  And it might even be worse, since you'll basically be telling your employer that you'll be distracted with a side-job (school) and then leaving the company soon.
On the other hand, say that you're a great employee and you want the company to fund an MBA done in weekend classes so that you can move up to management; further, you agree to stick around for at least 10 years after finishing the MBA.  That's a far more attractive offer, and a lot of companies would go for it.  Many already offer such options.
In general, you basically just need to discuss it with an employer like any other sort of arrangement.
Found a great article with advice on this topic: "How to Ask Your Employer to Fund Your Education", Investopedia:

Discussing Education Funding With Your Boss

Pick your degree/diploma or designation/certification
Pick your course(s) and your school/college
Create a list of ways your company will benefit:

You will add new skills to the workforce.
You will be more productive and therefore able to increase company revenue.
You will be able to take on new assignments and generate additional revenue.
You will be able to take on a leadership role within the company.
Your degree/diploma will present a more professional image/give prestige for the company.
You can mentor new employees and spread new skill sets to other employees.

Anticipate questions or concerns that your HR manager might have. Try to answer questions in such a way that your answer leads back to a benefit for the company.

Concern: time away from work. Response: night classes or online classes will fit into your free time, which will add new skills and increase productivity.
Concern: company expense. Response: tuition may cost less than hiring and training a new employee with the degree/diploma/certification. Your education will make money for the company.

Practice your Q&A and be prepared. Take your notes with you into the meeting with your HR manager.
If your employer refuses, don't give up. Try again next quarter.

-"How to Ask Your Employer to Fund Your Education", Investopedia

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text:
How to deal with an abusively condescending professor?
I am a beginning graduate student in Mathematics. I have a professor who always brings up the fact that my GPA is not great in my undergraduate degree even though my performance is above the norm in the institution I am enrolled at the moment, so far I got straight A's in the graduate courses that I have completed. He always tries to point out at my flaws in my undergraduate years to humiliate me in front of other professors and my colleagues. What would be a wise reply/reaction to such abuse?
I feel bad about it cause I feel like I am harassed and I don't reply.
I am also currently taking a course with that professor.

Have you asked him why he thinks it's relevant to your graduate position?

Related: How to deal with an abusive advisor?

Where is this happening? What country, and if it's a big country, what state/province?

Are you sure that his comments are meant in a way to put you down and not just the professor's way to tease you - a poor attempt at humour? Is it only you he makes such "mean" remarks about? Not saying that would completely excuse it, but it could influence what the "best" way to go forward is.

Could you maybe provide an example situation/conversation for this? Depending on the situation, this might even be him trying to encourage other students by pointing out that one of his current top students (you) actually has an aweful GPA and is still doing well. I'm not saying it is, it's just that telling people about your below-average GPA isn't necessarily meant as a negative thing.

Do you depend on that professor? Or is it just the humiliation that you'd like to avoid?

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@Mark You shouldn’t think in their shoes just because their professors. If this was student they would certainly face punishment.

As I understand you, you are being publicly shamed (in front of fellow grad students) by this professor by dint of your undergrad record.
If you are in the US, this is violating FERPA by revealing your academic record.  Other countries have similar privacy laws.  File a FERPA complaint and wipe that smug smile off his face.
I'm no expert and I suspect each school is different.  But this is a federal law and I think most schools would take such a blatant violation seriously.  I'm pretty sure this prof would get his leash yanked pretty hard.
Note that it could backfire. You could an enemy who will make your graduate experience miserable. But I'm betting against it. There have been a number of times when I just let a jerk be a jerk because I thought my life would go more smoothly, but found out later that if I had stood up for myself, I would have gotten a standing ovation from 99% of the people around me. This prof is a jerk and his colleagues will likely appreciate him being called out.
Also, in the case of harassment and rights violations, the perpetrator is warned against retaliation in any form. And someone will be watching for it. Someone behind those closed doors will tattle. I think you are perfectly safe.
My experience
When I taught small classes, I would write all the test scores on the board, so that students could see where they ranked.  One young lady thought I was violating FERPA with this tattled on me.  I got hauled into the chairs office where he was accompanied with one of those university JD types (the law students who never pass the bar, but get jobs at universities being annoying.)  and the dean.  They were ready to have a field day with me.  They had already talked to other students and had corroboration that I had, in fact, written all the scores on the board.  The JD was salivating.
We talked at cross purposes for a while, then they figured out that I was writing numbers only.  No names.  No personal information was being displayed.  They were so disappointed. An administrator gets to be administrative so rarely and here they had an open-and-shut case go up in smoke.
So the point here is that at this school at this time, FERPA violations were a big deal.  I suspect that in the current safe-room environment, they might be a bigger deal.  Telling the class that that guy right there has a low GPA could traumatize him for life, eh?

For completion's sake (and I guess mine too), would you mind fleshing out a little more how a FERPA complaint would play out? Namely, the possible outcomes and maybe how likely each is? For example, if you said "he'll probably know it was you and it's likely little more would come of it than a write-up on his record," well that's probably not worth one smug grin.

My two cents, since you accepted this answer. I'd stay away from this public legal approach until all else fails. I go for @Buffy 's answer, perhaps along with talking to another professor you trust.

Interesting that there is a thing like FERPA. In my country, I believe all exams results are entirely public, by law. Which is entirely the opposite.

The general discussion about the pros and cons of privacy laws as well as comments which I considered addressed have been moved to chat. Please continue the discussion there and be nice while doing so. Before you post another comment, please read this FAQ.

Do people don't speak to each other anymore? How can this "big gun" approach be the accepted answer? Have you tried talking to the professor first? If you were him, wouldn't you like to be given the opportunity to correct this in a more straightforward way? Just go and talk to him and leave answers like this one as a last resort for when normal interactions fail.

This is likely to make enemies throughout the entire department.  Department chairs and so on will be forced to spend significant time dealing with this process and any fallout, and even if you are in the right, they will not appreciate the fuss.

@Peter  Of course it's the last resort.  The point of my answer is that when he talks to the prof, he can say that this is a FERPA issue.  Connect the dots.

There are several possibilities. Some may be appropriate. Some may work. Or not.
Avoidance. If possible, just avoid this person. Don't have anything to do with him. Difficult, I know. There are probably limited options to do that.
Ignore his taunts. My guess is that he disgraces himself when he does this. If he does this publicly, other students probably see it for what it is. But a public, angry, response from  you would probably do yourself more harm than it is worth.
Formal Complaint. This will have consequences all 'round, but might be effective. His department chair might be interested to hear what you have to say, especially if the professor is un-tenured. But a complaint from a group of students would be more effective than one from a single student. And make the complaint in person or using a formal mail. Email is too easy to ignore, for this.
Try not to feel bad. The actions of the prof are inexcusable and aren't due to anything in you or that you can actually correct. Know it for what it is: unprofessional behavior.

I'd vote for "ignore", combined with continuing to get A's (and ultimately writing a superb thesis). This professor's negative comments will look sillier and sillier as more of his colleagues see you doing A work.

+1. I'd go straight to the student affairs office and lodge a complaint. Harassment is never okay.

Direct Rebuttal - Say something akin to this ... "Dr. XYZ, as far as I understand privacy rules (e.g. FERPA in US), my undergraduate performance is off-limits for discussion. I appreciate that you will not bring it up again."

@JeffreyJWeimer, that might be fine in private or in a conference with the department head. In public it might not be wise. Retaliation by the powerful can be pretty devastating. Sometimes you just need to act (or don't act) strategically in your own interests. I find it ok to suggest this action, but hesitate to recommend it without knowing the personalities.

@JeffreyJWeimer If you want to play barrack-room lawyer, you had better be sure you will always be on the right side of the letter of the law for the rest of your stay in the institution. Don't expect to be cut any slack if you are not! Tl:dr: only fight battles you KNOW you will win.

My suggestion is to not engage further with the instructor. Just go to the student affairs office and tell them that you're being harassed by your instructor. I'd recommend doing this in person, but you may want to call them first to arrange an appointment.

@AndreasBlass has it. The key to a successful college career is to find the professors who treat you right and keep taking courses from them. When you find ones that treat you badly, avoid whatever they are teaching like the plague.

Seek advice from a trusted mentor.
If you have another professor or advisor who you believe you can speak to about this, I would encourage you to explore that option. Not only is it important to have a positive influence to counteract the negative impact of this professor in your personal development, but quality mentorship is also a component in your future career success.
A mentor who has already passed these trials and tribulations in their career may have very well witnessed and experienced these same behaviors. They can offer a more informed plan for how to treat this with your best interests in mind. What your mentor advises may boil down to the same options @Buffy has laid-out. In the case that you should choose formal action, a mentor supporting you in this could be very influential in how it concludes.
One of the unfortunate realities of academia currently is that institutional mechanisms to discourage and rectify this type of behavior are (in my opinion) rare and frequently ineffective. For better or worse, your professors often have an inordinate amount of influence on your career once you are at the graduate level. For this reason, it's really difficult for a student to utilize formal recourse options. Some schools do have specific anti-bullying resources, and you should investigate if these exist at your institution.

I feel like asking this question on the Academia StackExchange is seeking advice from a trusted mentor. Or put it another way: imagine a student coming up to you and telling you that they feel safe talking to you about this thing. Is your response going to be essentially "go ask somebody else" as in the answer you wrote here...?

@DanielWagner You are right. On the other hand we are just a troup of internet strangers all here on SE. I think Nathan recomends seeking a mentor one can physically touch rather than anonymous mentor hidden behind an SE account.

@DanielWagner: Basically there is a trade-off. HybridAlien is anonymous here, and it is difficult for the abusive professor to know he is the subject here, since there are quite a number of abusive professors. On the other hand, a 'trusted' party at the institution itself may for all you know have ties with the abusive professor...

@DanielWagner an actual in-person mentor has a lot to offer that SE never can though. Not only do they know the poster's situation better, but if they are involved in the department they may have all sorts of knowledge and abilities that can better aid HybridAlien. Additionally, they are a continuing presence which will be important. There are a number of recognized benefits to having an actual mentor, and I have alluded to that in my answer.

I've gone through this nonsense before. Here is an interaction I had with one of my professors regarding an assignment I had in college, around 20 years ago:

Me: Sir, I know what pride is but what is prejudice?
  Him: Prejudice means, "what I have against you"

Best part is, I still did not understand.
That professor is looking for a reaction from you. Detach from the negative experience, don't react negatively and you will stop the very thing that feeds their ego.
You have to attack the core of his belief system.

You have to attack the core of his belief system sounds quite enigmatic. What exactly do you mean by this and how do you do this?

@henning By non-reacting, he's basically showing that he does not consider the opinion of the professor (at least this kind of opinion) worth of consideration, thereby depriving the professor of his power. This will shock the professor's belief that he is a god among men and thus entitled to abuse whoever he wants for no other reason that self-aggrandisement.

I feel you have to be careful not to go nuclear, because if he is your professor you have to be careful not to move from "annoyance" to "threat" in his eyes, given he presumably grades your work. However, it seems like he's already put himself in a bad position since you said he "tries ... to humiliate me in front of other professors", not just in class.
I believe to reduce risk of this going nuclear, you have to present as though you're concerned and not accusing.
So go to his boss. Say you're trying to look out for the organisation as a whole. Point out he's breaching privacy laws by repeatedly bringing this up in front of other professors, and if anyone makes an official complaint for any reason then things aren't going to end well for anyone. Ask his boss if they can have a quiet word to "nip this in the bud" and mitigate reputational risk to the organisation, and by implication also to this guy's boss.
Play up your concern for the organisation and try not to get personal. Mention some of the other staff members he's done this in front of. Stress that you believe it's better for all concerned if this just quietly stops happening.
Afterwards, write down what you believe was discussed in the meeting as clearly and succinctly as you can. Send an email to the person you've just met with, thanking them for their time and including your notes on the "informal meeting" (that is, you're explicitly not making a formal complaint right now)  "just for their reference" and to "clear things up if I misinterpreted or misunderstood anything".
Assuming this person's boss doesn't argue your email, you've now established yourself on record as trying to deal with it quietly without reputational risk to the organisation. If it escalates or you need to file a formal complaint later, you've established the moral high ground.

I will copy on B.Goddard's answer - wipe the arrogant smile off their face.
On the other hand, this will backfire to you in a matter of seconds, maybe sooner. So be ready for that.

File as many instances as you can of when you were mocked by that professor.
Look for a different advisor, discuss your issue with them honestly. (Do not mention the mocker's name until directly asked for it)
Look for a different university to minimise the mocker's/bully's options to interfere with your career.

With the backup plan go for the complaint and leave. Take your lesson and forget about this professor.
It is highly probable that you were not the only one to be bullied by this professor so there is a chance you will start an avalanche of complaints against them. This might lead not only to wipe the smile off their face but to wipe them off their position as well.

It would appear that he is trying to shame you to make himself feel better.  This is not unusual behaviour, though you would hope for better from a senior academic.  One solution is to call him on it enough to stop it but not enough to make an enemy of him:
"Yes, my GPA was indeed 3.0.  That seems to have really caught your attention because you've mentioned it the last 9 times we've met."
I would not try to emphasis that you are getting great grades now.  The important bit is to call him on his GPA-focus, particularly if there are other people around.  Do it in a manner which suggests that you are genuinely curious about why he is mentioning it, rather than letting him know that it irks you.

Sorry, but this approach seems to be extremely dangerous. Poking the tiger, so to speak, when the tiger isn't caged.

@Buffy I completely agree. These ripostes work with a peer, but not with someone much higher up in the hierarchy. Stay away from them. Unfortunately, they will continue doing so - maybe as a power game or maybe for snobbism (not the same thing). You may take notes and go to an ombudsperson if your career depends on it, but if not, just avoid them.

This would be a stronger answer without the "I wonder why...." and following responses. I think "Yes, my GPA was indeed 3.0. You've mentioned that a few times now since we've met." is a good start, but you might want to finish with something closer to "I've been working hard to improve since then, and I was hoping my strong graduate performance so far would supplant that. Is there something else I'm supposed to be doing?" I agree you want to "call him on it enough to stop it but not enough to make an enemy of him", but I don't think your answer does that.

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text:
Undergrad overwhelmed by a graduate math class
I'm an undergraduate studying math and I'm taking a graduate math class for the first time this semester. I've taken the undergraduate prerequisites, but it's still very challenging, which I was expecting.
I'm starting to get overwhelmed by the content and the pace of the course. The professor is not only very famous in the field but also tends to brush off most things as 'basic' during lectures and doesn't seem to like to answer students' questions in detail. I find it intimidating to approach the professor or go to office hours because I feel like I don't even know the basics. I'm the only undergraduate in the class, but it seems like other graduate students are also finding the content quite intense.
I also don't have anyone to work with, and I find it very difficult to just randomly approach people in the class, not only because I'm introverted but mostly because I feel very embarrassed of my lack of understanding. I'm really interested in the subject and I want to give it my best. It's hard to tackle the problem set even after consulting multiple books, and I feel more discouraged and unsure of myself. I'd appreciate some advice from people with more experience.

I have flagged this question to be closed because there isn't really a question in here. OP, if you want this to remain open, I would suggest spending some time to think about what you want to ask, and ask that, rather than just describing your situation and asking for general advice. In general opinion-based, open-ended questions are not on topic here, but this could be refined to a question that is on topic.

You're an undergrad taking a grad class, you have every reason to expect to be challenged. Go approach the professor or other students, and make it clear that you want to learn. Of course you haven't mastered the basics, that's why we have "Master's" degrees specifically intended to solidify understanding of the fundamentals. Don't be discouraged, you are already challenging yourself to go above and beyond! The prof might see that as a reason to give you extra help, and I know I personally (as a grad student) enjoy teaching undergrads advanced topics.

The only thing one can't afford when it desires to learn is to be afraid to look stupid or ignorant. The whole point is that you're investing your time and mental resources to move forward from that position and advance to greater understanding and knowledge. Relying on others in just the right amount can speed up the process quite a bit, while also not hinder your  own personal growth. Office hours are there for students who don't understand the content, not for the experts of the field who already know everything. Hence, be sure to take full advantage of that as long as you show commitment.

I lack sufficient reputation to vote for re-opening, but I think this question is on-topic and provides sufficient information/detail to allow for specific and useful responses (as below)

I did vote to re-open.

I agree with @YemonChoi. Voting to reopen.

This question seems to be on the recurring open/close pendulum.

Can you specify what class that is, and what prerequisites you took? Also why are you taking a graduate class as an undergraduate? Writing your Bachelors thesis teaches you actually a lot how to approach math literature.

Mathematician here: We've all been in a similar situation when transitioning from undergrad to grad classes. You write that you are "embarrassed" due to your lack of understanding; don't worry, others probably are having issues also. But if you do think you aren't getting basics, then it is more, not less important that you talk to your fellow students and the professor.
However, the main thing you should realize is that this is a pretty regular experience. What matters is how you react to it; don't get demoralized but put the effort in. And don't hesitate to ask questions, even in class; your fellow students are likely confused about some of the same things you are.

I'd suggest focusing on the basic definitions and theorems in the course and trying to get these figured out before diving into the details of proofs of particular theorems.

"We've all been in a similar situation when transitioning from undergrad to grad classes."  Though that's hardly the only time.  I think most mathematicians can attest that the feeling of "I don't know as much as I should" will be pretty much permanent from here on out.  You can live with it and be successful, but only if you don't let it get in the way of interacting with people and doing what you need to do.

My impression is that the OP is not transitioning to grad level but is taking grad-level classes while still an undergrad

@YemonChoi , That still is essentially transitioning to grad level classes. I don't know about other fields, but at least in math, it isn't that strange for strong undergrads to start taking their first few grad classes as an undergrad. I  used the word "transitioning" because they are likely taking a mix still.

@JoshuaZ This is definitely dependent on the educational system - it's much harder to do this in the UK because we have much bigger numbers in upper-level classes and much more rigid systems of prerequisites, timetabling, exams, etc

@YemonChoi Fair. In the US and Canada this isn't uncommon, and my impression is that this isn't uncommon in some European countries.

I was also in that exact situation once. As you can see from other answers, many of us were; it's a common experience.
The main thing that I regret, and I think limited my advancement at that exact point, was the inability/unawareness of reaching out to others and forming/joining a study group. (Turns out I was "competing" in some sense with another group of a dozen or so students who studied together.)
There's an actual a name for this phenomenon of feeling alone and spending overwhelming amounts of energy trying to get over that to the point of burnout, called John Henryism. In the literature, it's mostly associated with high-performing African-Americans who feel isolated, but I think it's applicable to a wide range of situations, esp., people from rural areas seeking to succeed in elite academia/industry. It seems particularly likely to afflict personalities who (a) are introverted and tend to go into math, (b) have had high success at the undergraduate level working alone from text resources, and (c) try to make this radical leap to graduate-level math work (not having the experiences or toolbox to get outside help).
In short: Push through and do what you need to join or create a study group. Also, go to the instructor's office hour and lay out your situation and experience. It's my primary regret that I couldn't think to make that happen in the exact same circumstance.

Does your experience also match the OP's description of being the only undergrad on this grad course?

@YemonChoi: Excellent question. Basically yes, my experience started as an undergraduate when I signed up for a graduate real analysis course; I could have been the only one doing so (not sure). But it snowballed the next year as an actual graduate student with complex analysis, same instructor (Lang text).

There are a couple of things that the other answers don't mention:

The official prerequisites may not line up with what you are actually expected to know in the course.  Being a graduate course, the professor probably expects the students to have a certain amount of mathematical maturity, which is not something that can be accurately measured in terms of prerequisites.
There are different styles of graduate courses.  One is where you are taught "basics," but at a higher level/faster pace than undergraduate courses.  (These often have regular homework and/or exams.)  Another type is a what I think of as a more "seminar-style" type course, where you are trying to teach something broader or deeper than a basic course, and you don't have time to go through all the underlying details to cover the material.  (These ofter have no graded homework or exams.)  Then there are things in between.

I can't tell from what you've said which type of class yours is, or if it's being taught in a reasonable way, or if the other students are following along better than you are.  Depending on your situation, it might be better to switch to another undergraduate elective if possible.
But if you want to diagnose the situation, and do better in the class, try studying with some of the other students, and try going to office hours and asking the professor about some of the details.  Even if they're not willing to explain all the details to you, they should at least be willing to say tell you whether you shouldn't be in this class if you don't know this already or suggest references where you can learn how to fill-in the details for yourself.  It's also possible the professor doesn't know you (and the other students maybe?) don't know these things and this will help make things clear.  (I often don't know what my students are familiar at the beginning of a course.)

Have you asked yourself what you want from this course?
You haven't mentioned how far along you are in undergrad, nor how many weeks into the semester you've progressed. I applaud you for taking the challenge. Do not be demoralized! Some graduate classes and materials are brutal for nearly all students.[*] It certainly was the experience in my case.
That being said, you need to have a conversation with faculty and perhaps, importantly, yourself. Really ask yourself if the time you need to invest to push through the material is worth the payout here. Whatever material is contained in the course will not disappear from the annals of history - you can revisit such a course in the future. Again, I'm not sure how far into the semester you've gone, nor what your needs are, but consider such questions as:
Is the course required? Will it help you achieve your goals? What are your goals? How does the energy necessary for this course weigh against your other responsibilities and interests?
Throughout this analysis, remember: Do not be afraid to turn to help. And, do not be afraid to drop the course. I mention the latter because it is not emphasized in the other answers. I'm not questioning your ability - no! I'm questioning whether you'll be happy after allocating your time to push through the material. Don't fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy, nor to your whims. It's tough to cut projects, yes, but there is no shame in it. It's a skill actually! Keep your options open.
[*] Consider that grad students often have varied levels of preparation. Some may find the course harder than you are. You're not alone in the struggle.

Nothing bad in questioning the ability. Might well be that the same student, when he's practised the same prerequisites on a more appropriate advanced course next semester, is well able to do it in a year.

+1 not least because of the comment that the grad students may be finding it hard as well. Graduate classes are often a step up, not just in difficulty but also in reliance of the students to grapple with the material, not just be passively taught it.

Talk to your professor, fellow students, tutors. The department almost surely has resources to help students learn, and it's up to you to use them. As long as you make a genuine attempt to learn the material and don't show up expecting to be spoonfed, virtually everyone will be willing to help you.
As for being embarrassed: this isn't something to be embarrassed about. In fact if anything it would be embarrassing if the material were so simple you can
understand it easily. Besides, would you rather be embarrassed by your lack of understanding now, or by an F grade at the end of the semester? Being part of a university gives you access to resources an outside self-studying student doesn't have - make use of them.

This answer doesn't seem to address the issue (which from my UK-trained perspective seems noteworthy, but perhaps in North American systems is just business as usual) that the OP is an undergraduate taking a grad-level course and is the only undergraduate on the course

@YemonChoi It is definitely business as usual in the US. I know more people doing this than not.

@knzhou Thanks for the clarification; and apologies to Allure

@YemonChoi But you're right, it might well be that this course is too advance for OP (at least now). You need to find out if that's the case! Perhaps the prerequisites are just not specific enough because nobody expected an undergrad to turn up anyway!

@YemonChoi I'm of opinion that's not an important detail. If the course does discriminate between undergraduates and graduates, then generally undergraduates already need to meet lesser requirements; further, if undergraduates don't have the background needed then the prerequisites should be changed.

I agree with the answers here, and would add the following points from personal experience (both as a student and as a mentor):

Find a mentor. Your professor or department might suggest one, or it may be someone you know and trust. Either way, it needs to be someone who is reasonably knowledgeable on the subject, but more importantly someone you feel comfortable feeling "stupid" around, and asking "stupid" questions. You will very soon realise that your questions are not only not 'stupid', but are the right kind of questions to be asking in order to grasp the material. Typically it's mostly a case of overcoming the steep initial learning curve, and you'll find that it becomes much easier to work things on your own after that (typically after a couple of months).
Do spend time understanding basic concepts and building on them, rather than simply fall back on memorising approaches that you feel you don't quite understand, or just gathering enough superficial understanding to barely pass the assignments. Be inquisitive, and ask questions. Personally I would also recommend making Anki notes whenever you have a personal insight, and revising these insights daily as per Anki's smart scheduling. This takes some time initially, but saves a lot of time later, because the basic building blocks and insights you'd otherwise have forgotten and have to revise all the time, will now be available to help you revise your understanding and build up on more advanced concepts as you progress.
Yes, you will need to put in the extra effort in parallel to trying to keep up with the course at the same time. No it will not be like this for the entirety of your course; in all probability if you put in the extra effort for a couple of months, you'll find yourself being more and more comfortable keeping up after that. But you do need to be as organised and as fast as possible about it now, otherwise you risk leaving too significant a gap to fill. So find someone you trust and start having discussions and exploring your insights as soon as possible.
Many students are under the mistaken impression that a university is a place of teaching. It is not. It is a place of learning. You should 100% be responsible for what you get out of it. Lecturers, professors and mentors are useful in hopefully guiding you on the off chance you stray from the right path. But don't expect anyone to push you along that path or hold your hand; if anything occasionally they might accidentally push you backwards! Pushing forward at all times is totally up to you, which is also what makes this exciting and worthwhile in the first place.

I was in a similar situation myself as an undergrad (physics), as I took an advanced quantum field theory course designed for graduate students. It was also taught by two lecturers - one of whom was excellent at teaching, the other less so...
At the time I had a good relationship with a professor who had previously taught the course, with whom I was able to talk about the subject matter. I also spent time with the graduate students on the course, both of these strategies are immensely useful and can help you figure out what you need to figure out.
In addition looking at other resources (particularly useful if the subject matter is a commonly taught subject) such as lecture notes and problem-sheet solutions was very helpful when I came across a subject I didn't feel I understood.
It is also very useful (in my experience) to look through problem sheets/past exams and make sure you understand the problems on there, as these are often the intended key take-aways and important points (it can be tough to sort the unnecessary detail in very complex subjects!).
Wishing you the best of luck!

During studies (CS with maths as side dish), I had this effect twice.

Once, I tried to handle a more practical project in a programing regime I had zero experience with (logical programming, in ProLog). I thought I'd just wing it (like I did everything else in CS, pretty successfully), but it turned out that there was not only a whole world of different mindsets here, but also terminology, practices, etc. that I simply did not have, and was also not able to get with the admittedly little time I invested. Also, which was a huge difference to everything else I did in a similar fashion, it turned out that I didn't really find the topic that interesting, after all.
The other was a late-stage maths course on Abelian Groups. It had precious little prerequisites, they started from first principles. I was able to follow anything in class pretty easily, but after some time it turned out that I simply could not do the homework anymore. I later learned that the more successful maths majors who took that small course invested 10+ additional study hours each week just on this course to make the material intuitive for them; a purely mechanical approach (like I tried) didn't work anymore. I still could pretty much understand what they were talking about in class, but had no idea how to apply it.

So: a) check if what you are listening to is really "for you", i.e. whether it actually is something you are kind of familiar with, or really want to become familiar with, or if it is some weird stuff that does not really connect with you. And b) check how much effort the more successful students are investing. Maybe it is one of those courses that views the classroom work as more of a hint of what to study on your own, maybe you are supposed to invest the majority of your efforts in private.
Obviously, you'll have jump your own shadow to talk with your co-students; I guess it's up to you whether you are able to deepen the work you do together with them. But that's maybe more a topic for the interpersonal StackExchange...

I had a similar experience (CS, maths minor) when a PDE class hit me upside the head in my final semester. I held on tight, had a few remedial sessions with my lecturer and passed with a low grade. It was a hard, demoralizing course, and I was not prepared (maths minor does not compare to maths major in terms of coverage of the fundamentals), but with some early communication and a lot of late nights it became possible.


text:
Is it okay that my supervisor insists for me to work from my room at night?
I am a female PhD student in the end of my second year, and my supervisor has been acting weird lately. He asks me to run the experiments from my laptop and not from my PC in the lab (it does not affect the test), and he does that when it's 11 or 12 at night.
We usually do a voice call to discuss work, but very recently he asked for a video call and it was late at night… and just today he insisted that I work from my room and not from the lab.
I just want to know what you guys think. I don't know if it's a culture difference thing or that I should really be careful. I think it's really weird considering that I've been working with him for two years and he wasn't even nice to me.

Seems weird to me, yes. Invasive, for one thing.

I think it's definitely weird and totally unacceptable without a serious motivation: has he given any for such a request?

If it makes you feel uncomfortable then it is not ok.

Does he give any reason?

My instinct would be that he's trying to creep on you and that he wants to see what your room looks like, for some insidious reason. I also find it weird that he's expecting you to be working at night after hours, in addition to being in contact with him.

See below: your video is broken or taped over. Colleagues of mine do it by default. Furthermore, people at home want to be comfortable at night; having to open the video is like being forced to await guests in full business/work attire at the dead of night which is not how one can expect to run around after hours at home. Phone must suffice at this time of day. One thing is not clear: what does his request of running experiments from laptop instead of PC change in terms of setup or your location?

At 11 or 12 (every night?) he asks you to now use your laptop, not lab computers (he repeats the request every day?). And he's an experimentalist who insists his student work from home. And this worries you "as he wasn't even nice to" you before (whereas he now is?). This is clearly happening as described, and I'm looking forward to see the question jump to 50+ upvotes for the usual reasons.

Seems very strange to me.  First, is there any reason you (or he) should be working at that time of night, instead of sleeping?  (Unless you are both night owls, and you do so by choice.)  Second, as far as I can see, there's absolutely zero reason to do a video call, period.  (FWIW, I can't recall having ever spoken to my supervisor on the phone.  Communications were either in person or email.)

Oh hell no. In Europe, this would definetely not be acceptable. One would get raised salary for just being contactable after office hours, let alone working. This kind of thing would first go through deparment approval, if it was not one-time exception. In practice, many work at unusual hours, but it is their personal decision then.

Devil's advocate: If you are used to work late in the lab, he might be worried about you walking around at night (I know I'm worried about my phd students going home from the lab at 4am). Of course, audio calls would be a bit weird, video calls are the big red flag...

@FábioDias there are much more appropriate ways of expressing concerns about your students.

I'd put some tape over my webcam

Let me address one general possibility associated with your advisor asking you not to come in late at night. (Note that I agree that your particular situation comes across as very strange, and something seems out of order there.) Most schools have legal liability issues associated with employees getting hurt on site. There may be a change in policy which makes it more onerous on the advisor to have you in the lab alone late at night unsupervised.

One possibility I'd like to add: Maybe your supervisor has to be up at these late hours (syncing time zones with someone he's started to work with now) and thus tries to push other activities into this time window, too (in order to be able to sleep during daytime). If your lab is not in the same building then asking you to work with your laptop (from your room) might be a security consideration (not sending you out in the streets late at night). Though this does in no way explain the video calls. So while the above is a possibility, his behavior still raises some red flags.

Do I understand this correctly - previously you used to do voice calls late at night with you working in the lab and your supervisor elsewhere, but now he wants to change that to you in your room? If the institution's health and safety people have brought in some "working alone directives" (i.e. you can't work alone any more) then you should have some official notification about that. If not, this sounds very odd. Maybe the supervisor's previous partner has just walked out on him...

It's always about sex.

@strongbad indeed. I usually say "don't stay on the lab so late, don't walk back alone". I do think this situation is weird, but let's not jump too fast to conclusions, there might be an innocent explanation. That was the point I was trying to convey

Be careful, retaliation for valid sexual harassment claims tends to be the rule rather than the exception.  Not that should stop you, but you should be ready for a counter attack.

Maybe you can elaborate on the possible "culture difference"? Is the instructor from another culture are are you?

To me it seems less like he wants you in your room and more like he wants you away from the lab. The video call thing is odd though, you should deny video calls or ask for a reason why at least. If he continues to be pushy insist that your webcam is broken.

Your department provides you with the office and computing facilities such that you should not have to work from home on your personal computer, and you are not contractually obliged to work more than your contracted hours (which I assume you do). I would tell supervisor that you see no legitimate reason to from home or beyond normal hours. Stop responding to correspondence (emails, texts, phone calls, or video chats) outside of office hours. I also suggest getting in to the habit of follow-up emails after all non-written communications to make sure what was discussed is in writing.

This sets off all kind of red flags. In the absence of an extremely good rationale, this is very strange and entirely unacceptable. I would recommend that you make an appointment with your graduate program director and discuss the situation ASAP. That person will have more background about the situation and more perspective, and can offer you better advice than we can here.

Additionally, this will (1) track that you have undertaken due diligence if something does go awry, and (2) raise a warning for the department if another student has a similar complaint (maybe there already have been some).

Making an appointment with the graduate student director before talking to the advisor directly about common issues (lab hours, phone meeting conduct) seems to me like an out of proportion response.

@user1717828 As a graduate program director, I can assure you that it is not at all an unusual response to situations that make a student feel uncomfortable. I am very glad when students come to me about such issues.  Talking with the advisor would be fine as well -- but only if the student feels comfortable doing so.

@user1717828 I think your characterization that these are common issues is way off. Talking about being in in the lab between 7 am and 7 pm is common, talking about working at home after 10 pm is uncommon. Similarly phone calls are common while video calls are not.

@StrongBad I think these things are highly dependent on field and even subfield. In physical chemistry labs, it's not uncommon to do normal 8-10 hour days. In synthetic chemistry labs, my understanding is that very, very late nights and very long hours are the norm. I also had many video calls with my advisor and other professors.

In what country/state is this located in? If you think something will happen, consider recording the video sessions as insurance. Obviously, you have to watch out for wire-tapping laws, hence that's why I was asking you in what jurisdiction you're in. Another thing you can do is to invite a study buddy to your room or have your roommate be present and have your Professor get a glimpse of that person so that he knows there is someone else in the room with you at all times. And in the event that he skypes you when no one is around, you could use an audio recording of your friend talking

This deserves a double or triple upvote - a director or supervisor at the same institution is in an infinitely better position to know the culture and work habits and the people involved, and if it's "okay" or not. And can really do something about it if it's not. 100 different opinions from all around the globe are interesting, but won't really fix it at the end of the day. PS. recording the skype voice & video calls could only help in case something goes really weird

+1. At my university we normally have meetings between the grad students supervisor(s) and the students, just to feel the pulse of the relations --- every PhD director knows that and is ok with it. Safety belts are always good, even for good drivers.

I had a similar experience during my MS. My adviser would call me all the time (multiple times a day even after 10-11 pm) to discuss ideas and check on progress. However, at that time he was an assistant professor and only 7 years older than me (he got his PhD at 28 and was my adviser when he was 31). It was awkward at first but then it turned out that this was his personality! He was and still one of my best friends.
Regarding your case, you said that you are in your 2nd year (I assume that you are with the same adviser?), so if he did not act like this before, chances are that that not it his personality (I'm comparing my case to your case). So, this might rise a flag or two. One can assume the worst (to be safe), but let's consider these couple of scenarios first;

Did/Does he do that with other students (current of former)?
Does he treat you differently?
Is there a deadline to your research that you do not know about? (although you said doing the tests late at night won't change anything).
Are results from your research needed for a second round of a proposal (from an ongoing funding) that need to be reported soon.
What about your adviser, is he an assistant/associate professor who in trying to apply for tenure (maybe need your results asap to write a paper or include it in his portfolio)?

Now, if any of the above (or others) do not apply. I would go with your gut feeling. Try to tell him that you can not work at night or you usually sleep early. Try to avoid video calls when he calls, then call him back with a phone call. Come up with excuses i.e., camera broke, lighting is bad, lag in signal, weak network etc. If he keeps on insisting, then discuss it with him. Hopefully you won't have to, as if he is smart enough, he should know that you are avoiding this type of communication. Remember that you can always discuss this manner with an academic adviser or dept. faculty.
I understand that this is a very delicate situation for you as a student, and hope things work out fine for you.

Actually, running things on a laptop is very likely slower than on the PC at work, so it can't be that.

I agree (for the most part i.e., especially for multi scale FE). If you are running a small macro on excel, then it should not be that much of a difference. To be honest, I was thinking in the lines of using the laptop to access the PC at office and work remotely.

The answer is good, but I would disagree with the part about making excuses, i.e., not telling the truth.  Lying and hoping he is smart enough to figure out the truth could work, but does not reflect strength and integrity.

I think there are various possible explanations for his behaviour, from purely innocent (but thoughtless) to really creepy.
My advice for you: Do not agonise about it! You cannot look inside his head, but you can take action yourself and gain more control over the situation.
About the PC and working from your room instead of the lab
Ask him why he does not want you to use the lab PC and why you should work from your room. You could introduce that question by telling him you wonder about the changed rule/policy. Does he have a reasonable answer?

Yes > Good, then do so.
No > Then tell him, you see no reason in why not to use this PC in the lab and you will continue using it.

About unwanted video calls
If he wants to video-call you at a time or in a situation you are not comfortable with, just deny it and offer a phone call, a written chat or ask him to delay the video call. There is no need for you to justify! Just say, you prefer another time or a different way of communication now.
In contrast to some other posts, I do not recommend making excuses (broken camera or so) and hoping he gets the hint, for several reasons:

Some people are really bad in getting subtle messages. They are not mean or stupid, they just lack this skill. If he belongs to that group, your situation does not change.
You might feel uncomfortable with lying, even if it is a white lie. So, you would exchange one bad feeling with another. (And if he sees you video-chatting with someone else, you will need to explain things - another unwanted situation.)
If he really is creepy, he might realise that his actions affect you and he might enjoy having power over you. That is the opposite of what you would want!

Thus, no excuses, but a polite refusal.
About working and calling late at night
Well, working at night is common within academia. However, make sure you are the one to decide if a night shift is necessary. Furthermore, make sure you get the corresponding rest periods as well.
One final remark
Since you mentioned possible cultural differences, I assume you have a different cultural background than your adviser. If this is the case, you could try to talk to someone from his culture and ask how to bring up the above mentioned issues to him in a way that is both clear and polite in his culture.

The advisors behavior is so far from normal that engaging him directly is not needed. The behavior should be brought to the attention of someone higher (e.g., department chair).

@StrongBad Yes, it not normal or acceptable behaviour, but not necessarily a harassment - there are a hand of weirdos in academia and some of them simply don't realise their inappropriate behaviour.

which is why the department chair, and not the student, needs to tell the advisor that the behavior is inappropriate.

@StrongBad Why not let first the student tell him, and if he does not change, call higher instances?

@Marzipanherz Why not? Because of the massive power asymmetries that exist between student and advisor.

@Corvus Maybe this differs between countries/cultures. Where i am, there is also a power asymmetry between phd-Student and advisor. However, it would be fully acceptable to ask the advisor about his rationale behind changing lab rules or deny his video-calls.

The dep. Chair has more information and more authority. It is part of his job. I wouldn't say full official action, but an informal chat could be revealing, and, most likely, very efficient.

The not wanting you to do stuff in the lab makes me think that he wants there to be no witnesses to your work. I get less of a sexual harassment vibe off of this than I do something else hinkey that he wants to keep secret.

I totally get a sexual harassment type vibe from the question, but if it is not sexual harassment, it is definitely something hinkey.

And the video calls?

@cfr, a video call, even late, is probably not sexual harassment. Asking her to work odd hours isn't either. Asking her to keep out of the lab isn't either unless he's trying to hide the video calls themselves because he finds some gratification in seeing her. This really isn't the forum to psychoanalyze the advisor based on the limited information we have. OP should discuss with someone in administration if she feels uncomfortable in this way. If the odd hours are the real bother, then I'd advise talking to university human resources about the employment conditions and best use of resources.

Relevant Facts:

You've worked for your advisor for around two years.

He recently asked you telecommute/Skype instead of use a lab PC for a task.

You have phone meetings late at night.

I just want to know what you guys think.

My thoughts are if any of these working conditions make you uncomfortable, you simply bring them up to him in person.
The information you've provided gives no basis for the insinuation that he is trying to see after-hours video of you for unscrupulous purposes.  If he is a good advisor, after a brief conversation he will modify group conduct to suit you.

This whole thread seems better placed in Workplace than Academia.

Not really, because academics are weirder :) I wouldn't bat an eye at an mail from a phd student at 3am, nor would he/she at my answer at 3:05am...

@FábioDias as an undergrad, I was once told off by a professor for sending him an email at 3am...

@Davidmh Then that professor is the outlier. Mostly because e-mail is asynchronous.... Just because you sent it at 3am, doesn't mean he needs to see at 3am...

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