Another difference between her experience and mine outside of humanities:

defenses that revel in ripping apart at least six years’ worth of work without taking the time to acknowledge its value are shockingly common

I had annual meetings with my committee. This wasn't optional, it was a hard requirement set by the department. That way, when a committee member has a concern, they don't wait until the very end to raise it.

I'm not sure if humanities in general are horribly dysfunctional, or just her school.