No budget for compassion

Starting last Friday, I started receiving a host of emails. Today, almost the entire day was taken trying to resolve the issue (without any real success). It is a convoluted set of circumstances. Basically, USU's office of global engagement incorrectly allowed an international graduate student of mine to do an internship (CPT). In fact, they approved his CPT TWICE, by mistake. The rule is complicated. I was never informed. Those that did receive the message in our department didn't understand, and didn't pass it on to me.

My student is in SLC with a wife and two kids. He has a contract for an apartment for a year. He has no car. They are telling him to stop work immediately and return to USU, where he has no job and no apartment. He has to apply for a different kind of internship permission, which can't be granted for FOUR MONTHS.

Very bad news, right? Listen to the tone of the email that was sent:

Dr. Watson,

I need X to stop working on his curricular practical training internship immediately to comply with immigration law.

Unfortunately one of my less seasoned advisors allowed him to extend his curricular practical training application this semester without taking note of the counsel I had given X last semester and it has further complicated the issue.

X is well aware of the immigration laws regarding curricular practical training because we discussed the laws at length last semester and that discussion is documented in his immigration file.

Please let me know if you need further information or if I can be of further assistance.

They could have said, "Gee, I'm sorry this happened to you. We messed up. We'll do anything in our power to help you through this." Instead, they inferred that he knew he was in the wrong and chose not to follow the rule. ARGGGGG.

The university always uses money as an excuse for not doing things, but there is no forced limitation on compassion.