Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Pissed off!

So, remember the grad student who was supposed to come this fall to work on my Big Grant? And he s/he sent this email AFTER accepting the position (in writing):
Due to personal issues, I might have to revisit the acceptance of the Research Assistantship offered at Small College Town University. I would like to know when I need to inform you if I cannot attend next fall. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

S/he officially decline last week:
Thank you for the great opportunity to be part of Small College Town University. However, I am sorry that my personal situation requires me to be closer to home and my family next year. Therefore I will not be able to attend Small College Town University in the fall. I apologize again for the inconvenience. I wish you all the best for next year.

Here is my reply:
I'm disappointed that you won't be joining us next year, but really appreciate you giving me plenty of advanced notice. I hope that you and your family are OK and that things work out well for you.

Well, this student had friended me on Facebook as soon as s/he received the offer in February. Today I saw an update: 
Flakey Student is now a member of the Neighboring State University network. (As in Grad Student NSU '10)

I am so pissed off. His/her emails made it sound like there were serious family issues going on- not that s/he had received a better offer. This really leaves me in a bind. I sent out another offer to an international student over the weekend and gave him/her a week to respond. If I don't hear anything I will have to advertise again, but this late- most people have already committed to other things for next year. Is it bad to wish bad things for this person's career??? (OK- I know the answer to that one...) btw- s/he is the first person I've ever unfriended on Facebook!

4 comments:

Inside the Philosophy Factory said...

Am I correct in assuming the student isn't from the area of NSU? It might also be that some important part of her family is near NSU.... although the timing is pretty supicious...

Anonymous said...

hmmm...I guess closer to home might be the thing that gives one offer the edge over another and that seems legit. and yet...those emails reek of my mother was diagnosed with cancer and I need to take care of her, which is shady given that the actual situation may well be I got an offer from a uni in a location I like better.

in any case, if you accept an offer while you have other offers outstanding, I think you've got to understand that you're making a decision on those offers, whether or not they ever materialize.

Addy N. said...

I know that this student owes me or my U nothing, but s/he DID already officially accept an offer that s/he got in mid-February. The new place s/he's going is about 200 miles from his/her current U, which is closer than we are (we're more like 500 miles), but it's hardly local! And again- it's the misleading nature of the emails that pisses me off, too. I'm guessing that s/he had been accepted to NSU before, but maybe didn't get funding and something just came through- it is pretty late now. Anyway- no loss if s/he is flakey. I just hope I can get someone good!

Seeking Solace said...

That is about as bad as my story of the student using Facebook to find someone to write his paper.

Seriously though, didn't she think that you would find out?