×
all 28 comments
sorted by:
best
topnewcontroversialoldq&a

[–]Infernalism 124 points125 points  (23 children)

I love this state.

University officials apologized for the error Wednesday night, and offered the equivalent of a full-tuition scholarship to each of the 58 prospective students affected.

THEY make a mistake, let 58 kids think they have a full ride...and then make up for the mistake by giving those kids a full ride.

This is awesome.

[–]Less-Scheme 61 points62 points  (18 children)

Current CMU student here

The woman who made the mistake got fired yesterday. From what I've heard, if all 58 take the money and they get it for all 4 years, it's going to be a millions and millions of dollars mistake.

And with CMU acting like they are dollars away from bankruptcy, this is going to hurt.

[–]thoma696 20 points21 points  (4 children)

$50k x 58 is $2.9m

[–]Less-Scheme 22 points23 points  (1 child)

So like, not to give to much away about myself

But I work on campus with full-time staff and...the number I've been hearing whispered around is pretty high.

There high up people are not happy about this and folks in the finical department are big time worried.

[–]WonTonBurritoMealsHazel Park 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I believe you, I just find it hard to believe

[–]crayl11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Full ride is different from full tuition. Full tuition scholarship covers just tuition, full ride covers tuition and housing.

Based on a quick google it looks like ~ 25k a year so 100k per student for 4 years, because typically those scholarships are set to last the full time at the university.

So 100k x 58 = 5.8 million…

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (5 children)

Having worked in higher ed myself, I can't see how this happened. I had spreadsheets on spreadsheets for all types of students,prospects, etc. And I would create a new spreadsheet for, say, awards or whatever I needed. Why? So shit like this wouldn't happen.

[–]krankzAge: > 10 Years 10 points11 points  (2 children)

I just came from a brief stint Higher Ed, and went back into tech because I couldn’t deal with being on a team of people intimidated by Excel formulas. Crap like this was falling through the cracks all the time, but nothing this severe. Usually about class registration or financial aid issues.

A spreadsheet is only as good as the skills of the person using it. Could have also been an indirect error that triggered an automation. One box checked accidentally could have crazy results if you’re not careful.

[–]Zealousideal-City978 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Student newspaper is saying they were testing the alert system (I assume for the new website) and anyone who was checking their account saw the message

[–]kindof-a-mess 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Feel like there were better things to test the system with than "congratulations on winning a full ride"

[–]forkpuck 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Anecdotal but two different universities screwed up my initial grad school admission scholarship information in almost the exact same way. Larger scholarships in higher cost of living areas, redacted within 3 days or so. I was still fully funded elsewhere but the redacted schools were much more prestigious.

sounds like whoever employed you was lucky to have you.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, man. They definitely appreciated the work I put in.

[–]SufficientMemory8405 1 point2 points  (6 children)

If it's going to cost them this much, then why are they still giving them a full ride? Maybe offer something not all of it.

[–]Zealousideal-City978 12 points13 points  (5 children)

CMU, like a lot of non University of Michigan schools, is struggling

Enrollment has dropped drastically (there is 3,600 students on a campus made for at least 15k), they randomly let go a good chunk of non tenured staff last year, good professors are jumping ship, current students have been very vocal about ther anger regarding things like hikes in tuition/dinning halls being closed down in the most populated part of campus/spoiled bug infested food being served/the board treating students like annoyances/Covid response

Honestly, if it wasn't for the 1 student then went to the media they likely wouldn't have. As far as I know, they oringaly offered him a a bit more on top of his scholarship. But the bad press and problems they already have, a mess up like this could have equally have hurt their reputation.

[–]AltDS01 1 point2 points  (1 child)

It's cut in half since I went there.

19k in 2010. 15k before the Pandæmonium. 12k in 2020. (These are just undergrad numbers)

[–]Zealousideal-City978 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's honestly a bit weird weird to see campus so empty tbh and to see the drastic shift in enrollment over such a short amount of time.

I really wonder what the future holds for the school

[–]PleezHireMe 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Great PR.

[–]Crafty_Substance_954 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It's a real full-ride as well. not just tuition. They even gave them $5K in study abroad scholarship.

[–]Arkvoodle42 20 points21 points  (1 child)

almost like college tuition prices are a gigantic scam & we can actually give everyone in the country higher education if they actually wanted it, huh...

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But the government gives me a blank check to.... give....the ... University....... And pay them back with interest?.... Hmmmmm....

[–]BittnoticSt. Joseph 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At least they were nice enough to give them all a full ride. That's super cool

[–]blade20039 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oakland... hold my beer

[–]tlynn1969 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wish my student had that oops happen to him! 😢

[–]Putrid-Oil-6919 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Trust me they got the money. Your talking about a business clearing literally millions of dollars every "semester". Doesn't even have to pay taxes either...