So. Abject terror. Let me explain:
If you are not a resident of the state of California and you are a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the UC system, your out-of-state tuition is NOT (that was NOT, people) covered by your assistantship. Let me rephrase: you owe 5000+ bucks (PER TERM) AFTER all of the remission stuff goes through.
Now, happily, when I moved here last summer, I immediately switched everything over: driver's license, car registration, voter's registration, the works. Unlike in the states I'm familiar with (Oregon and Washington), you can and do get residency as a student so long as you aren't a dependent and you made your living - even through fellowships - for one calendar year in California. So after a huge panic attack and a lot of frantic running around, my 5000+ dollar bill vanished from whence it came after the system officially processed me as a resident. But holy shit, you guys. For about two hours I was coming up with backup plans involving leaves of absence and continued computer-temping and/or dropping the whole graduate gig once and for all.
If there's a moral to the story, it's to spend as much time and energy as possible sucking up to bureaucrats. Keep the secretaries and administrators on your good side, because when it's your ass on the line, you need them.
9.21.2007
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6 comments:
WOW. That must have been an extremely intense two hours. Glad to hear it turned out all right. Now go drink something.
holy crap. That calls for more than a few alcoholic beverages. glad you got it worked out... WOW. You'd think someone would have changed that rule by now, but of course those in charge of the rules aren't the ones paying the fees.
Hmmm... we need to have a chat. I'm worried now.
Washington will let you do this too, but not Oregon (shmucks). I am feeling particular animosity towards them right now because they're making me pay fees (to use the health service and rec center) even though I'm 1000 miles away. And no one will waive these fees - they claim no one has ever done so before. My point is: I'm so glad you got your in-state tuition, and you should also be proud of having escaped this second-rate institution.
DV: That is unmitigated horseshit. But you already knew that.
Your horror story reminds me of my own when I got an overdue bill for $8,000 and change for a french class I was just auditing... Who knew that as a Master's student I could take language classes for free, but as a law student they'll charge you every penny! Much groveling to the professor and I was allowed to drop the class, but sit in without being registered. But there was much panic when the bill arrived 30 days past due.
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