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torts · 06-30-2008, 10:27 PM

I get so many better messages from grad coordinators than you guys. They're obviously professional around you and around me they really let loose. To wit, look at what the Clemson graduate coordinator wrote me when I asked why my travel disbursement was $200 rather than $300. Funny stuff.

"The cheapest place in Clemson is a really smelly joint. The price is $45. Since you think I somehow faulted you by not giving you the option of really-smelly, I enclose a check for $55. I also enclose a check for $45, the balance on the $300 you think that we owe you. This additional check is included in the hopes that you will find peace in your life. You must have some serious problems. I doubt that $45 will be the margin of solution but maybe it will afford some brief respite. I am not a believer but many people find god useful at your stage.

Please do not respond. I will never open another letter, email, or voice message from you. I am sorry that you are so bitter, but good luck anyway." Sincerely, Mike Maloney.

Wow. Just wow.

ForTheWin!_08 · 06-30-2008, 10:35 PM

Are you going to Clemson? Yikes. If so, it might be worthwhile to find out who Mr. Maloney's boss is and forward her this missive.

IrrationalActor · 06-30-2008, 11:26 PM

Wow, that is terrible. I looked up the guy's website, he is 59, so this is not just some young administrative assistant (as I initially thought), this is a full professor.

Looking at his letter to prospective students, he appears to be one of the few professors that openly encourages inquiries by prospective students. It mentions that Clemson can reimburse up to $300 for ground travel, so the OP does appear to have a legitimate gripe.

It looks like Maloney was having a bad day and decided to take it out over an anonymous email. Sounds like a great guy

.

GymShorts · 07-01-2008, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrrationalActor

Wow, that is terrible. I looked up the guy's website, he is 59, so this is not just some young administrative assistant (as I initially thought), this is a full professor.

When you get tenure, you can do whatever you want. If I could do anything you wanted, I would pull some funny stuff once in awhile too.

jfowler2 · 07-01-2008, 07:55 AM

i don't know all the details apout the op's experiences at clemson but i never had any problems. they put my wife and i up in a suite at the hotel/conention center/ golf course which had two bedrooms a living room and a kitchen. then they paid for lunch for two different days and reimbursed us when i sent our gas receipts etc which added up to close to 300 dollars all included. (actually i still owe him 50$ that he gave me for gas before driving home that i'll have to repay this fall.

as i said before i don't know what happened with the op

TruDog · 07-01-2008, 10:36 AM

A word of caution on this thread...quite a few departments have at least one member of the adcom or the graduate secretary who reads this forum. With your identity clearly revealed by this post, it is entirely possible that you upset the professor even more. Some people do have an axe to grind, so this professor may be talking to his colleagues at other schools in an attempt to make your life miserable in the future.

It's always a good idea never to post any personally identifiable information if you want to play it safe. Just be careful with what you say.

torts · 07-01-2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TruDog

A word of caution on this thread...quite a few departments have at least one member of the adcom or the graduate secretary who reads this forum. With your identity clearly revealed by this post, it is entirely possible that you upset the professor even more. Some people do have an axe to grind, so this professor may be talking to his colleagues at other schools in an attempt to make your life miserable in the future.

It's always a good idea never to post any personally identifiable information if you want to play it safe. Just be careful with what you say.

You're assuming that someone who behaves irrationally (grinding an axe) is doing so for rational reasons (i posted something they sent in private). But someone who acts irrationally is possibly just irrational and started grinding the borrowed axe before anything they could pass off as a reason came their way. I am not embarassed by any emails I sent to people. Why should he be embarassed by his email? And if he's irrational, why assume good behavior by another person will influence him one way or another?

I have spent a total of 12 hours in personal company with this guy, so how do you get an axe to grind on only 12 hours of personal experience?

ICECOLDECON · 07-01-2008, 06:38 PM

There is obviously more to this story than was posted by the op.

YoungEconomist · 07-01-2008, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by torts

I have spent a total of 12 hours in personal company with this guy, so how do you get an axe to grind on only 12 hours of personal experience?

Easy. It generally takes far less than 12 hours to decide whether or not you like someone, whether or not they annoy you, whether or not they're nice, etc.

You likely did something to upset or annoy this guy, maybe you didn't mean to, and maybe you weren't even aware of what you did.

jfowler2 · 07-02-2008, 02:41 PM

Just to clear things up I mentioned this post to Professor Maloney (since his name was quoted and all) and he gave me the scoop. Apparently the reason why the OP was only reimbursed for $200 was because she was put up in the same hotel my wife and I had been which was direct billed to the department. The cost of that room was approximately $90 a night at the schools discount (which accounts for the supposed shortfall). After being informed of this she refused to let it go so she received the email that she posted here. I'm only posting this because I feel both sides of a story should be included and I hope that this thread will be closed now. Thank you

06-30-2008, 10:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
torts Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5	Clemson graduate coordinator I get so many better messages from grad coordinators than you guys. They're obviously professional around you and around me they really let loose. To wit, look at what the Clemson graduate coordinator wrote me when I asked why my travel disbursement was $200 rather than $300. Funny stuff. "The cheapest place in Clemson is a really smelly joint. The price is $45. Since you think I somehow faulted you by not giving you the option of really-smelly, I enclose a check for $55. I also enclose a check for $45, the balance on the $300 you think that we owe you. This additional check is included in the hopes that you will find peace in your life. You must have some serious problems. I doubt that $45 will be the margin of solution but maybe it will afford some brief respite. I am not a believer but many people find god useful at your stage. Please do not respond. I will never open another letter, email, or voice message from you. I am sorry that you are so bitter, but good luck anyway." Sincerely, Mike Maloney. Wow. Just wow.

06-30-2008, 10:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
ForTheWin!_08 Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 118	Are you going to Clemson? Yikes. If so, it might be worthwhile to find out who Mr. Maloney's boss is and forward her this missive. _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ University of Chicago, Class of 2013

07-01-2008, 10:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
TruDog TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Midwest US Posts: 539	A word of caution on this thread...quite a few departments have at least one member of the adcom or the graduate secretary who reads this forum. With your identity clearly revealed by this post, it is entirely possible that you upset the professor even more. Some people do have an axe to grind, so this professor may be talking to his colleagues at other schools in an attempt to make your life miserable in the future. It's always a good idea never to post any personally identifiable information if you want to play it safe. Just be careful with what you say. _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ University of Wisconsin-Madison--2nd Year

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06-30-2008, 11:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
IrrationalActor Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 12	Wow, that is terrible. I looked up the guy's website, he is 59, so this is not just some young administrative assistant (as I initially thought), this is a full professor. Looking at his letter to prospective students, he appears to be one of the few professors that openly encourages inquiries by prospective students. It mentions that Clemson can reimburse up to $300 for ground travel, so the OP does appear to have a legitimate gripe. It looks like Maloney was having a bad day and decided to take it out over an anonymous email. Sounds like a great guy .

07-01-2008, 07:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
jfowler2 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 26	i don't know all the details apout the op's experiences at clemson but i never had any problems. they put my wife and i up in a suite at the hotel/conention center/ golf course which had two bedrooms a living room and a kitchen. then they paid for lunch for two different days and reimbursed us when i sent our gas receipts etc which added up to close to 300 dollars all included. (actually i still owe him 50$ that he gave me for gas before driving home that i'll have to repay this fall. as i said before i don't know what happened with the op

07-01-2008, 06:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
ICECOLDECON Within my grasp! Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 103	There is obviously more to this story than was posted by the op.

07-02-2008, 02:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
jfowler2 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 26	Just to clear things up I mentioned this post to Professor Maloney (since his name was quoted and all) and he gave me the scoop. Apparently the reason why the OP was only reimbursed for $200 was because she was put up in the same hotel my wife and I had been which was direct billed to the department. The cost of that room was approximately $90 a night at the schools discount (which accounts for the supposed shortfall). After being informed of this she refused to let it go so she received the email that she posted here. I'm only posting this because I feel both sides of a story should be included and I hope that this thread will be closed now. Thank you

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