Internship Support Payments

[RPI CSE]

Did anyone besides Dr. Fill receive this email? I have not seen anything like it from SMART today.

I got this as well, I will be contacting my facility soon to see if they will be giving us any support...

If I am able to get my scholarships that I had to have suspended back, I will come out about even (approx - 21k in summer internships and approx + 20k in re-accepted scholarships). I will not be getting this money when I need it however...

I realize that the amount was a bit ridiculous, but they told us that's what we were getting... You don't give false information, have someone sign a contract, then tell them, oh yea, actually you don't get the big bonus, but hey its still a good deal!

Very frustrated... A grandfathering approach would have been the best thing to do... We will see what happens...

[Guest]

Where did you find that?

It was a document titled Award Notification and Service Agreement. This was the main one you had to sign, where you agreed to all the conditions.

[Guest1]

it appears to be the latest participant agreement:
http://smart.asee.org/assets/File/2011% ... ent(2).pdf

[Guest1]

sorry about the bad URL

Here's a better one:
http://smart.asee.org/assets/File/2011% ... ent(2).pdf

[GuestP]

Just a point for those thinking that they can't do this to the payments. On the form we signed, one of the boxes we checked said

I agree to comply with ALL Program requirements at all times, including those set forth in the Participant
Handbook and its updates, amendments, and inclusions; I understand that failure to comply with any Program
requirement may result in the reduction of my Award and/or dismissal from the Program.

So it seems like they definitely can do this as it is an "update to the handbook".

Still seems like grandfathering would have been better though.

[Guest]

For those of you that didn't get the e-mail yet, check your spam box.. Ironically, that's where mine ended up -- even gmail thought it was a joke.

[GuestP]

Haha, I thought it was just my gmail that put it to spam. Probably had something to do with the number of times they said they now needed to be "fiscally responsible"

[Guest]

Just a point for those thinking that they can't do this to the payments. On the form we signed, one of the boxes we checked said

I agree to comply with ALL Program requirements at all times, including those set forth in the Participant
Handbook and its updates, amendments, and inclusions; I understand that failure to comply with any Program
requirement may result in the reduction of my Award and/or dismissal from the Program.

So it seems like they definitely can do this as it is an "update to the handbook".

Still seems like grandfathering would have been better though.

Great, so I signed a contract promising to follow all the rules in the handbook as well as all other rules they want to make up in the future. Gosh, that seems stupid of me in retrospect.

[Guest1]

Just a point for those thinking that they can't do this to the payments. On the form we signed, one of the boxes we checked said

I agree to comply with ALL Program requirements at all times, including those set forth in the Participant
Handbook and its updates, amendments, and inclusions; I understand that failure to comply with any Program
requirement may result in the reduction of my Award and/or dismissal from the Program.

So it seems like they definitely can do this as it is an "update to the handbook".

Still seems like grandfathering would have been better though.

Most contracts that use these clauses are for consumer goods, where the provider of goods (SPO) doesn't require retroactive payback. The continued use of the provided goods constitutes a re-agreement on the part of the consumer (participant) to the new terms. It's pretty clear that changing the TOS or user agreement is fine and okay to do, going forward, in those instances.

SMART is different, in that they expect a repayment of past funds if you refuse to agree to updated contract terms. At worst, that muddies the water. At best, you're free if you leave now.

IOW - if you are seriously worried about the new terms, find a lawyer. Not someone on this website.

[Curious]

You are right! It was in my spam folder. That is not a good place for a message like that to go!

[Very Unhappy]

This really sucks! Those of us who live in an expensive area already and have an SF in an expensive area are going to get seriously hosed. How are we supposed to afford rent to keep our current apartments and pay to travel to our SF, rent a car, pay for insurance, food, gas, etc? They really didn't think this out. The only reason I accepted the scholarship was because I could budget for all my expected expenses. Now what? They told us at orientation the reason we were receiving such a generous stipend was to make our lives easy so we could concentrate on work/school. Again, this really sucks!!!

[BOOOOO]

I also have an expensive SF location. I'm not sure how I can afford to do an internship if my SF doesn't provide the extra funding.

I turned down a job with DHS making $65,000/year to finish my doctorate under the SMART program. Now I wish I would have turned this down and paid for my doctorate out of pocket. I'm going to see if DHS is still interested; if they are, I'm going to try to get out of this mess as quick as I can.

Thanks for letting us all down SMART!

[Guest]

Just wrote a bunch of four letter words and deleted them. This really sucks! I seriously will have to live in a homeless shelter during my internship.

[Seriously]

First they take away our CAC cards which provide us a discount on everything from food to rent.... And now this!!!

[Guest]

I contacted the President, Secretary of Defense, my Senators and Congressman, and ASEE today. I urge you all to do that too. Also, I think there is some negligence here and possible breech of contract. If anyone wants to look into a class-action, I am game.

[Notfunny]

This really sucks! Those of us who live in an expensive area already and have an SF in an expensive area are going to get seriously hosed. How are we supposed to afford rent to keep our current apartments and pay to travel to our SF, rent a car, pay for insurance, food, gas, etc? They really didn't think this out. The only reason I accepted the scholarship was because I could budget for all my expected expenses. Now what? They told us at orientation the reason we were receiving such a generous stipend was to make our lives easy so we could concentrate on work/school. Again, this really sucks!!!

My SF is in Honolulu, so I definitely understand the expensive aspect of this. Trust me. I have done nothing but stress all day. But I was wondering if you read the updated guidelines the same as I did..it said something about the rental cars and nothing was said about SMART and the CDP number. So is this now completely our responsibility as well? Because I'm not 25 and rates are higher if you are younger than that but with their CDP it didn't matter if you were under 25. I feel like since we aren't supposed to have our CACs except during the internship period this could be the case. :/

[guest2]

I contacted the President, Secretary of Defense, my Senators and Congressman, and ASEE today. I urge you all to do that too. Also, I think there is some negligence here and possible breech of contract. If anyone wants to look into a class-action, I am game.

I'm speaking with my lawyer next week. He'll let me know if he thinks there is a breach of contract. I really can't imagine they can just do anything to the requirements.

I mean...if they can do this...can't they say "Oh, by the way, we're reducing all internship support payments to $10/year"?

There's got to be something to stop them from doing this. I mean, they blatantly lied to us at orientation, saying that our funds were secured already. This is beyond ridiculous.

[guest2]

I contacted the President, Secretary of Defense, my Senators and Congressman, and ASEE today. I urge you all to do that too. Also, I think there is some negligence here and possible breech of contract. If anyone wants to look into a class-action, I am game.

I'm speaking with my lawyer next week. He'll let me know if he thinks there is a breach of contract. I really can't imagine they can just do anything to the requirements.

I mean...if they can do this...can't they say "Oh, by the way, we're reducing all internship support payments to $10/year"?

There's got to be something to stop them from doing this. I mean, they blatantly lied to us at orientation, saying that our funds were secured already. This is beyond ridiculous.

**Stipend payments not internship support payments.

[xkcd13]

They only verbally promised Internship support payments at orientation. I'm not sure if it's in writing anywhere (maybe in the handbook).

I think only the stipend and tuition are guaranteed.

[Guest1]

They only verbally promised Internship support payments at orientation. I'm not sure if it's in writing anywhere (maybe in the handbook).

I think only the stipend and tuition are guaranteed.

It's in the handbook. In writing.

[Guest]

They only verbally promised Internship support payments at orientation. I'm not sure if it's in writing anywhere (maybe in the handbook).

I think only the stipend and tuition are guaranteed.

Pg 99 of the 2011 handbook

b. Internship Support Payment Amount - Eligible Participants will receive $1,200 per week for each week the Participant is completing the Internship, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Participants who are absent from the Internship will not receive Internship Support Payments for the time they are away from the SF. See Internship Vacation and Leave Policy below.
Internship Support Payments are intended to support all travel, lodging, meals, transportation, and incidental expenses. Participants must live within the means provided by these payments as no additional expenses will be paid by the SPO.
Eligible Participants whose circumstances require extended Internships will not receive more than 12 weeks of Internship Support Payments.

[Guest]

They only verbally promised Internship support payments at orientation. I'm not sure if it's in writing anywhere (maybe in the handbook).

I think only the stipend and tuition are guaranteed.

Pg 99 of the 2011 handbook

b. Internship Support Payment Amount - Eligible Participants will receive $1,200 per week for each week the Participant is completing the Internship, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Participants who are absent from the Internship will not receive Internship Support Payments for the time they are away from the SF. See Internship Vacation and Leave Policy below.
Internship Support Payments are intended to support all travel, lodging, meals, transportation, and incidental expenses. Participants must live within the means provided by these payments as no additional expenses will be paid by the SPO.
Eligible Participants whose circumstances require extended Internships will not receive more than 12 weeks of Internship Support Payments.

[OneofMany]

For those of you unsure how to proceed I'll tell you what I'm doing.

My first priority is to determine if we, as participants, have any legal recourse. We signed a contract based off of written and verbal promises both at orientation and at the time of scholarship acceptance.

I am going to have the University consul examine both my contract and the handbook. This is going to be the easiest way to have a lawyer tell me what my rights are without spending an arm and a leg at some random lawyer.

I went to my dept. adviser today and summarized the situation. He recommended me to the associate dean of the engineering college. I have an appointment with the dean tomorrow. I'm taking all my paperwork with me so that the dean can then hand it over to the university consul for a recommendation.

In short, get your school involved. I would think that every major university should have a lawyer on staff or at least on retainer. If you are lucky enough to have a law degree program on campus ever better. You could get a ton of legal advise!

[Guest]

They only verbally promised Internship support payments at orientation. I'm not sure if it's in writing anywhere (maybe in the handbook).

I think only the stipend and tuition are guaranteed.

Verbal promises are legally binding contracts, especially in light of the fact that we were also told at the orientation that we could walk away without penalty at that juncture if we didn't like what we heard. That basically means if you continue with the contractual agreement, you agree with what we are telling you right now. That in itself modified the contract we originally signed, which also expressly ensures internship support payments.

[Guest]

They only verbally promised Internship support payments at orientation. I'm not sure if it's in writing anywhere (maybe in the handbook).

I think only the stipend and tuition are guaranteed.

Pg 99 of the 2011 handbook

b. Internship Support Payment Amount - Eligible Participants will receive $1,200 per week for each week the Participant is completing the Internship, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
Participants who are absent from the Internship will not receive Internship Support Payments for the time they are away from the SF. See Internship Vacation and Leave Policy below.
Internship Support Payments are intended to support all travel, lodging, meals, transportation, and incidental expenses. Participants must live within the means provided by these payments as no additional expenses will be paid by the SPO.
Eligible Participants whose circumstances require extended Internships will not receive more than 12 weeks of Internship Support Payments.

The contract we signed also says we are agreeing to any revisions made to the handbook. But that doesn't excuse the verbal modification of contract at orientation.