contract-law california is-x-legal salary state-university
The university issued a pay check less than its offer letter. What is one to do?
<p>Suppose that  an international grad student at one of the University of California campuses got an offer letter:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Congratulations! On behalf of the Committee on Admissions and Awards
and the Graduate Group in (Department name), I am pleased to offer you
the following financial support for the upcoming 4 years. The funding
will be in the form of a Graduate Student Researcher, Fellowship and
Teaching Assistant...The
details of your award are as follows:</p>
<p>Summer Support with Professor X (3 months at $5000.00 per month)
$15,000.00</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But the student's first summer paycheck  amount is only around $4000 (before tax). An email to the professor got an answer saying &quot;The pay check amount is true. Sorry, there is no more fund available for you at the moment!&quot;</p>
<p>Can a professor behave like this? Why the offer letter of the university with the signature of the Department chairman below it, specifies some amount of money but the pay check is in different amount? Is such a thing legal?  If not, what is the appropriate 1st step to remedy it?</p>

<p>We can't possibly explain why, you would have to ask them for an explanation. It is a bit on the legally-questionable side, but that really depends on what all is in the letter, and what other letters you got. The Committee on Admissions and Awards and the Graduate Group in X almost certainly is not authorized to make official offers on behalf of the university, and it is likely that there is some disclaimer wording in the letter. However, in general a letter of offer and your acceptance constitutes a contract, and in failing to provide the level of compensation promised, they would have breached that contract.</p>
