As many as 36 Indian graduate students initially recruited to study computer science at Western Kentucky University have been dismissed for failing to meet academic requirements. 

James Gary, chairman of Western Kentucky University’s Computer Science Department, told the Daily News on Wednesday that taking the money of students who can’t be successful couldn’t be done in good conscience. 

“Obviously this is a problem for the students that are being dismissed,” Gary said. “We’re hopeful that they can transfer to another school or to another program and continue their studies.”

Gary cited grade-point average issues as the primary problem. All graduate students are required to maintain a B average, he said, but some students were admitted with some “deficiencies,” such as undergraduate courses they would need to make up. 

Those who can’t find another place to study will have to leave the country under their visa requirements. It’s an issue that The New York Times reported this week is the result of an aggressive recruitment campaign last summer and fall in which contracted recruiters offered easy admission and tuition discounts. 

Gary described the issue as a “learning process.” 

“We should continually be considering the ways in which we do our recruiting,” he said. “We want the students to be successful. We need to do anything we can to give them opportunities without putting them in situations where they have no chance of being successful.”

Gary added that he thinks most of the students were happy to come to WKU. Despite the disappointment for those affected, the university doesn’t want to give up on international recruiting, he said.

Aditya Sharma is pursuing a masters in health administration and is the president of the university’s Indian Student Association. 

“I do feel bad for these students,” he said. “Unfortunately, many of these students have been taking their education not so seriously.”

The university didn’t have much choice with students who were failing to meet expectations, he said. Sharma pins the issue on differences between what skills Indian and American educational systems expect computer science students to have. Compared to India, Sharma said, education in the U.S. system is more focused on the practice of computer programming. 

Gary got the same impression and said the students didn’t seem to have much hands on experience with computer programs. He also told The New York Times this week that allowing students to continue in the master’s program without the ability to write programs would be embarrassing to his department. 

Going forward, Sharma said he would like to see more scrutiny of the Indian students WKU admits, such as interviewing those seeking enrollment.

Meeting with international students is an expensive endeavor, Gary said, but a faculty member from the department has been sent to India to better filter applicants. 

He said recruiters met with students, gave them information about the university and encouraged them to apply.

“They were successful in the sense that we did get more applications than typical,” he said.

Admission numbers were up in the spring, Gary said, but recruiters didn’t make decisions about who was admitted. He stressed the university has had Indian students for more than 15 years in the program with a mixture of quality. 

“Our number of applicants had been declining for a few years,” he said. In light of that trend, Gary said, it made sense to try to “re-prime the pump” and generate more interest. 

“That’s why we agreed to this recruiting push,” he said. 

International students pay higher tuition than domestic students. An online list of WKU’s tuition and fees schedule for fall 2016 and spring 2017 shows $12,720 for full-time undergrad international students. Resident undergrads pay $4,956. International graduate students pay $998 per credit hour without scholarships. Meanwhile, domestic graduate students pay $570 per credit hour. 

Bob Skipper, a spokesman for the university, released a statement on the situation. 

Students who fall short of meeting some admission standards can still be admitted on a conditional basis and are expected to improve quickly with support, according to the statement. It also describes changes being made to recruiting in India. 

“Last year we piloted an effort targeted at recruiting students from India for graduate programs at WKU. Based on what we learned from the India Pilot Project, we have made changes to improve international recruiting. Graduate faculty members will participate in future recruiting trips abroad, thus increasing faculty involvement in recruiting as well as admitting international graduate students to WKU programs. WKU officials will review and approve all advertising done on behalf of the university in advance of the trip. The university will not do ‘spot admission’ style recruiting for graduate students in the future. WKU has used international recruiting agents, including Global Tree, for many years and will continue to do so.

“WKU values the rich cultural diversity international students bring to our campus. All international graduate students receive a tuition scholarship from WKU. The scholarship amount is the same for all international students but varies year to year based on the price of tuition.”

WKU Provost David Lee is also quoted in the statement. 

“Although it is unfortunate that a number of students who participated in the first India Pilot Program were unsuccessful, we believe the changes we have implemented will result in an improved admission process and ultimately will lead to successful completion for India students admitted to our graduate programs in the future,” he said. “We continue to assist students who wish to apply to other programs within the U.S.”  

— Follow Daily News WKU, county schools and general assignment reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @aaron_muddbgdn or visit bgdailynews.com.