In our extensive experience we know that two things are required to make a good counselor: a sweater vest and empathy. Guess which one you can’t buy?

A former Webster University student who was studying to be a family counselor says in a lawsuit that he was dismissed from a master’s degree program after it was determined that he lacked empathy.

The suit, which claims up to $1 million in losses and seeks at least $2 million in punitive damages, alleges the school dismissed him quickly rather than help him improve his empathy to complete the field work required for graduating.

So a school, Webster University, has decided to kick a student out after little warning because of one item on the checklist after he passed all others…and they’re saying he’s the one without empathy?

The student, David Schwartz, 44, of University City, had received all A’s and only one C in his course work, according to a school transcript. But he was dismissed from the program on March 14 after he received a “no credit” for failing to successfully complete the practicum, in which he was to apply his class work to a real-world counseling setting.

That does seem kinda weird. Any other reason you could see why you’d be booted so quickly?

Schwartz alleges in his lawsuit that he was deemed a poor performer after he wrote an anonymous letter to the dean criticizing a professor’s teaching methods and noting the romantic relationship between that professor and an administrator.

Ah, well there you go! It wasn’t a lack of empathy for your patients, but empathy for your teacher! A teacher who really just wanted to be a little lazy in the classroom and to bone that administrator. How could you not have empathy for that?! Dick. That’s obviously your problem. Just think of people that want to be lazy and bang others, all while at work! I think we can all be more empathetic for them.

Yup, that’s definitely it…and his last semester counseling term paper entitled “Cry About It More Bitch: A Study In Why I Don’t Give A Shit Where Your Daddy Touched You or Why It Makes You Want to Burn Things; If Anyone’s Touching Anyone, It Should Be Your Mom Touching Me (On My Penis)” had a thing or two to do with the decision.

Damn college papers and their long titles.

via STLToday

This photo of someone’s witty reply to Mr. Gottlieb’s parking fine threat has been making the rounds today.

Though according to the Webster University website there are 13 lots with various rules of who can park there and when, it’s not enough for some Webster students. One of them has a printer a couple thumb tacks and some free time.

Also of note on the Webster University Parking Policy page is this little nugget:

Don’t know where to park? Call (314) 968-6900 and speak to the Department of Public Safety.

Operators are waiting for your call disgruntled Webster students!

via Reddit

Any of  your tweet-up crazed St. Louis social media butterflies have a boner and not know why?  It’s probably because St. Louis’ own Jack Dorsey, Twitter creator, is coming to town to speak at Webster University on September 18th.

St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Deb Peterson had this to say:

Dorsey, 32, graduated from Bishop Dubourg High School in 1995. The newsy part of this for anyone who already knew that the Twitter co-founder, who has 1,161,116 followers (make that 1,161,117 since I just jumped on), was a local product, is that Dorsey will be in town Sept. 18 to speak at 10 a.m. at Webster University.

Other than talking at Webster, Dorsey has one other little thing on his schedule. [Editor's Note: You Twitter detractors are going to love this!]  He’s going to throw out the first pitch at Saturday’s Cards / Cubs contest.  Yup, Twitter has reached that point.

Everyone be sure to show up at his talk at Webster and kibitz about how Facebook and Twitter have turned  your shitty business/blog in to a shitty business/blog that everyone hears too much about.  I bet he loves that kind of stuff.

(We kid! We kid!  You know we love you crazy Twitterers!)