I swear, the world isn't really against me!

First day of classes, and it's looking like this semester is going to be even better than the last. I should've known that things would get bleak soon. I'm actually taking classes that I will enjoy this semester. I'm taking a web authoring course, a class on technical editing, one on visual communication theory, and two philosophy courses in bioethics and the philosophy of science.

But of course fate had to step in and make sure I didn't enjoy myself too much. Can't have that. Ten days ago, i got an email from my advisor. It said that the comprehensive exam that I must pass in order to graduate cannot be administered in the summer, as has been the plan since early August. Instead, you'll have to take it this semester, during classes. Oh, and by the way, we'll need for you to compile the reading lists that the test will be based from--alone--and it's due on the 14th.

Well, I spoke with my advisor in person and he furnished me with enough articles to make the lists for the two of his classes that I am using for the comprehensive exam. The other class is one I took from another professor. She assured me that I could put a list together and submit it in the interest of getting it in by the due date, and we could change the list later if necessary. Today, while leaving her class, I asked her again if that would be ok--to submit the unapproved list and change it later if she had suggestions for amending it.

I sent the first two lists to my advisor and they were approved. I told him that my other professor would get back to me later with changes to the third list, but I would have it at least preliminarily submitted to him this evening. He replied to my email thanking me for the first two lists, but assuring me that the third list absolutely must be submitted tonight. He fleshed out this message with a barely-veiled threat that a student had been denied May graduation for missing this due date last year and implied that the same could happen to me.

Needless to say, with my student loans' repayment coming up, sticking around Rolla for another semester is not an option, especially if I would be doing so simply to accommodate this single, arbitrary rule that only 1/3 of the department's faculty is demonstrably aware of. Did I mention that I also have a 4.0? I have expressed my extremely low level of satisfaction with this program, particularly the administrative side of it, before. Now, if these people do the worst that they can, they can ruin my life. And I'm not exaggerating the point. If I don't finish my master's degree this year, it just won't happen, my plans for the next few years of my life will have to be remade, and I'll have some serious coping to do.

I don't think that I'll just sit and let that happen. We have department chairs and provosts for a reason. I've been a good sport and haven't complained about them capriciously changing the dates of important events in my education, and I deserve to have this one slip-up, which is entirely their fault, overlooked.