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Student Ousted From SJSU Over Missed Emails

SAN JOSE (CBS 5) - As we move faster and faster towards being a paperless society, electronic communication, like email, is becoming increasingly important. One would-be San Jose State University freshman found that out the hard way.

Hanaroo Kim showed up to freshmen orientation at SJSU only to find out that he had been un-enrolled.

Unknown to Kim, there was a problem with his English placement test and when SJSU sent him an email over the summer to fix it or face un-enrollment, Kim never responded.

Kim said that every time he had logged into his SJSU email account "it was something unimportant." He said that he had also received an email about disregarding messages about placement tests. After getting that email Kim said he stopped checking his account.

Pat Lopes Harris, media relations director for SJSU said that all students are expected to check and be on top of mail, whether electronic or paper. Harris said the school has refused to make an exception for Kim and the estimated 200 others who have had their acceptances revoked.

Kim's father, Ric Bussey, believes his son should have a better job checking his email but thinks that SJSU should alert parents over such a serious issue.

"I cannot believe in this day and age that people would hurt a child for trying to better themselves by trying to go to college because of a missed email," Bussey said.

Kim is not expected to be able to enroll for another two years, what would have been his junior year.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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