This should not be a surprise.

NYU helped Chen, but the school is not on the hook to support he and his family forever. No system is designed that way in US. The help meant to get him a new start for new life.
One thing most Chinese don't understand is that everyone needs to be self sufficient at some point in life. A system that support indefinite welfare is a system unsustainable in the long run. As old Chinese saying, 天助自助者, or 个人的命运是掌握在自己手中的。