回複：His university wants to send him back to China

for another short-term J-1 visa. Is this right procedure. Is short-term J-1 extension a very differnt business? 

-Not diferent. No matter now long the j1 extension will be, all the procedure is the same. I do not see he has any problem to extend his j1 within US and just need a few days to finish the procedure. Just talk to the school International Scgolar office and they know how to do it. He has to file the extension before the current J1 expires.