"Upward Bound facing eviction from USF," by Nanette Asimov
April 15, 2011 in the San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/15/BAGJ1IV3K4.DTL&type=education
Over a hundred protesters took to the streets to express their concern and anger over the Universtiy of San Francisco's decision to evict Upward Bound from campus. The university says they need more room for student housing and must remove nine programs, including Outward Bound. The program, which has been on campus for 45 years helps 180 youth in tutoring, summer school and college prep programs.
"They claim to be a Jesuit institution that cares, but they have demonstrated that they couldn't care less about poor people, black people and brown people," the Rev. Amos Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP, told about 100 students, faculty and clergy rallying on Turk Street in front of USF this week. The problem, protesters claim, is that unlike the other nine programs, Upward Bound relies on USF for its federal grant application, which means, in essence, if they are kicked off the university's premises they will not receive federal money.
Upward Bound proponents say that enrollment in the program doubles the liklihood of youth entering and finishing a four-year degree program. They can't understand why a university who's mission identifies social responsibility and servicde as its core would choose to end its long relationship with program.
This story is a bit upsetting for anyone who has participated in programs like Upward Bound becasue they seem to have a good trach record in helping youth get out of trouble, stay out of trouble and do better in school. Negotiations with the school are ongoing in an attempt to reverse the decision by USF.
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