USF To Drop Program For Low-Income High School Students

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The University of San Francisco has announced plans to drop a long-time program for low-income high school students hoping to get into college. 

Sunday, a room full of high schoolers made clear the 45-year-old Upward Bound program was worth fighting for during a meeting about the program's elimination.

KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:

Coordinator Janice Dirden-Cook explained what students would miss: "Tutoring, additional instruction, advising in terms of course selection. We also provide a residential summer school on the USF campus," said Dirden-Cook. "And then we work with the students and their parents in their senior year on the entire college application, financial aid application process."

Participants described it as an uplifting experience.

"Just crossing through the campus is, you just feel like you're ready for college, you're ready to move on and excel," offered high school student Ricardo Mejia.

"Before I came to Upward Bound, I was struggling in school," added high school student Eddie Whitfield. "If it wasn't for them I probably wouldn't be able to graduate on time."

USF stressed that the program wasn't being eliminated because of cost concerns.

"The issue is not about the program itself," outlined Dean of Education Walt Gmelch. "It's about space.

According to Gmelch, the growth of the university's summer school has left the campus strapped for space.

"What they need (for Upward Bound) is about 20 classrooms. We don't have 20 classrooms from morning until night and that's the space issue."

One possible option discussed involved moving the program to the San Francisco State University campus.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)