Transfer opportunities beyond UC and CSU

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle this past Monday on how difficult it is to be a low-income student at Stanford, revived a question that I have had since I joined this Board of Trustees: Why does City College talk almost exclusively about SF State and UC Berkeley for transfer? While those institutions are quite good and make sense for many San Franciscans, they are not the only option. In fact, they may not be the best option for everyone who wants to transfer from City College.

Experiencing life in another part of the country, finding a college that focuses on undergraduate education, and realizing the possibilities that a small college can provide are only some of the reasons why City College students should examine all of the opportunities available.

The article from the Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/31/BAIMVHBG9.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea) is particularly relevant for many students at City College. Being able to afford an expensive institution like Stanford is beyond the means of a large segment of the population.

The good news from Stanford and Harvard (http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1042997120071210?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews) is that both institutions have recognized that they are limiting the pool of applicants to only those who can afford the high fees that they charge. What's heartening about the news from both colleges is that they now recognize that they need to put the resources of their enormous endowments to good use in lowering or eliminating fees for deserving students. Hopefully, this will attract more City College students to consider transferring to one of these colleges.

As the article points out, however, living expenses are another cost that many students cannot afford. Wouldn't it be great if we could find a way to raise funds to help City College students who transfer to meet the costs they incur after transferring? Seems like something we should pursue with the College's Foundation.