This is important to the University of Houston Community because the Urban Experience Program supports disadvantaged minority students and students from the foster care system helping them to be successful and graduate. Since the recent retirement of our previous Director (for over 15 years), this program has now been left without a Director. It is imperative for Dr. Elwyn C. Lee (Founder of the Urban Experience Program),VP of Community Relations & Institutional Access to be the overseeing division of the program in order for it to continue its success. Without the leadership of Dr. Elwyn C. Lee the Division of Student Affairs will continue its efforts to try to shut down the program. DSA has made obstacles and road blocks in the department's growth in many ways, including denying hiring of an already funded position, denying a larger office space for the rapid growth of the program, and blocking the program from publicizing its events and services to serve the broad masses of the UH student population. The students need your support to keep this program alive!!! The program must have Dr. Elwyn C. Lee to lead the program that he established in 1994 and currently has a 94% retention/graduation success rate. This has been brought to the University's attention numerous times through the previous Director and the University has not considered or supported her efforts. This petition demands three things:
1. The department be moved to Dr. Elwyn C. Lee's leadership in Community Relations and Institutional Access.
2. The program and department keeps adequate funding that it has always received from the University of Houston.
3. The department and program remains at the University of Houston.