<p>USC indeed has a good relationship with its immediate community. Some say that’s the reason why the campus was untouched during the '92 riots. USC has the Good Neighbor FUnd, which faculty, staff and students are encouraged to contribute to (cash, sweat equity, whatever.) USC has made an effort to increase the academic at selected public schools in the area, so some of the students “in the 'hood” actually do have a decent shot of getting into the university next door that they grew up to. (I know this stuff since H is on faculty as USC, so we get the PR packets, but there has also been positive reporting on these efforts by outside sources as well.)</p>