UA officials in developing stages of creating long delayed child care center
By: Aly Van Dyke
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: News
After years of delays and obstacles, the UA is looking to build a campus daycare center for student, faculty and staff parents.
Earlier in the semester, the "UA Daycare Initiative," a term coined by Tommy Bruce, president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, began work toward making the daycare center a reality.
"This committee will be developing criteria and a vision for what might comprise a child care center, and then we will explore the potential for private sector involvement," said Melissa Vito, vice president of student affairs. "There is not a guarantee that this will result in a child care center, rather it will help us determine the feasibility of this type of an approach."
"(Creating a daycare program) has been tried in the past, and there's just been one road block or another that made the whole process basically stall and then fall apart," said Catherine Neish, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council. "What I'm hoping is different about this year is that it's not going to cost the university very much to do this."
The extra needs of student parents were expressed in a survey conducted in spring 2006. The survey, which was assembled by FMR Associations, collected opinions and statements from 191 student parents to determine the child care needs among them.
Ninety percent of those polled rated an on- or near-campus child care service to be "very beneficial."
Christine Duddleston, a family studies and human development senior, is a mother of three, the youngest of whom is two-and-a-half years old.
Duddleston believes convenience of proximity in both child and health care services would be among the most valuable benefits.
"We have the experts on campus and if some type of participation from campus departments or colleges exists, then the level of care would be second to none," Duddleston said.
Another seven surveyed said class attendance was affected at least once a week by child care needs.
Earlier in the semester, the "UA Daycare Initiative," a term coined by Tommy Bruce, president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, began work toward making the daycare center a reality.
"This committee will be developing criteria and a vision for what might comprise a child care center, and then we will explore the potential for private sector involvement," said Melissa Vito, vice president of student affairs. "There is not a guarantee that this will result in a child care center, rather it will help us determine the feasibility of this type of an approach."
"(Creating a daycare program) has been tried in the past, and there's just been one road block or another that made the whole process basically stall and then fall apart," said Catherine Neish, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council. "What I'm hoping is different about this year is that it's not going to cost the university very much to do this."
The extra needs of student parents were expressed in a survey conducted in spring 2006. The survey, which was assembled by FMR Associations, collected opinions and statements from 191 student parents to determine the child care needs among them.
Ninety percent of those polled rated an on- or near-campus child care service to be "very beneficial."
Christine Duddleston, a family studies and human development senior, is a mother of three, the youngest of whom is two-and-a-half years old.
Duddleston believes convenience of proximity in both child and health care services would be among the most valuable benefits.
"We have the experts on campus and if some type of participation from campus departments or colleges exists, then the level of care would be second to none," Duddleston said.
Another seven surveyed said class attendance was affected at least once a week by child care needs.
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