Child care to see more funds

Child care services at UNC soon will be more accessible to students and employees with last fall’s student fee increase, members of the Chancellor’s Child Care Advisory Committee said.

The Chancellor’s Committee on Student Fees approved a 50-cent hike in the child care services fee in October — a 33.3 percent increase from last year.

Among other benefits, the University will use the money to subsidize child care for employee and student parents whose gross household income is less than $35,500 per year.

Last year, 12 UNC employees and 21 students received child care assistance through UNC funds, and 48 employees and students received some kind of child care scholarship.

But at the child care committee’s meeting Friday, members said they wanted to ensure that all employees and students who are eligible for assistance receive it.

“We want to make sure that they max out on the options,” said Lorri Allison, director of employee services at the Office of Human Resources.

Because no students and employees are on the waiting list for scholarships, members were hesitant to plan to request another increase in fees for scholarships without more student input.

Student input is also crucial for another committee plan: an on-campus drop-in day care center.

Committee members said student members initiated the drop-in center project, but progress has been put on hold as a result of logistical problems and waning student interest.

“Most of us thought that the priority use (of the drop-in center) would be students,” said Laurie Charest, associate vice chancellor for human resources.

She also said the committee should seek input from all students to determine the level of support and feasibility for a drop-in center.

“It doesn’t have to be student leaders,” she said. “If there are other students who are interested and passionate about it, that would be great.”

The idea for the drop-in center was born after several graduate students voiced concern about a lack of child care options — especially for last minute situations.

Officials at the time thought that students would take advantage of a center to participate in study groups or take an exam.

Increasing child care subsidies was a key plank in Graduate and Professional Student Federation President Jen Bushman’s platform.

The increased funds afforded by last fall’s fee increase will enable a more comprehensive set of services from the Child Care Services Association, a group contracted by UNC to manage the financial assistance program.

UNC will benefit from these additional resource and referral services, said committee Chairwoman Ellen Peisner-Feinberg.

An additional contact in employee services also will be available to provide a more central source of information on child care.

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.