GPSS IN THE NEWS
As the representative body for 11,000 graduate and professional students, GPSS is often in the news, both on campus and off. Members of the Press are encouraged to contact the GPSS President for interviews.
UW FIGHTING FOR BETTER CHILDCARE FOR STUDENT-PARENTS
Source: The Daily
Author: Jenna Curry
Date: May 01, 2007
Though access to on-campus childcare for student-parents is still limited, the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) and the recently formed UW Childcare Advisory Committee are working to fix the problem.
There are a total of 255 spaces for infants, toddlers and preschool students in the four different on-campus childcare centers; as of January 2007, 580 children were on the wait list, said Randi Shapiro, assistant director of the work/life office.
GPSS has made it a yearlong effort to address the childcare issue.
“We are still working on getting better childcare access for student parents,” GPSS President Kim Friese said in an e-mail. “There is only so much room for our already limited on-campus childcare.”
The Childcare Advisory Committee, with members ranging from students to professors to staff members, was created to review the short- and long-term options for childcare on campus. They are considering accessibility, affordability and quality of care for children and are in the midst of drafting recommendations for Phyllis Wise, provost and vice president for academic affairs, Shapiro said.
Affordability remains a key concern for many student-parents. This year, the Childcare Assistance Program awarded assistance to 172 students on a need-basis according to income, said Kelly Langager, childcare program coordinator at the office of the vice provost for student life.
Average on-campus childcare costs range from $820 to $1,120 per month for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The assistance program pays up to 60 percent of monthly tuition for the three different school groups.
Friese and GPSS Vice President Marcus Riccelli attended a conference in Utah last month to discuss campus childcare issues.
“[Our presentation addressed] campus and legislative avenues for increasing childcare access for graduate and professional students,” Friese said.
Attendees agreed that the “childcare crisis” is affecting students nationwide, she added.
GPSS held its first meeting for graduate and professional student-parents this week. The group discussed key issues like the challenges of being student-parents and some of the goals for increasing access to campus childcare. GPSS wants to provide access to other student-parents through a student-parent resource coordinator, Friese said.
As the GPSS and the committee work to find solutions to childcare issues, Friese said she hopes more student-parents will step forward and attend meetings so that other questions and concerns can be considered.
There are a total of 255 spaces for infants, toddlers and preschool students in the four different on-campus childcare centers; as of January 2007, 580 children were on the wait list, said Randi Shapiro, assistant director of the work/life office.
GPSS has made it a yearlong effort to address the childcare issue.
“We are still working on getting better childcare access for student parents,” GPSS President Kim Friese said in an e-mail. “There is only so much room for our already limited on-campus childcare.”
The Childcare Advisory Committee, with members ranging from students to professors to staff members, was created to review the short- and long-term options for childcare on campus. They are considering accessibility, affordability and quality of care for children and are in the midst of drafting recommendations for Phyllis Wise, provost and vice president for academic affairs, Shapiro said.
Affordability remains a key concern for many student-parents. This year, the Childcare Assistance Program awarded assistance to 172 students on a need-basis according to income, said Kelly Langager, childcare program coordinator at the office of the vice provost for student life.
Average on-campus childcare costs range from $820 to $1,120 per month for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The assistance program pays up to 60 percent of monthly tuition for the three different school groups.
Friese and GPSS Vice President Marcus Riccelli attended a conference in Utah last month to discuss campus childcare issues.
“[Our presentation addressed] campus and legislative avenues for increasing childcare access for graduate and professional students,” Friese said.
Attendees agreed that the “childcare crisis” is affecting students nationwide, she added.
GPSS held its first meeting for graduate and professional student-parents this week. The group discussed key issues like the challenges of being student-parents and some of the goals for increasing access to campus childcare. GPSS wants to provide access to other student-parents through a student-parent resource coordinator, Friese said.
As the GPSS and the committee work to find solutions to childcare issues, Friese said she hopes more student-parents will step forward and attend meetings so that other questions and concerns can be considered.