taken from the October 2003 AAUP AZ Advocate
Improved Child Care
Resources Needed at the
University of Arizona
By Jennifer Runquist, MS, BSN
The University of Arizona (UA) in Tucson is the only PAC-10 University to not have
an on-site child care center. This fact has significant negative consequences for
students, faculty, and staff of the University of Arizona with young children. Lack
of onsite daycare reduces the UA’s ability to compete with in-state and out-of-state
institutions for quality faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students. Adequate
child care support services are a necessity for a productive, inclusive university
setting that acknowledges the value of the families who make up a significant portion
of the workforce and student body. The results of a 2002 survey of UA graduate students
demonstrates specific needs that exist.
During the 2002-2003 academic year, the Graduate and Professional Student Council
(GPSC) expressed an interest in moving forward with an agenda to improve child care
resources to graduate students. Upon initial investigation, however, the GPSC found
that the UA did not know how many graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty
or staff had children. Without this basic information, the GPSCC could not ascertain
which resources and efforts were most needed by graduate students with child dependents.
I, as doctoral student and College of Nursing GPSC representative, volunteered to
construct and administer the Graduate Student Dependent Care Survey. The survey assessed
the dependent status, child care issues, employment, and financial situations of
graduate students attending the University of Arizona. Human subjects approval from
the UA Institutional Review Board was obtained prior to initiating data collection.
The survey was mailed to a random sample of 915 UA students who were: 1) a current
UA graduate student, 2) residents of the United States, and 3) 18 years or older.
A 35% response rate was obtained.
The survey results were illuminating. Twenty-three percent of graduate student participants
stated they had dependents less than 18 years old and reported an average of 1.7
children. Twenty-two percent of respondents planned to have their first or an additional
child during this time. It is clear that graduate students with families are a significant
part of the population.
One quarter of graduate students with dependents make less than $15,000 per year.
The 2003 Federal Poverty Guideline for a family of three is $15,260 and $18,400 for
a family of 4, meaning one fourth of graduate student families in this sample exist
well below the poverty level. This fact has significant implications for the health
of graduate student children, because time spent living in poverty negatively affects
health and increases costs to the state [see, e.g. Montgomery, L.E. , Kiely, J.L.
& Pappas, G. 1996: "The effects of poverty, race, and family structure on US children's
health: Data from the NHIS, 1978 through 1980 and 1989 through 1991." American Journal
of Public Health, 86(10), 1401-1405].
The cost of child care to graduate student parents averaged $406 per month. In order
to pay for child care, 80% of parents work a job apart from being a student to pay
for child care. Additionally, 43% use student loans and 7% utilize the UA Child Care
Subsidy Program.
Graduate student parents identify 4 main childcare needs: an all-day on-campus child
care facility, an on-campus drop-in child care facility, a sick-child program, and
specific child care university financial aid. Only thirteen percent of respondents
indicated they were aware that UA Life & Work Connections administers the Student
Child Care Subsidy Program, Sick Child Program, and other student work/life offerings.
Within Arizona, the UA’s child care resource offerings are well behind other state
university campuses. UA offers a child care subsidy program that gives undergraduate
and graduate students with demonstrated financial need up to $1,000 per year for
a child enrolled in full-time child care. This amount pales in comparison to childcare
costs of upwards of $500 per month in Tucson. Northern Arizona University (NAU) also
has a need-based child care subsidy program; however, students can qualify for up
to $75 per week of assistance, which adds up to over $3000 per year. In addition
to a need-based child care subsidy program, all three of Arizona State University’s
campuses have on-campus child care and child development facilities for children
ranging between 2 and 6 years old. The UA South campus in Sierra Vista also has an
on-site child care center. NAU, ASU, and UA South are all doing significantly more
than the UA Tucson to meet the needs of students with children.
Quality, cost effective child care is important to this sample of graduate student
parents in order to complete their programs in a timely fashion. Working an extra
job to pay for child care reduces productivity at the University. Graduate students
with children want an on-campus child care facility that offers both all-day care
and drop-in services. The current Student Child Care Subsidy Program is insufficient
to meet the needs of graduate student families. Both the Subsidy Program and the
Sick-Child program need to be better advertised to all students. A multifaceted approach
to improving child care services is needed bring the UA up to the level of services
provided by other in-state and PAC-10 universities. Suggestions include:
1) Implement a program to connect impoverished UA student families with local, state
and national resources to reduce the financial burden of child care;
2) Increase both the overall Child Care Subsidy budget and amount of subsidy each
child can receive;
3) Build an on-site child care facility.
The current status of child care resources at the UA is unacceptable for a Research
I institution with the professed mission of being a "Student-Centered Research University".
If the University of Arizona wishes to be on a level playing field with in-state
and out-of-state institutions, then child care resources for students, faculty, and
staff must be improved.
Jennifer Runquist, MS, BSN
Doctoral Student in Nursing
University of Arizona
