To: Alfred L.

Williams, UALR President From: Paige Watkins Date: 10-25-13

I write this letter to propose a solution for a prominent issue regarding child care here at UALR. This issue stems from college students being unable to either find or afford day care for their small children. Several students express the struggle they endure when faced with the task of finding a place for their children while simultaneously focusing on and paying for their education. What I suggest is that the university establishes a day care or drop-off program that will assist in lowering the frustration these students/parents face. According to the Institute for Womens Policy Research (IWPR) About half of married student parents and over 40 percent of single student parents spend 40 or more hours per week working, and parents must also devote a significant portion of their time to caregiving. In fact, 68 percent of married parents and 56 percent of single parents spend 30 hours or more per week on care. Further, only about 10 percent of single parents spend no time on care, compared to 60 percent of childless students. Some student parents end up spending 70 hours per week or more on their jobs and caretaking dutiesattending classes and studying seems like an impossible added burden. In order to solve this problem here at UALR, I propose that the university supports student parents by providing child care that is both affordable and accessible. Child care is a critical element in helping to decrease the strain placed on parents by having to balance conflicting priorities and obligations (school and child care). Child care facilities not only allow parents

peace of mind and give them more time to devote to schoolwork and earning income, the facilities can also help increase retention among a group that is likely to drop out of school. Fifty-seven percent of student parents are low-income, meaning that off-campus care centers which in many states cost more than average annual rent paymentsare not realistic options for many student parents. (Elisa Garcia Child Care Crucial to Success of Students Parents iwpr.org) The cost for starting up a child care center may range from $50,000-$100,000 depending on the size and quality of the establishment. According to Self-help.org, child care center start-up expenses may go as follows: Child care cost (toys, books, etc.) - $4,800 Marketing Costs (business cards, flyers, etc.) - $350 Furniture and Fixtures, Improvements - $38,000 Administrative Expenses - $35,000

Total One-Time Costs = $78,150 (approximately) In conclusion, I believe that providing access to quality child care would be greatly beneficial to students here at UALR. By alleviating a portion of the stress and frustration that comes with juggling school work and caring for children, the university will greatly improve student success, retention rates, and graduation rates.