In light of new administration, onsite childcare is discussed
When Dr. Michael Baston, the newest president of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), began to hold campus listening sessions, an early proposal brought up by was the possible return of childcare to Tri-C.
One student outspoken about the issue at the first listening session was Kelly Thomas, a Tri-C student and then-nursing major who recently lived and studied in California before coming to Ohio. Her previous school had an onsite program staffed by childcare education students, who received classroom hours for their work. At the session, which took place at Tri-C’s Westshore Campus, Thomas pushed for a consideration to bring back onsite childcare.
“I ran into a second day of classes this morning, to find that babysitter was sick. And I had some work to do before I even got to class that I did not touch. I got to class. I was not prepared. I made a terrible first impression in my mind to a professor for a student who has really good standing usually.” She explained during the event.
When she came to Tri-C, she learned that onsite care was cut several years before her arrival.
An on-campus childcare option once existed on campus but is no longer available. There is a summer camp offered during summer months, but children under the age of four, like Thomas’, aren’t eligible.
“I know that there are plenty of programs to care of some child-care, but me and my husband are we are barely not at the line of income needed to take advantage of that opportunity.” She noted during the session
A notable on-sight resource has existed in Women in Transition, a college-wide program committed to helping women succeed in their life and academic goals. WIS holds class sessions during the semester. Paula Atwood, student advisor of WIS on the Western Campus, responded to a request, and is contacting past members of the WIS class to speak about their experiences raising children while taking classes. Several other members of WIS have been reached out to for comment.
“We’re very encouraged when we bring kids into the world to get a better career, and we can’t do that without college.” Thomas said in an interview after the listening session concluded.
“And you can’t do college without someone watching your kids.”
