Likins: Child care facility in the cards

Nicholas Valenzuela Arizona Daily Wildcat President Likins speaks to members of ASUA while Senator Ty Trujillo listens during last night's ASUA meeting held in the Rincon Room. Likins answered questions from ASUA senators and those in attendance.

"Child care is a multi-grade issue," said Lauren LaRochelle, a media arts and film freshman. "It's a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate student issue."

LaRochelle and others told the Senate that federal subsidies for day care are difficult to come by.

"The majority (of parents) are on the waiting list," said LaRochelle, who has one child. "We need quality child care."

Likins addressed students' concerns as part of his annual visit to the Senate.

"If we simply make the commitment, we can decide that child care is important to the university," Likins said. "I'm glad I was here today, if only to hear (their) stories."

The UA is the first university in which Likins has worked where child care is not offered, Likins said. It can either increase subsidies for child care, or create a "long term solution" by building an actual structure, he said.

"It's a special challenge for you who are trying to do it on your own and you have my respect," Likins told the parents. "We'll build a facility and make it happen."

The solution may not be up and running in time to help current student parents, Likins said.

Sen. JosuŽeacute; Lim—n told senators that of 2,500 to 3,500 student-parents, 15 received subsidies last year. He said he hopes Likins' intentions are sincere.

"I really would like to see a real commitment on this issue," Lim—n said.

Frank Santiago, a single father of a four-year-old and a six-year-old, is on the subsidy waiting list.

"I knew coming back to school was going to be hard and sacrifices were going to have to be made," said Santiago, an agriculture sophomore. "I'm living off loans."

Santiago, who pays $60-$70 per week on child care, said an on-campus facility won't help everyone.

"I don't see how putting a child care center here would help anyone except those with under-preschool (aged) children," he said.

Mimi Gray, UA child care initiatives coordinator, said it would take $4 million in private funds to build a child-care facility.

Although the UA has $12,500 allotted per year for student-parent subsidies, $100,000 to $150,000 is needed to adequately support them, Gray said.

"He (Likins) expressed his sympathy and his concern and his support for doing something," she said. "He'll be very careful about what makes sense."

Wildcat reporter David J. Cieslak contributed to this report.

Erin Mahoney can be reached via e-mail at Erin.Mahoney@wildcat.arizona.edu.