Parents of UA students now have a greater chance of receiving a childcare subsidy with their financial aid.

The UA's Student Child Care Subsidy Program has been increased by $50,000 according to Darci Thompson, Director of UA Life and Work Connections.

Jennifer Runquist, principal investigator of the 2003 Graduate Student Dependent and Child Care Survey, and Peter Morris, former president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, are credited with bringing in the additional money.

"Peter and Jennifer's work helped us focus resources on this program to further the university's efforts to recruit and retain student parents," Saundra Taylor, senior vice-president for Campus Life, in a recent press release. "Additional child care dollars are a tangible way for the university to address a critical student work-life concern identified in Jennifer's study."

Runquist, the mother of Eve, a 19-month-old girl, said she was pleased with the effects the survey had on the campus community.

"People have seen the survey, and responded to it, and the needs of students," she said.

Runquist, a third year doctoral student in nursing, said during the execution of the survey she wasn't always sure that it would have such an effect.

"Some administrators said, you're a graduate student, you are supposed to be poor," she said. "But (I felt) no one should live below the poverty line."

Approximately a quarter of graduate student families are currently below the poverty line, according to the survey.

Runquist said that she did not name a monetary amount needed in the survey, but the $50,000 was great considering the state of UA's budget.

The survey of 915 graduate students found that 23 percent had children and that 35 percent of those that had children paid for childcare outside the home, averaging payments of $406 per month.

Thompson said the extra money allotted for struggling student parents this semester would be a great asset to the UA community.

"It will serve more student parents, which aids them in the continuing pursuit of education and careers," she said.

The money will be given through financial aid. Student parents are eligible for $500 per child a semester. The subsidies are available per family, so if both parents attend the UA, the subsidy can only be claimed once.

The applicant must have filled out an application for Financial Aid for 2003/2004 and have an unmet need documented in the Student Information System to be eligible.

Forty-three student families have been served so far this semester, according to Thompson.

This includes 29 undergraduate student families, 14 graduate student families and 65 children.

A portion of the funds, $13,000, will be used for the UA Sick Child Program, a program in which student parents pay a nominal fee for a caretaker to come to their home during their school or work hours to take care of their sick children.

Students must be enrolled in the service to take advantage of it.

Information about the Student Child Care Subsidy Program, the Sick Child Program and more can be found at http://lifework.arizona.edu/ or by calling 621-4365.