After years of research and planning, the University’s firstChild Care Center opened its doors on May 31.
Located on Gourrier Avenue, the 15,513 square foot buildinggives students, faculty and staff the opportunity to enrollchildren ages six weeks to five years in a full- or part-time carefacility on campus.
Director Mary Sciaraffa said the center is not just a day care,but also has an educational component, which is a growing trend inchild care.
“Some people think when they see the word ‘child care,’ thechildren just sit around all day, but we educate all throughout theday,” Sciaraffa said.
Rhonda Jarreau, Sciaraffa’s administrative assistant, said thecenter has been long-awaited.
“We are an in-demand center,” Jarreau said. “It sellsitself.”
The center hired 15 certified teachers to care for and instructthe children.
Fylinda Ferguson, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in earlychildhood education, had been working in an elementary school untilnow. She now has a classroom of 14 children and is able to hone theskills she learned in college.
“The classrooms are developmentally appropriate,” Ferguson said.”What I learned in [college], it’s here.”
Ferguson said, in most classroom settings, teachers have tolearn to improvise and find a way to work with inadequatefacilities, but the Child Care Center was designed in a way that isconducive to childhood learning.
Ferguson also said parents and children are excited about thecenter.
“I have heard nothing but positive responses,” Ferguson said.”The kids came for orientation to get to know the center, and theydidn’t want to leave.”
Diane Burts, division head for Family, Child and ConsumerSciences at the University, has been working on developing a childcare facility since she came to the University in 1975.
Burts said there was a grass-roots movement for a child carecenter in the 1970s, but it did not go very far. Several yearslater the administration took interest and appointed Burts head ofa committee to research and develop ideas.
Burts said the committee was made up of existing faculty whofound it difficult to tackle the complex issues of developing acare center while handling another full-time job.
“[The committee] laid a lot of the ground work, but finally thecommittee did all they could,” Burts said.
Shortly after, a smaller task force recognized the need for afull-time employee to direct the development.
Sciaraffa, who was a graduate assistant at the time, tookcommand of the research and brought the center where it istoday.
“There have been many people along the way that have contributedand people didn’t give up,” Burts said. “But really having someonewho could devote time and effort to put all the aspects togethermade it work.”
Like most University projects, funding was a major concern.
Burts said the majority of the building will be paid for by thetuition generated from the children. Tuition, which ranges from$505 to $655 a month for full-time monthly care, is on a slidingfee scale, determined by parental income.
For more information about the center or to be put on thewaiting list, call 578-7882.