2008 Woodie Awards
Project parent
Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project created to provide resources, improve campus conditions for parents
by Brittney Hansen
Issue date: 1/17/08
Section: Campus News
When English graduate student Amy Strand, 27, gave birth to her daughter Evelyn and began looking for affordable day care in order for her to continue her education, the Minnesota State Children's House - located near Wieking - had a two-year waiting list, meaning her daughter wouldn't even qualify for the infant program once space was finally available.
"We have a waiting list, a very long waiting list," said Sandra Jessen, director of the Children's House.
The waiting list at the Children's House is according to registration date, meaning first- come, first-served, and MSU students, staff and faculty are given first priority.
"The majority of our children here are children of students, staff or faculty, but if some of the time slots are not filled with students, staff or faculty children then those vacancies go to the community, but that is a real minute number," Jessen explained.
The Children's House takes as many as 12 infants, 21 toddlers and 57 preschoolers. None of the infants or toddlers are accepted on a part-time basis.
"It's just too hard to piece the time slots together when some parents only want care two hours a day and some parents only want care Tuesday, Thursday and Friday," Jessen said.
"One of the problems I think that MSU is going to face in the future is that there are some departments pushing towards night classes for non-traditional students, but there is nowhere for nighttime childcare in Mankato," Strand said.
For Strand, one of the most difficult problems she faced was first finding an affordable day care and then getting in.
"Getting in is really the hardest thing. If you want a day care center, there is only two or three of them in Mankato, because some people aren't comfortable with private day care," she said.
And then there's the cost, which can be difficult to afford. Strand pays $102 per week for part-time care at Little Stars in downtown Mankato, and full-time care there is $165. At the Children's House, full-time care for an infant (six weeks to 16 months) is $183, $167 per week for toddlers (16 months to three years), and $148 per week or $75 halftime for preschoolers.
Thankfully, many states and universities offer extra assistance to students with children.
Childcare isn't the only problem facing parents or expecting mothers. Currently, MSU does not offer any family housing, and while a pregnant student is not asked to leave the residence halls because of her pregnancy, it is a valid reason to terminate one's lease and she would need to find other housing once the baby is born.
There is, however, a breast-feeding room (or "lactation station") located on the second floor of the Centennial Student Union directly across from the Women's Center. Women are also welcome to nurse or visit their children at anytime at the Children's House.
Unfortunately, many consider pregnancy and parenthood an obstacle when deciding to continue higher education, and just finding information about available resources is not easy.
That is why the Global Health and Peace Club founded the Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project after a group project for a Community Program Development class taught by Bikash Ratan Nandy, who is also the advisor of the Global Health and Peace Club.
Global Health and Peace Club President Maria Alexandrova is a second-year graduate student in Community Health working on her thesis and was an OBGYN in Russia for four years before coming to MSU on a fellowship program. One of the other members of the club working on the project is also a mother and a full-time student.
The purpose of the Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project is to make campus a friendly learning environment for expecting mothers of all ages and to ensure the safety of the growing fetus and mother.
Alexandrova expects that at the end of this project, MSU can provide a free or discounted gold parking permit to pregnant women, coupons for campus eating and an array of counselors around campus to support expecting mothers.
"We believe that the main idea of this project is to educate and provide comfortable experience for all students and faculty who are pregnant while studying, teaching or serving," she said.
The group is also working on creating pamphlets in coordination with the Global Health and Peace Club, the Women's Center, the Non-Traditional Student Group, the Counseling Center and Student Health Services. This pamphlet will include the mission of the Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project, goals and objectives, description of the group and all resources available on- and off-campus to pregnant women or mothers with young children in one pamphlet.
"We discovered there are programs on campus to help with childcare, pregnancy testing, mental health, physical health and finance, but these resources are not organized together or advertised enough so that's why we're putting this pamphlet together," said Alexandrova.
Strand also mentioned a pamphlet or packet of information for parents or mothers-to-be including resources on how to deal with being pregnant or a parent on campus, resources in the area, and other helpful information.
"That's what's great about this student project, is that they realize that there are resources that don't exist or are not very visible to students," said Director of the Women's Center Deirdre Rosenfeld.
Rosenfeld supported the program, stating pamphlets will connect core service providers such as the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, the Women's Center and the Non-Traditional Student Group, as there is currently no defined program or group for expecting parents.
"We're going to make sure that no matter where students enter into our services that we share all the resources that we have," Rosenfeld said.
Brittney Hansen is a Reporter staff writer
"We have a waiting list, a very long waiting list," said Sandra Jessen, director of the Children's House.
The waiting list at the Children's House is according to registration date, meaning first- come, first-served, and MSU students, staff and faculty are given first priority.
"The majority of our children here are children of students, staff or faculty, but if some of the time slots are not filled with students, staff or faculty children then those vacancies go to the community, but that is a real minute number," Jessen explained.
The Children's House takes as many as 12 infants, 21 toddlers and 57 preschoolers. None of the infants or toddlers are accepted on a part-time basis.
"It's just too hard to piece the time slots together when some parents only want care two hours a day and some parents only want care Tuesday, Thursday and Friday," Jessen said.
"One of the problems I think that MSU is going to face in the future is that there are some departments pushing towards night classes for non-traditional students, but there is nowhere for nighttime childcare in Mankato," Strand said.
For Strand, one of the most difficult problems she faced was first finding an affordable day care and then getting in.
"Getting in is really the hardest thing. If you want a day care center, there is only two or three of them in Mankato, because some people aren't comfortable with private day care," she said.
And then there's the cost, which can be difficult to afford. Strand pays $102 per week for part-time care at Little Stars in downtown Mankato, and full-time care there is $165. At the Children's House, full-time care for an infant (six weeks to 16 months) is $183, $167 per week for toddlers (16 months to three years), and $148 per week or $75 halftime for preschoolers.
Thankfully, many states and universities offer extra assistance to students with children.
Childcare isn't the only problem facing parents or expecting mothers. Currently, MSU does not offer any family housing, and while a pregnant student is not asked to leave the residence halls because of her pregnancy, it is a valid reason to terminate one's lease and she would need to find other housing once the baby is born.
There is, however, a breast-feeding room (or "lactation station") located on the second floor of the Centennial Student Union directly across from the Women's Center. Women are also welcome to nurse or visit their children at anytime at the Children's House.
Unfortunately, many consider pregnancy and parenthood an obstacle when deciding to continue higher education, and just finding information about available resources is not easy.
That is why the Global Health and Peace Club founded the Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project after a group project for a Community Program Development class taught by Bikash Ratan Nandy, who is also the advisor of the Global Health and Peace Club.
Global Health and Peace Club President Maria Alexandrova is a second-year graduate student in Community Health working on her thesis and was an OBGYN in Russia for four years before coming to MSU on a fellowship program. One of the other members of the club working on the project is also a mother and a full-time student.
The purpose of the Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project is to make campus a friendly learning environment for expecting mothers of all ages and to ensure the safety of the growing fetus and mother.
Alexandrova expects that at the end of this project, MSU can provide a free or discounted gold parking permit to pregnant women, coupons for campus eating and an array of counselors around campus to support expecting mothers.
"We believe that the main idea of this project is to educate and provide comfortable experience for all students and faculty who are pregnant while studying, teaching or serving," she said.
The group is also working on creating pamphlets in coordination with the Global Health and Peace Club, the Women's Center, the Non-Traditional Student Group, the Counseling Center and Student Health Services. This pamphlet will include the mission of the Pregnancy Friendly Campus Project, goals and objectives, description of the group and all resources available on- and off-campus to pregnant women or mothers with young children in one pamphlet.
"We discovered there are programs on campus to help with childcare, pregnancy testing, mental health, physical health and finance, but these resources are not organized together or advertised enough so that's why we're putting this pamphlet together," said Alexandrova.
Strand also mentioned a pamphlet or packet of information for parents or mothers-to-be including resources on how to deal with being pregnant or a parent on campus, resources in the area, and other helpful information.
"That's what's great about this student project, is that they realize that there are resources that don't exist or are not very visible to students," said Director of the Women's Center Deirdre Rosenfeld.
Rosenfeld supported the program, stating pamphlets will connect core service providers such as the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, the Women's Center and the Non-Traditional Student Group, as there is currently no defined program or group for expecting parents.
"We're going to make sure that no matter where students enter into our services that we share all the resources that we have," Rosenfeld said.
Brittney Hansen is a Reporter staff writer
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Keira
posted 1/17/08 @ 2:38 PM CST
What a great resource for pregnant women! I am in my second trimester, and I only hope that this goes underway quickly enough that I'll be able to utilize the "Pregnancy Friendly Campus". (Continued…)
willow
posted 1/18/08 @ 11:16 PM CST
You're an idiot 3x7r3m3j4ck455. Daycare prices are a concern for students and full time working parents married or not all across the United States. Most middle class people spend about 20-30 percent of their income on daycare expenses alone. (Continued…)
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