CSU should bring back childcare to support parenting students, faculty, and staff

Offered as recently as 2019, bringing back childcare on campus would be a great investment in the campus community

Recently, I learned that most universities in Europe provide daycare for students and faculty members, which allows them to attend class or work stress-free. Not only would this be helpful with scheduling matters, but it would also allow students and faculty to not worry about paying an exorbitant price for external childcare. While CSU used to host a daycare center, it closed in 2019. However, on-campus daycare is a benefit worth having for students and faculty.

According to Higher Ed Magazine, the benefits of on-campus daycare are plentiful. First, on-campus child care can “reduce employee absenteeism and tardiness by cutting out drop-off, pickup, and out-of-the-way commutes; increase productivity, engagement and morale among employees; [and] encourage employees to return to work sooner after the birth of a child.”

Employees and students would be happier knowing their children were close, as well as making their commutes much easier. It can “promote work-life balance; allow employees [and students] to check on their children throughout the day and allow breastfeeding mothers access to their children; [and] increase retention of students with children and increase on-time graduation rates.” Not only would on-campus childcare benefit employees and students, but the university would be “eligible for state and federal tax credits,” as well.

Considering that on-campus childcare would benefit employees, students, and the university itself, it seems like an easy decision that CSU should reimplement its daycare service. The childcare center, which was partnered with the YMCA, closed in 2019 due to low enrollment.

However, things may be different now, as childcare costs have skyrocketed in recent years. In fact, Fox8 claimed that “child care costs almost as much as college tuition” in 2018. Along with that, students who are earning early childcare or child education degrees could complete internships through this center and provide care at a very low cost. Overall, an on-campus childcare center would benefit the university in a major way.