University Child Care Committee (UCCC)

Strengthening Families Through Opportunities

CHILD CARE AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
A Historical Perspective

1961

• Pammel Nursery School - established as a parent cooperative serving ISU families, this program then incorporated and hired their first staff in 1965.

• USAC - appoints day care committee to investigate need for daycare services in University Married Community. Committee requests $500 from the Council, the Council approves a $300 loan and a $2000 gift to fund pilot project day care center for spring quarter in Pammel Study Hall.

• University Community Childcare - opens in Pammel Study Hall. Study Hall does not meet licensing standards; request is made to decommission a Pammel unit for a permanent site. GSB allocates $3050 for remodeling and equipment.
• Ad Hoc Committee Appointed - by the Dean of Home Economics, at the request of President Parks, to study campus child care issues. This committee meets through May 1972, surveying students and staff and exploring options for university support of a child care facility.

• Dean's Ad Hoc Committee - recommendations include:
  1. Establishment of three graduate assistantships to work with nonprofit centers in Ames
  2. Utilize registration process to determine students with dependants
  3. Develop infant/toddler lab within the Department of Child Development
  4. Establish standing committee on childcare
• Day Care Consulting Position - is created within the Department of Child Development in response to the committee's recommendations.

• Survey - of students with children conducted

• Survey - completed by University/Student/City Committee on Ames area child care.

• University Committee on Women - establishes subcommittee on child care. Areas of need identified by the subcommittee included: sick child care, training child care staff, pamphlet on child care services, referral service, and infant day care.
• Dean's Ad Hoc Child Care Committee - dissolves and subcommittee of the University Committee on Women assumes responsibilities.

• Standing Committee - GSB recommends university standing committee on child care be appointed.
• Dr. Thielen appoints student Affairs Ad Hoc Committee - in response to a recommendation from a student life subcommittee reviewing the issue the issue of child care

• University Child Care Committee (UCCC) - is appointed by President Parks upon review of the recommendation of Dr. Thielen and the Students Affairs Ad Hoc Committee. Membership includes seven faculty/staff members and three students representing GSB, GSS and the Student Affairs.
• University Community Childcare - establishes infant care program.

• Child Care in Ames and Surrounding Communities - brochure developed and distributed in cooperation with the Ames Chamber of Commerce.
• Survey - of student-parent and employee-parent child needs are completed.
• Day Care Consultant - position is frozen in budget due to staff turnover.

• Flexible Benefits - options for university employees are reviewed by UCCC.
• Day Care Consultant - becomes university position within the Department of Child Development, thus exempting the position from the budget freeze.
• University Community Childcare - offers summers school-age care in Pammel Court meeting room.

• Slide Show - covering the development of child care at ISU is prepared by UCCC.
• Volunteer Letter - requesting university groups to contribute time to three non-profit agencies.

• System to Identity Dependants - through the registration process is investigated by UCCC.
• UCCC Membership - is expanded to include the directors from three non-profit agencies.

• College of Veterinary Medicine - staff and students from the college meet with UCCC to discuss development of a child care facility located within the Veterinary Medicine Complex.

• Information and Referral Service - UCCC recommends full-time staff person to provide services for students.
• Board of Regents Budget Release - includes $25,000 to study child care needs.

• Support for Salary of the director of University Community Child Care within the university budget is requested by UCCC.
• University Community Childcare - offers before and after school care.

• Legislature Mandates - a study by the Boards of Regents of faculty, staff and student child care needs. In addition, the Board of Regents is mandated to present the General Assembly a comprehensive proposal for meeting the child care needs at each institution. In response to these mandates the Board of Regents established an inter-institutional Child Care Study Committee. The three Regent universities complete the Campus Child Care Needs Assessment Survey. Needs identified by ISU families include: sick child care, evening care, part-time care and infant care. Upon the recommendation of the Inter-institutional Committee the Board mandates that each institution prepare an annual report containing a five year plan for child care services.
• College of Veterinary Medicine - continues to be investigated by Veterinary Medicine Students and staff and GSB Senators as potential site for another on-campus child care facility.
• University Community Childcare - receives $9000 from ISU Achievement Foundation.
• School - Age Child Care - Needs are discussed in a joint meeting with UCCC and Ames Public School official.
• Telepol - on child care needs is conducted by Dean of Students Office and UCCC.

• Center for Childcare Resources - is discussed as a potential program to assist ISU families.
• Liaison - from the Provost Office is appointed through UCCC.
• System to Identify Dependants - through the registration process is investigated by UCCC.
• Work-study students - are placed in all three non-profit centers.
• Care for Mildly-Ill Children - is discussed with Mary Greeley Medical Center.
• Department of Residence - works with UCCC to review potential for University Community Child Care & USAC Pre-School fall under their administration.
• University Community Childcare - receives $9000 from ISU Achievement Foundation.

• Report to Insurance and Annuity Committee - prepared by William M. Mercer includes section on work and home life containing UCCC recommendations.
• Day Care Consultant - position restructured to Child Care Consultant reporting to Office of the Provost.
• Flex Care - affordable part-time care for student families opens. Program administered by University Community Child Care with financial support from ISU. Space is renovated in Pammel Court to house Flex-Care and school-age care.
• On-Going Support for Staff Salaries - at University Community Childcare is received from ISU.
• Pammel Court Unit is renovated - to office space for Child Care Consultant and Center for Child Care Resources.
• Evening Child Care - program is contracted to Children's Services of Central Iowa. Sliding fee scale for student families is offered.
• UCCC membership - is restructured to more accurately reflect membership initially appointed.

• Legislative Appropriation - to support child care services by ISU.
• System to Identify Dependants - through the registration process is implemented.
• ISU Insurance Benefits - are made available to staff at university Community Childcare and USAC Preschool.
• Work-study students - continue to be placed at non-profit centers.
• Care for Mildly-Ill Children - options are explored by UCCC.
• School-Age Child Care - UCCC works with parents at Crawford Elementary to initiate on-site before and after-school care.
• Small Site Surveys - to be completed at various campus sites including College of Veterinary Medicine and Ames laboratory are discussed. UCCC studies concept of supporting several child care sites on-campus versus one large site. Committee supports the development of several small sites located on the perimeter of campus.

• Increase in Legislative Appropriation - to support child care services is received by ISU.
• The Comfort Zone - day care for kids, who don't feel so good, opens in remodeled space in Pammel Court.
• Voucher System - Utilizing appropriated funds is studied to support child care for student families.
• Small Site Survey - on child care needs is conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Shirley Karas - retires from Department of Human Development and Family Studies and establishes fund within the ISU Foundation Office to assist staff at the University Community Child Care and USAC Preschool within the training needed to become accredited.

• Evening Child Care Program is Discontinued - due to low enrollment. Parent's express preference for in-home care during the evening. UCCC, then worked with the YWCA to update their babysitters list. Material was revised and is available to students at no charge.
• College of Veterinary Medicine - establishes a committee to review potential sites within Complex for a child care center.
• Campus-Wide Needs Assessment - conducted by the ISU Statistical Laboratory for UCCC. Over 300 ISU student, faculty and staff and are surveyed by phone about their need for child care services.
• Ad Hoc Committee on Child Care Space - is convened and requests authorization from President's Capital Projects Council to develop a campus child care master plan. Approval is given to proceed with the development of a campus plan.
• Toy and Equipment Lending Library - is established by the Center for Child Care Resources from funding received from ISU.
• On Going Support for Staff Salaries - at University Community Child Care form ISU is increased to bring director's salary on line with that of directors from other community programs.

• Campus Plan for Child Care - is presented to the President's Capital Projects Council. Approval given to complete a feasibility study for the development of a child care site at the Veterinary Medicine Complex. Architectural firm and child care consultants are retained to work with UCCC subcommittee to develop the study. The findings are presented to the administration for review.
• Child Care at ISU - brochure outlining campus child care services is developed and distributes across campus.
• Infant Care Work Group - comprised of both university and community members is convened to study infant care options. The work group includes representatives from the university, the Chamber of Commerce, Center for Child Care Resources, Mary Greeley Medical Center, the League of Women Voters and the City of Ames.

• University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine - Approval is given to proceed with planning for a child care facility to be located on the campus of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Story County Infant Network - the community-wide infant care workgroup develops a proposal to establish a network of family child care homes specifically designed to care for children 0 - 2 years of age.

• University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine - Planning for the construction of additional on-campus child care located at the College of Veterinary Medicine continues with the formation of a building planning committee and a provider search committee. Groundbreaking ceremony is held on September 16, 1996 and construction begins immediately following the ceremony.
• Story County Infant Care Network - established to increase the number of infant slots available in family child care homes secures local and federal funds to begin project implementation.

• University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine - Construction began on a new on-campus child care facility located near the College of Veterinary Medicine. The university sought an independent contract operator for the facility through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Members of the University Child Care Committee (UCCC), working with the ISU Purchasing Department, conducted the search process. A management contract was awarded to Bright Horizons. Children were enrolled and the program was operational on August 7, 1997. A dedication ceremony took place on September 11, 1997. The College of Veterinary Medicine allocates funding to support child care tuition fees for low-income students and priority enrollment to Veterinary Medicine students, faculty and staff.
• The Flex-Care Program - In response to the continued demand for part-time child care options, this program coordinated scheduling and facilities with USAC Preschool to increase its hours of service.

• University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine - The center is fully operational. All slots were filled by August 1998 and the program was operating with a waiting list of over 200 children.
• Story County Infant Care Network - During its first year of operation, the program created 25FTE slots for children 0-2 years of age in Story County in 10 family child care homes.
• The Flex-Care Program - a part-time child care program exclusively for student families, merged services and combined facilities with the Rainbow Preschool during the fiscal year 1998. This merger allowed UCC to increase the number of kindergarten age children enrolled in the program.
• School-Age Child Care - Members of the University Child Care Committee (UCCC) continued to participate in community discussions regarding the issues of school-age child are. UCCC members have met with representatives of the Story County Decategorization Program, Thriving Families (a family preservation and support grant), and guidance counselors at the Ames Community School District to collaborate on this issue.

• NAEYC Accreditation - University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine receives national accreditation award by the Academy of Early Childhood Programs.
• University Child Care Center - is designated as a Gold Seal quality child care facility by the Iowa Department of Human Services in quality improvement efforts.
• Comfort Zone - An agreement is made with ISU Student Health to provide nursing services to the mildly-ill child care program. The program is made exclusively for ISU students, faculty and staff without community enrollment.
• Flex-Care Program - extends program hours to 45 per week in response to student requests to attend late afternoon classes. GSB provides additional funding to support student fees and lengthen hours.
• ISU Child Care Resources - publishes a website on child care at ISU. University Child Care Committee activities and meeting minutes are included.

• Flex-Care Program - was extended from May through August for the first time. This change was in response to requests from student families needing to attend classes during the summer sessions.
• North Campus Childcare Center - Approval is given to proceed with plans to build a new campus child care center in the University Family Housing complex to replace the West Pammel Court facilities.

• NAEYC Accreditation - University Community Childcare receives national accreditation by the Academy of Early Childhood Programs.
• University Community Childcare - is designated as a Gold Seal quality child care facility by the Iowa Department of Human Services in quality improvement efforts.
• Playground Additions - Agricultural Education and Studies 315 constructs a playground project at the University Child Care Center. The group raises over $10,000 to erect three pieces of playground climbing and shade structures.
• North Campus Childcare Center - Developmental Design continues and 100 University Village is chosen as the site. The current UFH administration building will be remodeled to house University Community Childcare, the Center for Child Care Resources, ISU Office of Child Care Resources and the Comfort Zone.

• CCAMPIS Grant Program - ISU receives an Department of Education grant of $89,312 for a four-year Child Care Access Means Parents in School to financially assist low-income student parents with the cost of child care fees at the campus child care centers.
• North Campus Childcare Center - With reduced state budgets, the NCCF construction project is placed on hold. Committee recommends, and receives approval, for the facility to be named as a replacement with child care management continued by University Community Childcare.
• Comfort Zone - Beginning Fy03 Student Health will no longer provide cost-sharing for the nursing services to the program due to budget constraints. Alternative options are investigated.
• Survey - ISU collaborates with the Story County Coalition Committee to survey ISU family's ability to access child care both on campus and in the community. Affordable, accessible, quality care are cited as unmet needs. Mildly-ill child care services are needed for community families.
• College of Veterinary Medicine - will reduce support of $18,000 for student child care tuition fees at the University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine due to budget shortfalls in fy 03.
• ISU Child Development Laboratory School-Lab is reorganized to provide full-day full-year programming for two year olds through school-age children. Fees are comparable to those costs at UCCC at Veterinary Medicine.
• NAEYC - UCCC at Veterinary Medicine receives their first re-accreditation with an extension granted through July of 2007.

• Comfort Zone Program - HRS hires a Registered Nurse for the program. The extra salary expenses are funded from the ISU Strategic/Enhancement Plan. Student Health continues to act as medical advisor to the program. The Comfort Zone collaborates with Story County Empowerment to make mildly-ill child care services available to all Story County community residents.
• CCAMPIS Grant Program - a second year continuation award of $89,312 is granted by the U.S. Department of Education to financially assist low-income student parents with the cost of child care fees at the campus child care centers. ISU Child Development Laboratory is granted as an additional site for CCAMPIS families to enroll.
• CAP (Childcare Assistance Program) - A scholarship program is developed with funds from Student Activity Fee allocations. The program is designed to offset the cost of child care for student parents. All students may apply, regardless of their classification. UCCC is given program oversight.
• CAP-U (Childcare Assistance Program for Undergraduates) - UCCC proposal is awarded $45,000 from the ISU Office of Student Financial Aid to assist undergraduate students with the cost of child care. The scholarship program is designed the same as the CAP. Families with children under two may receive up to $500 per semester for child care, and a student who has a child above two may receive $375 a semester.
• Free Evening Child Care for Finals Program - is designed to provide free child care for student parents during final exam week. Funding for this program is reallocated funds from the Office of Adult and Off-Campus Students.
• North Campus Childcare Facility - Remodeling begins on 100 University Village to replace the aging West Pammel Court facilities. Programs that will be accommodated in the new facility are University Community Childcare (UCC), the Center for Child Care Resources (CCR), the Comfort Zone, and the ISU Office of Child Care Resources. Occupancy is expected in February 2004.
• Strategic/Enhancement Plan - allocates $18,000 to replace the College of Veterinary Medicine reduction of child care tuition support for low-income students.

• ISU Child Care Resources - Office changes its name to ISU Child Care Administration to help distinguish it from the Center for Child Care Resources.
• ISU Family Resource Center - Occupants move into the newly remodeled 100 University Village in March 2004. Occupants are ISU Child Care Administration, Center the Child Care Resources, University Community Childcare and The Comfort Zone. A Grand Opening Event and Open House was held on April 22, 2004, 10:00 a.m.
• Department of Residence - Supports University Community Childcare with a cash subsidy of $27,300 to help reduce costs to student families. The University Family Housing residents get priority enrollment status. Maintenance of the facility is directed by the University.
• CAP (Childcare Assistance Program) - Student government votes to discontinue financial support for scholarships using Student Activity Fees. Program is instead funded by ISU/Business and Finance. Program is allocated $18,080.
• CCAMPIS Grant Program - a third year continuation award of $89,312 is granted by the U.S. Department of Education to financially assist low-income student parents with the cost of child care fees at the campus child care centers.

• CCAMPIS Grant Program - a fourth year continuation award of $89,312 is granted by the U.S. Department of Education to financially assist low-income student parents with the cost of child care fees at the campus child care centers.

• CCAMPIS Grant Program - ISU submits a proposal for another four year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to financially assist low-income student parents with the cost of child care fees at the campus child care centers. ISU is awarded a four-year continuous grant of $135,039 per year.
• Comfort Zone - Management of the program is contracted out to University Community Childcare.
• ISU Child Development Laboratory School - offers a new infant program. CDLS offers 8 infant spots to faculty, staff, students, and the community at large. Program is full the first year.