Think back to your college days of classes, exams, study groups, labs, lectures, etc. College life was exhilarating, hectic, and demanding. Now think about those days again, only this time add a young son or daughter to the picture. It is almost too overwhelming to even imagine, let alone actually live out. Today, however, more and more students are also parents ; and first-time parents to boot.
After completing many consulting studies with institutions of higher learning, I could fill pages with the frantic comments from students who are desperately trying to make good grades AND be good parents. I have heard student parents talk about trying to study in the middle of the night when their child is sleeping because that was the only time they knew it would be quiet (I remember studying in the middle of the night but I could hit the sack after my 8:00 a.m. exam. rather than care for an energetic toddler). I've also heard many, many student parents talk about missing study groups or reducing their participation in cooperative projects due to a lack of child care available at atypical times. This inability to fully participate in the educational experience, they said, had a negative impact on their studies, their contribution to other students' learning, and sometimes even their ability to complete their degrees. It is clear that these student parents need support and Berkeley is responding.
The changing face of the college classroom
In 2011, a study by the Institute for Women's Policy Research said that parents make up nearly a quarter of undergraduates students in the U.S. And universities are starting to take note. The University of California, Berkeley recently announced a pilot program that will offer back-up care to undergraduate and graduate students - the first public university to do so (back-up care is already available to faculty). It's an auspicious development for the school and the students.After completing many consulting studies with institutions of higher learning, I could fill pages with the frantic comments from students who are desperately trying to make good grades AND be good parents. I have heard student parents talk about trying to study in the middle of the night when their child is sleeping because that was the only time they knew it would be quiet (I remember studying in the middle of the night but I could hit the sack after my 8:00 a.m. exam. rather than care for an energetic toddler). I've also heard many, many student parents talk about missing study groups or reducing their participation in cooperative projects due to a lack of child care available at atypical times. This inability to fully participate in the educational experience, they said, had a negative impact on their studies, their contribution to other students' learning, and sometimes even their ability to complete their degrees. It is clear that these student parents need support and Berkeley is responding.