April
14, 2005 62LCB#9
Childcare Facility Fee
Authored by: Jerod Beatty Graduate Senator
Eugene
Pearson 2nd
Vice-President
Sponsored by: Veronica Crespin Tri-Executive
Joseph
Neguse Tri-Executive
Garrett
Stanton Tri-Executive
Naomi
Lopez President
Eugene
Pearson Vice-President
David
Roth Engineering
Co-Senator
Henry Bangert Law
School Co-Senator
Brian
Mason Law
School Co-Senator
Christopher
Turner Music Senator
Rae
Ann Armijo Representative-at-Large
Ashley
Moore Representative-at-Large
Jason
Reid Representative-at-Large
Jesse Ulibarri Representative-at-Large
Bill Summary
The
University of Colorado’s fiscal crisis has resulted in the closure of a
childcare facility that once served the families of students, faculty, and
staff members. To minimize the severe
impact of this closure on the University community, this bill imposes a
mandatory student fee at the rate of $0.50 per student per semester for four
years to finance the following remediation efforts:
(1)
relocation of existing playground equipment to the Newton Court Children’s
Center, the Department of Housing’s only remaining childcare
facility;
(2)
renovation of the Children’s Center, including an expansion of the playground
area, to accommodate its increased enrollment; and
(3)
acquisition of library materials, teaching supplies, and recreational equipment
to enhance the quality of childcare provided by the Children’s Center.
Bill History
The
University of Colorado’s Department of Housing has provided high-quality
childcare for the families of students, faculty, and staff members since
1975. However, severe budget cuts
forced the closure of the Department of Housing’s childcare facility located
near the Smiley Court family housing complex at 3333 33rd Avenue
during the 2003-04 academic year. As a
result, all childcare operations have been consolidated into the Department of
Housing’s only remaining childcare facility, the Children’s Center, located
near the Newton Court family housing complex at 2202 Arapahoe Avenue. Although the Department of Housing’s
childcare enrollment declined by 36% due to the facility consolidation, the Children’s
Center is currently operating at a maximum capacity of 85 children.
Additional
budget cuts are anticipated in the 2005-06 academic year and threaten to
degrade the high quality of childcare currently provided by the Children’s
Center. These budget cuts
have been exacerbated by escalating operating expenses, due primarily to
increases in employee health insurance rates.
Increases in childcare tuition rates alone cannot bridge the gap between
declining subsidies and escalating expenses; the Children’s Center’s 2004-05
tuition rates, while very competitive with comparable services in the Boulder
area, are already too high for many parents in the University community,
ranging from $805 per month for the children of students to $1,027 per month
for the children of faculty members.
Despite increased enrollment resulting from the facility consolidation,
the Children’s
Center is projecting a budget deficit exceeding $109,000 in the
2004-05 academic year. In response to
growing budget deficits, staff members and patrons of the Children’s Center have
resorted to holding garage sales and bake sales to subsidize the facility’s
operations.
Adequate facilities and supplies are central to the Children’s
Center’s pedagogy, which encourages exploration, creativity, and
individuality. As articulated on the Children’s
Center website:
At the Children's
Center, we respect each child as a unique and capable learner. We recognize that the first five years of a
child's life are the most formative in his/her development and our practice is
based on the belief that optimal growth takes place when we encourage and support
the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of each child. We believe that learning is primarily an
active process. Children of all ages
need repeated opportunities to interact with their world and find their place
in it. . . . We believe young children learn best from self-initiated activity
with concrete objects. . . . Children who are active in their own learning
process make sense of the world for themselves and construct their own
knowledge.
The Childcare Facility Fee
The
Childcare Facility Fee will provide temporary financial assistance for the Children’s
Center. Specifically, this
student fee will finance the following three activities:
(1) Relocation of existing playground equipment
from the recently-closed Smiley Court childcare facility to the Newton Court Children’s
Center. This playground
equipment consists of one play structure for two- to five-year-old children,
one play structure for one- to two-year-old children, barriers for the play
structures, and peat gravel. Equipment
removal and relocation costs are estimated at $4,000.
(2) Renovation of the Newton Court Children’s
Center, including an expansion of the playground area, to
accommodate its increased enrollment.
Due to budget constraints, the Children’s Center has deferred a number of
capital expenditures and maintenance projects in recent years. Desired expenditures are estimated as
follows:
“Tip-Me-Not” lockers (14) $ 7,418
Re-tiling of bathroom floors $ 5,000
“Bye-Bye
Buggies” (4) $ 4,500
Classroom
supply storage units (10) $ 3,400
Rectangular
tables (8) $ 2,632
“Circle-Time”
carpets (5) $ 2,500
Chairs
(85) $ 2,200
Storage
lockers (“Cubbies”) for children’s clothes (14) $ 1,859
Mobile storage bins $
1,650
Window blinds $ 1,600
Sand and water tables (5) $ 1,580
Book stands (5) $ 1,075
Classroom ball packs (3) $ 1,050
Gates for changing areas $ 500
Total $
36,964
Expansion
of the Children
Center’s playground area would entail the following expenditures:
Sidewalk and tricycle path
construction/re-construction $
11,000
Fence relocation,
construction, and repair $ 6,000
Vegetable and flower garden
(plus tools) $ 4,000
Water learning center (with
pump and pond) $ 3,500
Concrete outdoor reading area $ 3,000
Peat gravel for extended play
areas $ 2,000
New tricycles $ 1,650
Total $
31,150
(3) Acquisition of library materials, teaching
supplies, and recreational equipment to enhance the quality of childcare and
learning provided by the Children’s Center. Every year, approximately $8,000 is required
to purchase art supplies, books, puzzles, and other teaching materials for the Children’s
Center’s five classrooms.
Approximately $500 per year is required to finance field trips. Additionally, due to budget constraints, the
Children’s
Center has not been able to invest in new recreational equipment
(including playground balls, wooden blocks, and dramatic play supplies) for
several years. The Children’s Center would like
to acquire approximately $6,000 worth of new recreational equipment. All of these expenditures will total
approximately $40,000 over the four-year referendum period.
Legislative History
During
its 58th session, the University of Colorado Student Union recognized the
growing need for adequate childcare on the Boulder campus. In order to afford student parents an
opportunity to be as productive as possible during their academic careers, and
to provide an amenity for faculty and staff members, this Student Union agreed
“to make every effort” to secure adequate childcare.
THEREFORE BE IT
ENACTED by the Legislative Council of the University of Colorado Student Union,
THAT,
SECTION 1—FEE: To minimize the impact of the Smiley Court
childcare facility closure on the University of Colorado community, this Bill
imposes a mandatory Childcare Facility Fee at the rate of $0.50 per student per
semester for four years to finance the following remediation efforts:
(1)
relocation of existing playground equipment to the Newton Court Children’s
Center;
(2)
renovation of the Children’s Center, including an expansion of the playground
area, to accommodate its increased enrollment; and
(3)
acquisition of library materials, teaching supplies, and recreational equipment
to enhance the quality of childcare provided by the Children’s Center.
SECTION 2 - These funds shall be contingent on the
Department of Housing not using synthetic pesticides on Department of Housing
grounds.
SECTION 3—ENACTMENT: This Bill takes effect upon final passage by
the Legislative Council and upon obtaining the signatures of the
Tri-Executives.2
4-14-05 Passed 13-0-1
4-21-05 Amended & Passed 13-1-0
Naomi Lopez Veronica Crespin
Legislative
Council President Tri-Executive
Joseph
Neguse Garrett Stanton
Tri-Executive Tri-Executive