Worried about finding a place to leave the kids during class? Don’t worry — ASUU has a babysitter.
The Associated Students of the University of Utah, the U’s student government, provides discounted childcare for all students and staff on campus.
ASUU’s child care program cares for children between 12 months and five years of age with daily prices ranging from $3 to $8 after a $25 registration fee. Daily services are not available for children of school age.
“The purpose of this program is to get students through college,” said Mindy Nelson, director of ASUU’s child care program. “We want to give students affordable child care so they have options and don’t need to drop out.”
In the fall, the program will be getting a new “outdoor learning environment” for children in the program. The new playground is expected to serve an estimated 100 children during Fall Semester.
Ignacio Precido, a graduate student studying chemical engineering, has his 17-month-old daughter Isabella enrolled in ASUU’s child care program.
“Both my wife and I are graduate students at the U. It’s very useful to keep our child close to where we study and work,” Precido said. “(Isabella) is our first child and we don’t have a lot of friends with children. This way she gets to make new friends and I think she’s very happy.”
Precido said that Spanish is the primary language used in the house and that Isabella learns the majority of her English while at the center.
Starting in the fall, Tuesday and Thursday child care is available until 8 p.m. for the Team Tot Program facilitated by the Department of Recreation and ASUU’s child care program. The purpose of the program is to provide time for students with children to exercise at locations around the U.
Educational programming at the U also sponsors a monthly program called Parents Night Out, so parents on campus with children between the ages of two and six can get a night to themselves. These services are free to students and $5 for faculty and staff.
During Finals Week, the program also offers extended services to accommodate students’ hectic schedules.
Kim PetersonShin Euhna, senior in linguistics, plays with 2-year-old Caleb in the ASUU child care center in the Alfred Emory Building.