Um-accc: March For Child Care

The Alliance for U-M Campus Child Care (UM-ACCC) is sponsoring a "March for Child Care" to demonstrate the need for on-site childcare services for students and employees of the university. All students, faculty and staff who support on-site child care at the U-M's central campus are encouraged to assemble at noon, Wed. March 21 in front of the Hatcher Graduate Library for a short march. Participants who have children are encouraged to bring their children to the march and, if possible, to work or school to visibly demonstrate their childcare needs.

UM-ACCC has also organized a student/employee petition drive to further demonstrate widespread support for on-site childcare services. Petition forms are available in the Women's Studies Program offices, 234 West Engineering Bldg., at Alliance meetings, from Alliance members, and at various sites around campus.

UM-ACCC is a group of U-M students and employees who recognize the need for affordable, quality childcare services convenient to central campus. We believe that these services should be provided as an integral part of the university's higher education system.

Provision of on-site childcare services will: visibly demonstrate U-M's commitment to women and diversity (non-traditional students) through facilitating access to employment and education; enhance employee/student performance by reducing stress and absenteeism related to child care; be an inducement in recruitment and retention of female faculty (currently only 8% of full professors and 28% of assistant professors are women); contribute to research in child-related disciplines like education and social work; and provide a model for the community as the largest employer in the area.

UM-ACCC meets every Friday at noon in the U-M Women's Studies Program offices, 234 West Engineering Bldg. Anyone interested in affordable, quality, on-site childcare at the U-M is welcome.

If child care is not a problem for you today, perhaps it is a problem for a friend or classmate who will benefit from your support of our initiative. Also, please consider that actions taken today affect the range of choices for tomorrow. Will child care be a problem for you in the future?

Alliance for U-M Campus Child Care (UM-ACCC), 234 West Engineering Bldg., Ann Arbor, Ml 48109; 763-2047; or Bobbie Simson, 763-8346.