SOUTHEAST LOOKS AT CAMPUS DAY CARE

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Students like Pam McCarron feel a campus day-care facility is needed at Southeast Missouri State University.

McCarron, a single parent, and the Non-Traditional Student Association that she heads are pushing for establishment of such a facility.

Student Government leaders, including the organization's president, K.C. Martin, also are studying the issue.

To that end, Martin said, a meeting will be held Thursday in an effort to address the need and interest in having a day-care facility on campus. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the University Center lobby, and all interested persons are encouraged to attend, he said.

"We want to find out how many people want day care," said Martin.

He said about $20,000 in funding from student fees will be available for special Student Government projects next school year. Some of that money could be used to help fund a day-care operation, he suggested.

Martin said he expects to bring up the issue at a regular administrative meeting of university officials next month.

"There is a need there," said Martin. "Some students are even taking their kids to classes because they can't get a babysitter or they can't afford a babysitter."

McCarron said her 6-year-old daughter goes to kindergarten in the morning and attends a private day-care center in the afternoon.

"There are quite a few of us that have kids," said McCarron. "All you have to do is walk around campus on an evening or a Sunday afternoon and you can see kids in tow."

Currently, non-traditional students comprise about 25 percent of Southeast's study body. It's estimated that by 1995, non-traditional students may make up 40 percent of the university's student population.

McCarron said the university defines non-traditional students as those who are: 25 years of age or older; or younger and divorced, widowed, separated or have dependents; veterans; and those who have their GEDs; or have been away from formal schooling for more than a year.

Many of those non-traditional students have young children and must depend on costly, private day-care centers to take care of their children while they attend classes, McCarron said.

She said it costs her $10.50 a day for full-time day care for her daughter, Jenna.

"Our big argument is that it is not affordable for students. You're talking about people that are living on incomes of maybe $6,000 or $7,000 a year."

McCarron said that she and other parent students end up having to pay the day-care centers even when the university is not in session or risk not having a place to take their children when classes resume.

Also, private day-care centers generally don't operate at night.

The result, she said, is that it's particularly difficult for parent students to take night classes.

"I had a woman tell me on the phone that she had to put off her education for two years because the school did not provide the services she needed married student housing, which they do have now, and on-campus child care.

"I think that happens a lot," McCarron added.

She said that at least six of Missouri's four-year public colleges and universities provide on-campus day care. They are: Central Missouri State, Northeast Missouri State, University of Missouri-St. Louis, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri Western and Missouri Southern.

McCarron said she believes the university could find the space to set up a day-care center.

The idea has been brought up before but university officials were not receptive to it, she said.

"I think the administration is not taking care of all of the non-traditional students' needs," said Patrick Moore, a 32-year-old father and Southeast freshman.

Moore said his wife works as a hospital nurse, generally at night and on weekends. During the day, she takes care of their 4-year-old son.

But there are times when his wife isn't available to take care of their child.

"Sometimes I have to take my son to class with me," said Moore. "I've been fortunate that all of the professors and instructors have been open to it."

Moore said he tries to keep his son occupied in class, buying him a soda or a candy bar, and providing him paper on which to scribble.

"It's not only the students that have a need for child care on campus, it's the faculty and staff as well," said Moore, who is slated to serve as president of the Non-Traditional Student Association next school year.

Moore said he believes university officials have not embraced the idea of on-campus day care because they don't want to put Southeast in the position of competing with private business.

But he maintained the university would not be competing with private day-care centers because such centers currently are not "offering what the students need."

The private day-care centers are "not open early enough in the day nor late enough in the evening," he said.

Both Moore and McCarron said an on-campus facility could be a drawing card to attracting more non-traditional students to Southeast.