MPR News Feature; University of Minnesota Child Care Rally

The rally was sponsored by the Coalition for child care and statements of support were offered by various unions and the Minnesota student association. The purpose of the rally was to call attention to what coalition supporters called their right to have child care for their children while the parents pursue their university obligations. Minnesota student association president Kathy Kelly was one of the speakers offering support. It would take at least a generation to change attitudes that result in discrimination against women. It would also take at least a generation to end the long lip service paid to the ideals of equal treatment by the administrators and officials of this university. However if these people are pressured equal treatment can begin by next year. The single most helpful change that can be brought about now on this campus and indeed throughout the country is the establishment of low cost high quality childcare centers. The student body president of the combined campuses of the University of Minnesota has endorsed the idea of university sponsored child care for students civil service workers and faculty. And they have called for the establishment of a childcare center on this campus by next fall. They did

not recommend that childcare be paid for out of the student incidental fee. That idea was thought up by some administrator as the quickest and surest way to kill support for childcare on this campus. Childcare can become a reality on this campus by next fall and students do not have to be taxed for it. But we will continue to get lip service instead of action on this concerted continuous pressure is brought to bear upon the administrators of this university. The rally had been timed to precede a meeting of the university's board of regents student concern Committee. The 200 or so rally participants most of them women ended their speeches and prepared to walk to moral hall the main administration building and site of the committee meeting. Where. The procession moved across campus carrying placards and chanting the president of the Twin Cities chapter of the National Organization of Women. Virginia Watkins was among the coalition

supporters. The term care has been one of the main interests of national organization for women since the time we were organizing that in 66 and particularly we supported. The bill that was passed. In Congress and unfortunately was vetoed by President Nixon a couple years ago where you are. They were very disappointed about that. I think that the type of child care that is being asked for are you know the developmental concept that we should appeal to more people then and then just having to you know individuals leave their children with individual babysitters and I think this is a good thing for children. Once at the steps of moral hall the rally participants continued their chanting inside the committee meeting was being called to order and university vice president Paul Cashman spoke about the rally that was occurring outside. I had indicated as I know you're aware that this would item would not be on the agenda for action. But I think it's appropriate to comment on the procedures that are being followed

particularly the fact that you probably came in the front door and saw that rally was in progress since the last meeting of the board. The president's office has asked several of the administrative offices to consider recommendations in the child care area. They asked the off student affairs to consider one in the student service area. The personnel office to consider when they would be related to faculty and staff. The Academic Vice President to pursue those that might be related to the educational area. Ok to make programs and asked for continued activity by the taskforce on child care to come with a recommendation from them. This activity is now going on. My understanding is there's a hope that this can be completed in time for the April meeting of the board. In the meantime and I think that there are a couple of the areas that are showing some promise. At this point in time I think there's been a lot of goodwill and in hard work in the rally today was really related to the continued feeling of the

coalition that they would like to make certain that the issue stays visible and before us and it was in that spirit that that rally took place. Cashman cited a student opinion poll that indicated that 64 percent of the students questioned opposed paying 30 cents a quarter to support a child care facility. But when asked if they felt such a facility was needed. Eighty nine percent of the students said they thought it was the university's Board of Regents will consider the issue again in April. This is Daniel some reporting.