APSU to offer evening child care for certain fall courses
Beginning this fall, Austin Peay State University will offer child care to students who enroll in select evening courses, enabling them to stay on track toward graduation.
鈥淲e have heard some students tell us that not having child care is a barrier or challenge that prevents them as parents to take evening classes,鈥 Dr. Tristan Denley, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said.
By bundling core courses with evening child care at the APSU Child Learning Center on Eighth Street, APSU is providing more opportunities to help students complete their college education.
Beginning this fall, Austin Peay State University will offer child care to students who enroll in select evening courses, enabling them to stay on track toward graduation.
鈥淲e have heard some students tell us that not having child care is a barrier or challenge that prevents them as parents to take evening classes,鈥 Dr. Tristan Denley, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said.
By bundling core courses with evening child care at the APSU Child Learning Center on Eighth Street, APSU is providing more opportunities to help students complete their college education.
鈥淭he Child Learning Center is excited to be part of a new and much needed program to help student parents reach their goals,鈥 said Connie Sanders, director of the center. 鈥淥ur goal is to deliver quality care to children, so their parents can concentrate on their studies.鈥
Denley said not all students who are also parents can take classes during the day because of their jobs or family commitments.
鈥淢any want to take classes in the evening, and now, we have a way that they can take their core classes and have child care services available while they do,鈥 he said.
Registration for courses in the Fall 2012 semester is under way. When students enroll in certain core evening courses, an email will be sent to their APSU email account, informing them about the opportunity to sign up for child care.
The Child Learning Center, a top Gold Sneaker program in Tennessee, will be open for evening care from 4:30-9:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday. The center serves children ages 2陆-12 years old. The center also is open during the day from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Momday-Friday.
APSU will have a full range of onsite core course offerings in the evenings, allowing students to complete their first two years of college work, Denley said.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 believe any other university in the Tennessee Board of Regents is doing this,鈥 he said.
Joe Mills, assistant vice president of Student Affairs and director of APSU Housing, said the addition of evening child care demonstrates the need for academics and student support services to work together.
鈥淭his is a great example of a collaboration of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs working together to reduce any barriers for student success,鈥 he said.
For more information about the new child care services this fall, visit the Child Learning Center online at /clc or in person between 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. - Dr. Melony Shemberger