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template for mail merge letter printed on Provost Sullivan’s letterhead To: Personalized to the Deans and to Academic Services Board Members Not personalized to the Department Chairs and Graduate Chairs From: Teresa A. Sullivan (initials) Lester P. Monts, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (initials) Subject: Supporting the Academic Success of Students with Children Date: January 15, 2007

A year ago, our office charged the Student Parent Policy Committee to examine and recommend policies and programs to more fully support the success of students who have parenting responsibilities. With this goal in mind, we encourage you to read and share with others the enclosed Students with Children Survey Report and the best practices outlined in this memo.

Under our committee, the Center for the Education of Women conducted a survey of all UM graduate and professional students, as well as of those UM undergraduates whose FAFSA forms indicate they have children. Nearly one-fifth of 3,336 student respondents indicated they had a young child or children. Information reviewed in the report includes whether students have a partner/spouse or other adult who assists in raising their children; whether that partner is also a student; the number of hours the student parent and his/her partner work; geographic locations of student parent populations; current and preferred forms of child care; and the barriers that prevent some student parents from obtaining their preferred form of child care.

The Student Parent Policy Committee is one of a series of University efforts over the past several years to better understand and support our students who have care giving responsibilities. Based on committee research, focus group data, and the experience of a variety of units on campus, we share a few “best practice” recommendations that we hope you will consider implementing. Your school/ college may already have some of these practices in place. Your efforts on behalf of student parents reflect the University’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Suggested Best Practices for Schools/Colleges Based on student parent focus groups conducted over the past decade, as well as recent findings by committees working on student parent issues, we recommend that each school and college commit to the following actions:

 Ensure that information about resources available to student parents is communicated often to faculty, staff and students and delivered in a variety of ways (e.g., departmental emails, on message boards near mailboxes, or through program chairs and secretaries.) To learn more about the wealth of resources the UM and off-campus communities have to offer student parents, visit www.studentswithchildren.umich.edu. The attached flyer is available for your distribution.

 As your school is generating private donations, consider developing supplemental, need- based funding to assist student parents with the costs of feeding, housing, clothing and caring for their dependents, because federal financial aid typically does not cover these costs.  Create a lactation room in your school where student mothers can privately pump milk to bring back to their babies. Directions for how to set up a “nursing nook” and other lactation resources can be found at http://www.umich.edu/~hraa/worklife/lactation.shtml

 Broaden the number of departmental and school social events that are family-friendly. Invite students’ spouses/partners and children to attend whenever possible.

 Use an external facilitator1 to conduct focus groups with student parents in your school. This will allow you to better understand their experiences managing both academic and parental responsibilities. Then examine your own school and departmental attitudes and practices as they relate to student parents. Use the data you gather to make improvements as needed.

 Send best practice ideas from your own school or college to Amy Marcinkowski ([email protected]) at the Work/Life Resource Center. WLRC can post them on the www.studentswithchildren.umich.edu website and share them, as appropriate, with others on campus.

As the University reaffirms and deepens its commitment to diversity, we urge you to think concertedly and creatively about how best to support the success of students who are raising children while pursuing their studies. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and learning from your best efforts. Thank you.

1 Dr. Mary Piontek, evaluation researcher at UM’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, has expertise in conducting and analyzing results from focus groups. She is available to work with individual schools and colleges. You may email her at [email protected]. PLEASE DISSEMINATE WIDELY

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS WITH CHILDREN

Students with Children Website www.studentswithchildren.umich.edu One-stop shopping for all your parenting needs . . . This website is dedicated to the needs of students at the University of Michigan who juggle parenting or elder care, study and work. It is maintained by the Work Life Resource Center.

Information available through this website includes:  Financial Aid  Social Support  Housing  UM Policies  Child Care Resources  Other Parenting Resources  Community Health Clinics  Health Insurance Options

Work/Life Resource Center www.umich.edu/~hraa/worklife WLRC exists to help the University of Michigan provide an environment supportive of, and sensitive to, the healthy integration of work life and personal life. We understand that you can contribute your best efforts to the University when you are able to address the goals and obligations of your personal life and when you can balance your family's care with the other facets of your life. WLRC offers individual consultations, group presentations, and a resource library. It also advocates for enlightened, family-responsive policies and practices. WLRC can assist students, faculty and staff with:  Locating child care  Locating elder/dependent care  Locating emergency, back-up child care (Kids Kare at Home)  Balancing work and personal responsibilities  Creating flexible work schedules  Expectant Parents’ Resource Program  Questions about maternity leaves

Center for the Education of Women www.cew.umich.edu CEW is nationally recognized for its unique three-fold mission: service, research and advocacy. CEW provides counseling and educational programs to women and men regarding academic, career and life issues; conducts social research on policy and gender issues; and advocates for improved policy and practice through groups supporting students with children as well as the PLEASE DISSEMINATE WIDELY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS WITH CHILDREN

President’s Advisory Commission on Women’s Issues. CEW's library provides materials for those making life decisions and conducting scholarship on women and gender issues.

CEW offers emergency grants for UM graduate students and non-traditional undergraduates – including parents and returning students – who face serious and unexpected financial problems. The Center also provides grants of up to $750 to fund research, scholarly, or creative activities on topics that relate to the mission of CEW.

Northwood Community Apartments www.housing.umich.edu/northwood/ Northwood Community Apartments consists of over 1,000 apartments and townhouses located on UM's North Campus. Formerly known as Northwood Family Housing, the community is dynamic, diverse and energetic. Many direct services are provided onsite in the community including:  UM School of Nursing Family Health Clinic  English as a Second Language instruction and mentoring  The Child Development Center, a pre-school for children ages 2-5 years old  Residential staff – called Community Aides – are an integral part of the Northwood experience. Each Community Aide serves a section of the neighborhood by welcoming newcomers, providing information about the university and the Ann Arbor community, mediating lifestyle concerns, sponsoring educational and social events (such as neighborhood picnics, workshops, and family outings), and delivering the monthly Community Focus newsletter. As fellow residents, Community Aides understand the challenges of balancing school, work, and family responsibilities, and they provide ongoing support for these challenges.

Rackham Graduate School’s Office of Graduate Student Affairs http://www.rackham.umich.edu/StudentInfo/ccparenting.html The primary mission of Graduate Student Affairs (GSA) is to work in partnership with Rackham departments and programs to build connections and provide enrichment and support at each stage of the graduate experience. The office provides intellectually-enriching programs, personal and professional development workshops, and social events; produces and disseminates information; addresses climate issues with a view toward the graduate experience as a whole; and serves in a consultant or supportive role to faculty, staff, and students across a variety of graduate student issues. The director of Graduate Student Affairs, Darlene Ray-Johnson, also serves as Rackham’s graduate student parent advocate who works on behalf of the unique needs of students who have children.

Email Listserves for Student Parents All activities and announcements directed toward Rackham-affiliated student parents are advertised through the e-mail group Rackhamgradstudent [email protected]. If you would like your name to be added to this group, contact Darlene Ray-Johnson at [email protected].

A separate listserve for students who are not affiliated with the Rackham graduate school is maintained by the Center for the Education of Women. It forwards to non-Rackham student parents all of the Rackham emails noted above unless the event is exclusive to Rackham students. Students can request to be added to this listserve by emailing [email protected]. PLEASE DISSEMINATE WIDELY

Winter Term Programs of Particular Interest to Students with Children A number of programs relevant to student parents are offered each term by units such as the Rackham Graduate School, Center for the Education of Women, the Career Center, Northwood Community Center and the Work-Life Resource Center. Listed below are some examples of programs planned for the winter term. Please check these units’ websites for more complete event listings.

A Picture of Health: Guided Imagery for Wellness Wednesday, February 7th 4:00-6:00 pm Center for the Education of Women, 330 E. Liberty

Presenter: Claire Casselman, LMSW, UMH Clinical Social Worker Stressed? Worried? Here’s some good news: If you can picture something going badly, you can also picture it going well. Guided imagery is a simple process that uses your imagination to communicate with your body in a way that supports your body’s natural state of wellness. Come learn more about alternative relaxation and stress management techniques. Sponsored by the Center for the Education of Women.

Parenting in the Academy: Social Sciences and the Humanities February 19, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Assembly Hall, 4th Floor, Rackham

Having a successful academic career requires years of intensive work and concentrated focus. Graduate students interested in raising a family often have questions about how faculty members manage to be successful both at work and at home. Come hear a panel of faculty in the humanities and social sciences talk about their experiences of having children at various stages of their careers: in graduate school, pre-tenure and post-tenure.

Registration is required. Register at http://www.rackham.umich.edu/Events/wssel.php Co-sponsored by Center for the Education of Women, the Career Center and the Rackham Graduate School.

Focus on Women of Color in Engineering and the Sciences: Survival Skills for Graduate School Wednesday, March 7, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. East Conference Room, 4th Floor, Rackham

This program is an opportunity for graduate students in science and engineering fields to talk with faculty in their specific disciplines. The faculty will share tips and strategies on how best to navigate through graduate school, and they will chat with students at the networking reception afterwards. This workshop is appropriate for graduate students at any level. Co-sponsored by Center for the Education of Women, the Career Center, the Rackham Graduate School, Junior Women Faculty Network, and the Women of Color in the Academy Project.

Registration is required. Register at http://www.rackham.umich.edu/Events/wssel.php PLEASE DISSEMINATE WIDELY

Career Identity Beyond the Ivory Tower Wednesday, March 28, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. East Conference Room, 4th Floor, Rackham

Presenters: Tom Lehker, Senior Assistant Director for Graduate Student Services, UM Career Center and Doreen Murasky, CEW Senior Counselor Making the decision to switch from a tenure-track path to pursuing other career options may raise a variety of career and personal issues. This program will offer you an opportunity to explore the often emotional move away from a tenure-track career. Connect with other graduate students on issues of importance to you, with special emphasis on how to create a new identity for yourself, perhaps different from what others may imagine for you. Please join us for this thought-provoking conversation to help you develop confidence as you embark on a meaningful post-academic career. Co-sponsored by the Center for the Education of Women, the Career Center and the Rackham Graduate School.

Registration required. Register at http://hhr.phpwebhosting.com/wssel.php