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Services students want

These proposals were student-approved; students requested to pay for programs they want to see on campus. The regents, who have the final say in all budgetary matters, should give these programs their tacit approval. Their support would allow the programs to move further along in their planning stages. Besides the fact that students have requested the programs, the programs should be approved on their own merits.

SLS has been an underfunded and understaffed program for several years. Past failures to raise the student fee that supports SLS have forced the program to make internal cuts and hire fewer staffers. The SLS office is often the only place a student can afford to turn for legal advice and options. Frequently, it is the only force standing between a student and the administration, expulsion or forces outside the University. SLS allows students to navigate the often hostile waters of the criminal and civil justice systems, avoiding costly and time consuming alternatives.

Students who need legal assistance should not be forced to sacrifice an education for the heavy costs of professional legal services. SLS helps relieve the burden of that choice. The funding increase would maintain the program at levels that would better serve the student community.

Similarly, no student should be forced to choose between pursuing higher education and giving their child the best possible care. Childcare costs in Washtenaw county average $10,000 per child per year, and many parents cannot afford that expense combined with the costs of University education. A program providing childcare at little or no cost to students would assist many who presently cannot afford it. In helping these students solve the childcare problem, the University would be helping students obtain an education. Clearly, childcare could be a valuable addition on campus.

Though no final plan has been defined for the proposed childcare program, initial goals include an infant care center in addition to day care for older children. For those parents unable to place their children in University programs, ÒscholarshipsÓ could possibly be used to help offset the cost of childcare not directly affiliated with the University.

In a time when many people fall into the Ònon-traditional studentÓ category, the University should be searching for ways to meet these studentsÕ needs. It should ensure that qualified students will not be denied a chance at higher education. Approving the childcare fee is the first step in what hopefully will be an effective program for students with children. Students have recognized the need for such a program. The long road to making University childcare a successful and efficient program must begin now.

Potential for a serious road block to the programÕs implementation lies in this monthÕs regents meeting. The regents have not been warm to the proposal of University-paid childcare. Michigan Student Assembly President Fiona Rose Ñ the driving force behind getting the proposal on the student ballot Ñ characterized her impression of the regentsÕ stance as, ÒIf you canÕt come here because you have a child, find another school.Ó

Students and student service groups are among the most qualified to decide how their funding dollars should be allocated. The student population has expressed its priorities to the regents. The regents should now respect studentsÕ wishes by passing the proposals quickly and with unanimous support.