As an institution founded with women at the center of the educational experience, our commitment to supporting employees with childcare needs is resolute. We recognize that women are often disproportionately impacted by caregiving responsibilities and challenges, a situation that has been exacerbated for many during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response, last summer Mount Holyoke convened an ad-hoc committee focused on employee caregiving issues and, as a result, took the following actions: developed a Childcare Board, managed by the Career Development Center; created Caregiver and Affinity Groups sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; published a Resource for Caregivers at Mount Holyoke During COVID-19 and a curated list of additional websites; and is launching an interactive learning hub with PreK-12 lesson plans and remote learning resources.
Simultaneously, we also conducted a thorough review of our on-campus childcare center operations and usage, which revealed significant inequities in our approach. Currently, the College provides a direct subsidy to some employees in order to make Gorse Children’s Center financially accessible; however, because the tuition at Gorse remains among the highest in the area, even those eligible for the subsidy often find more affordable alternatives. This subsidy is not portable and can only be used at Gorse. In addition, because expenses to operate Gorse exceed tuition, Mount Holyoke underwrites the Center’s operations via direct payment of, on average, $325,000 annually to our management partner.
It has become clear that this approach provides outsized support to a very small subset of employees who choose and can afford the campus-based facility. Following extensive consideration, discussion with Bright Horizons management about alternative scenarios and discussion and notification to College governance groups, the College cabinet is, therefore, taking the following actions:
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The College’s current contract with Bright Horizons expires on June 30, 2021. This contract will not be renewed and on-campus child care operations will be suspended and the Gorse Children’s Center will close as of June 30, 2021.
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Instead, the College will add $100,000 to the Employee Emergency Fund in order to expand the reach of its financial support beyond those employees who choose Gorse Children’s Center for childcare. Beginning July 1, 2021, employees will be invited to access the Fund specifically for childcare relief. (Employees who have already received support from the Fund will be eligible for a second grant for childcare purposes.) This funding source is available to all Mount Holyoke employees with young children, thereby providing support to families for whom the Gorse Children’s Center program has not historically been an appropriate choice. More information will be provided to employees later in the semester.
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In the coming months, an ad-hoc group of faculty, staff and students — convened by Vice President for Student Life and former Gorse Children’s Center parent Marcella Runell Hall — will seek feedback about the campus community’s specific childcare needs and make recommendations for the future. The goal of future programs is to ensure more equitable use of the College’s financial resources to provide the flexibility necessary to serve today’s families and to make these resources available to a larger number of employees.
Background
Historically, one way the College supported its parenting community members was through offering on-campus childcare resources. The Gorse Lab School at 25 Morgan Street was opened in 1952 to support the College’s psychology and education curriculum. In the late 1990s, as a result of limited options and increasing employee need for full-day childcare, the StonyBrook Children’s Center was established. In 2008, the StonyBrook Children’s Center and Gorse Lab programs were combined and Bright Horizons Children’s Centers, LLC was chosen as the College’s management partner.
At present, the relationship with Gorse Children’s Center is no longer integral to the curricular needs of the Psychology and Education Department. The current faculty have already developed other plans to provide students with robust opportunities. Students should direct any questions or concerns about the impact of this decision on their academic plan to their faculty advisor.
In addition, the needs of Mount Holyoke families have changed over time, as has the context in which our on-campus center operates. As options for full-day, safe and affordable childcare expanded pre-COVID, Mount Holyoke families have increasingly chosen off-campus options. The result is a situation in which the few employee families who choose Gorse Children’s Center receive a disproportionately large subsidy and families that choose other providers for affordability or other reasons receive no College-sponsored financial support for childcare. This inequity in the distribution of resources allocated to subsidizing child care simply cannot continue.
Next Steps
At the end of June 2021, we will pause our on-campus childcare support, and take time to assess the needs of the community and consider future strategies. As we work collaboratively to determine the highest and best use of the limited resources available (including the building that currently houses the Center), we will concurrently consider a range of options, including, but not limited to, whether there are childcare providers able to offer a partnership with significantly lower financial burden to families and the College, or whether the College will continue without childcare on campus over the longer term in favor of investing in other support for employee childcare needs.
We know this news will be disappointing to many — particularly the Mount Holyoke families and community members that have benefitted from on-campus childcare provided over the years and current and former students who have studied and worked at the Center. This early announcement is intended to ensure the families directly impacted have adequate lead time to make alternative arrangements.
We also offer our deepest appreciation to the Bright Horizons staff who work in the Center and who have cared so thoughtfully and creatively for our children over the years. We will be working with the Center staff and Bright Horizons on a smooth transition, and again thank the team for its commitment to our campus and local communities.
More information regarding accessing the Employee Emergency Fund specifically for child care support will be available later in the semester and will be implemented over the summer. Employees with immediate questions are invited to attend a group Zoom session on February 25 at 3:00 pm ET. You can also email Cindy Legare directly with questions. Enrolled families are also being supported by the Bright Horizons staff, and have received separate communications from the Center.
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