UNT officials are exploring opportunities for a partnership with the Denton ISD and a large private corporation in hopes of making a high-quality childcare center available for the children of faculty, staff and students.

Richard Rafes, senior vice president for administration, says he expects the outside parties to determine by Aug. 1 if they will move forward in establishing a joint child-care facility with UNT. If a partnership is established, officials will turn their attention to determining the size of the facility and how to develop and manage the programming there.

In addition, the proposal will first require review and approval by the UNT Capital Projects Committee, President Norval Pohl and Chancellor Lee Jackson and finally the UNT System Board of Regents.

The most optimistic goal is to see the facility open during the 2006-07 academic year, Rafes says.

"We have a strategy for how each partnership could work," says Rafes, who has been working on making this a reality for more than a year. "None of this is a done deal, but I'm more optimistic than I have been in the past. I think we can make this work, but there are lots of challenges we must overcome first."

The proposed child-care facility, which might provide spaces for 100 to 250 children, would be a cross between a child development center and a daycare center. While the facility would focus on offering high-quality educational programs as a child development center would, there also would be the opportunity for students to drop off a child to be cared for as needed.

The current proposal calls for the facility to be located at the intersection of Bradley and Oak streets. The university-owned Bradley Street Apartments would be torn down to make way for the child-care facility, and 30 to 40 students would be moved to other housing.

In addition to providing land for the facility, UNT officials are applying for a federal grant to cover operating costs. Negotiations continue on how costs would be shared among the various partners.

"It is difficult for a state-of–the-art, accredited child development program to make a profit because of the restrictions on the size of classes," Rafes says. "Our goal is to provide excellent child care and break even."

Having a childcare facility available would provide an additional benefit for faculty, staff and students, which would help the university with recruitment and retention efforts.

Most recently, UNT considered housing a childcare facility at the Liberty Christian site. That plan fell apart after officials determined how costly it would be to renovate the facility for a childcare program. The location also was considered too far from the main campus and too near athletic complexes.

"Our proposed location is a block and a half from campus," Rafes says. "It is a safe, secure, aesthetically pleasing area with four acres. It is a good location for a childcare facility."

BY JULIE ELLIOTT jelliott@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Implementation of Academic Plan begins
• Strategic Plan and Responsibility Center Management
• Summer benefits enrollment begins July 25
• Two UNT music students earn Fulbright grants to fund international study
• Sunday Fun Day volunteers needed
• Murphy Enterprise Center awards $30,000 to UNT students with winning business plans
• Nineteen students earn Mayborn scholarships

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