Thursday, October 11, 2001

Wilmington, NC -- U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced this week that UNCW along with 222 other institutions across the country will receive grants totaling $10.5 million to help colleges and universities provide their low-income students with affordable, quality child care. UNCW is the only UNC system institution to receive this funding.

UNCW will receive $128,556 over four years as part of the program authorized by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. The grants will be 100 percent federally funded.

“Access to quality child care should not be an obstacle to job training or college studies,” Paige said. “These grants can help parents complete school and make their career goals possible and their futures more promising.”

Mark Williams, director of UNCW’s Financial Aid & Veterans Services and grant writer for the UNCW proposal, included statistics from a 1999 Office of Institutional Research study of child care needs in an effort to obtain the funding.

“The 1999 Child Care Study clearly showed the need for child care services and financial assistance among students at UNC Wilmington,” Williams said.

UNCW currently offers no child care services although the Dean of Students Office has established a Commuter and Non-traditional Student Center named the “Seahawk Perch” which offers a referral service to students who need child care services.

Kate Temoney, director of the Commuter and Non-traditional Student Center at UNCW, is excited about the new grant funds. “We frequently see non-traditional students who need this type of financial assistance,” said Temoney. “We are working closely with the Financial Aid & Veterans Services Office to connect these students with possible funding sources.”

UNCW’s non-traditional population accounts for about 20 percent of the 10,595 students currently enrolled. Child care costs are approximately $3,600 per child per academic year. Based on financial aid applicant data and the 1999 survey, it is estimated that 235 students attending UNCW have dependent children. Almost 80 percent of these students are known to be eligible for Federal Pell Grants which demonstrates financial need.

UNCW will administer the grant funds by making grants to students of up to $500 to reduce the costs of child care services. The first grants are expected to be available by November, 2001. “Students will continue to be able to make their own child care arrangements with the service provider of their choice. We will just be helping them to fund those costs,” Williams said.

“Our next step is to advertise the availability of these funds and start accepting applications,” Williams said. “Even if we cannot directly help all applicants with these grant funds, we should be able to provide additional federal aid to help students who are struggling financially with child care expenses.”

For more information about the Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) Program, contact Mark Williams at 910.962.3176.