Letters to the Editor: If UCLA can’t afford its child-care centers, its other expenses deserve scrutiny

To the editor: Another example of America’s hypocrisy — endless talk about the importance of family and children is contradicted by our policies. We fail to provide for our children all across the board: underfunded schools, child-care cutbacks, healthcare denials. We abandon working families and increase the likelihood of poverty.

Don’t tell me UCLA can’t afford its child-care centers (“Blow to Westside child care: UCLA to close infant and toddler centers charging $3,000 a month,” Aug. 17), If it can’t, then a radical review is required over how the school funds its extravagant sports programs and high-end salaries for top-tier administration.

Tom Eggebeen, Pasadena

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To the editor: When I retired from UCLA Early Care and Education, or ECE, in 2012, the three centers that comprised ECE were fully enrolled with a wait list. Many of our teachers and staff had been there for more than 20 years. We were nationally accredited, mentored practicum child development students, published a textbook and in spite of our long commutes, we loved what we were doing.

Child care is a labor-intensive business, historically underpaid. However, UCLA managed, for more than 50 years, to make it work beautifully. We were considered an “essential service” by the university. What changed? The past 10 years brought many retirements, the pandemic, political unrest, funding cuts, high cost of living and the fires. But we still need quality child care for students, staff and faculty, and it cannot be entirely paid for by parents or subsidized by teachers’ wages.

Closing ECE would be a tragedy and an unfathomable loss to the university. Some changes need to be made, but closing is not the answer. A first step would be to trim administrative costs. Rethink the $1 million-plus the university pays Bright Horizons (a corporate child care company) annually to operate a center off-site and streamline the management of ECE.

UCLA Provost Darnell Hunt believes closing the centers will save the university money. That might be a short-term gain, but this will cause long-term pain and loss. The most important reason to keep UCLA ECE open is to continue providing quality care and education to our future: the children.

Genie Saffren, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Quality child care costs money: for rich environments, teachers’ wages, equipment, enrichment programs, etc. It is sad to me to see these facilities cease, removing places where families can bring their children and be a community.

Having spent more than 20 years in early childhood programs and as a director in child-care centers myself, I know the sadness that families will face in losing a facility of such high caliber. There are plenty of daycare centers available, but many are not funded to supply high quality. I have always felt that early childhood programs are just as important to human development as college educations.

Barbara Skousen, Sierra Madre

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To the editor: Nearly 50 years ago, the UCLA Child Center was slated to be closed. After redirecting the locksmiths who were sent to change our locks, I called the vice chancellor. I asked for an urgent meeting with him. Together with families, staff, professor advocates and the presidents of the undergraduate and graduate student association, we forged a workable budget.

It’s now time to do the same thing! Work together, be creative and accomplish miracles. That’s what we do in early childhood education.

Carrie Rothstein-Fisch, Northridge
This writer is the former director of the UCLA Child Care Center and a professor of educational psychology and counseling at California State University, Northridge.

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To the editor: Shame on UCLA for closing its on-campus child care rather than trying to figure out a way to run an essential program in a profitable way. With all the resources and all the brains on this campus, leadership should be working to solve the problem of affordable child care rather than opting for the easy exit.

Our working parents need more help and more support. UCLA should be leading the way.

Karen Mason, Los Angeles