As part of a nationwide event aimed at raising awareness of non-traditional college students, the UNM Association for Non-traditional Students will offer an informational talk for people with questions about childcare Wednesday.
The talk be at 12 p.m. in the Career Services Conference Room, Room 222 of the Student Services Center.
Association President Brian Ditmer said finding childcare during class times is just one of many obstacles that non-traditional students face. He defines non-traditional students as any student who didn't go to college directly after high school.
About 47 percent of college students are over the age of 25, he said.
"As life develops into adulthood, other things are priorities and have to be categorized," he said. "Maybe they're coming out of military duty, others have children, jobs, or careers that they're in and going to school to develop or change."
Other challenges include learning the ropes of the registration system and overcoming problems with class scheduling and advisement, said member and group treasurer Linda Friesen. She said many non-traditional students have a lot of college credit from programs that they are no longer pursuing, causing frequent holds on their accounts.
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The national organization, Association of Non-traditional Students in Higher Education, helps make schools aware of the special needs of these students, Ditmer said. Toward that effort, the organization is sponsoring Non-traditional Students Week today through Friday, with events scheduled at colleges all over the country.
Ditmer will receive a scholarship and award from the national organization at the presentation.
The talk, hosted by the UNM chapter, will feature representatives from UNM Childcare who will answer questions about available services for parents interested in attending UNM. Officials from the Albuquerque Children, Youth and Families Department, who will give information on childcare subsidies, will also be at the event.
During the weeklong event, UNM association members also will vote on which instructors are most accommodating to nontraditional students. Many instructors don't understand the needs of adult learners or the business and family schedules of non-traditional students, Ditmer said. Instructors who get the most votes will be awarded a certificate of appreciation, he said.
"Often the nontraditional population goes unrecognized and underserved," he said.
About half the students at UNM are nontraditional, and Association of Nontraditional Students represents them all, Ditmer said. The group has about 65 active members. The group's room in the basement of the old bookstore offers a small lounge with a refrigerator and microwave, as well as computers.
"It's a good peer support environment," Ditmer said.
