Offering grad students child care subsidies an investment for NM

Editor,

I am writing in response to the article titled "GPSA seeks child care subsidies for graduate students" in Monday's Daily Lobo. I completely agree with GPSA because, currently, graduate students are the only class of people who are singled out and denied access to assistance. Allowing graduate students access to assistance is only fair.

I understand the need for allowing the financial support because most students, especially students who are parents, have limited funds. Who better to offer support to than hard-working parents who are pursuing higher education for the betterment of their families?

My son attended the UNM Children's Campus while I was working on my undergraduate degree. Although it took more than a year and a half before being pulled off the waiting list, once we were accepted, our family was thoroughly pleased with the quality of care offered at UNM. The subsidies from CYFD were tremendously helpful because even with both my husband and I working, it was very difficult financially.

Once I graduated and started my career as a law student, I was unable to receive the subsidy. This was mind-boggling because although I had a degree, my income decreased. Law students are discouraged from working their first year of law school. I did, however, end up working during my first year and finding private child care elsewhere.

I know that I am not the only graduate student at UNM who supports granting subsidies to graduate students who are eligible. I recently heard a story of a graduate student parent who leaves her kids in day care all day because she can't afford to buy enough food. Perhaps if she was allowed to qualify for subsidies like everyone else, she could afford to put food on the table rather than paying exorbitant fees for child care so she can work toward her degree. This one seems like a no-brainer to me.

The current policy discriminates against graduate students who are parents. The system was meant to support people who need assistance now so that some day they will support themselves and contribute to society. Who better to invest in than a needy graduate parent working on his or her degree?

In this sense, offering graduate students access to the assistance is not a subsidy. Rather, it is an investment in New Mexico's future that will pay dividends in the long run. I applaud GPSA for its efforts and strongly urge the University community to support the work of GPSA and what it is trying to do for working graduate parents like me.

Monnica Garcia

UNM law student