Submitted by Leah S. Glaser (History) and Beth Frankel-Merenstein (Sociology),
Child Care Sub-Committee, Committee for the Concerns of Women
Central Connecticut State University, May 2008
As more women have entered the workplace out of choice or out of financial necessity, university campuses across the country have begun programs and initiatives in support of
“family-friendly” policies and culture. Many of these ideas follow those of businesses and law firms who have recognized that in order to attract and maintain the top talent, workplaces must recognize and support ways for employees to succeed in both home life and workplace. Several universities have coordinated their efforts through the College and University Work Family Association (CUWFA) which maintains an active website and listserv and holds an annual conference each year. The association, along with several other resources and publications, essentially provides advice and support for
Work-Life initiatives at institutions of higher learning. For the last two years, Southern
Connecticut State University in New Haven has hosted the CSU Women and Work-Life
Balance Conference, but the “work-life balance” or “work-family” movement has been growing for over a decade. As a public university that includes non-traditional students and a diverse faculty, the Child Care Committee of the Committee of the Concerns of
Women (CCW) recommends that this is a trend Central Connecticut State University should seriously consider. 1
Other universities in Connecticut have begun to pursue such family-friendly policies.
Yale University has hired a part-time employment to maintain and develop program consistent with work-life needs. For the third semester, Southern has awarded a faculty member reassigned time to work with Human Resources for the third semester this fall in order to bring SCSU closer to other universities with work-life balance