Harper acknowledged the degree to which U-M has not been able to fix the root causes related to the issue of childcare. At the core of the issue, she stated, is that U-M must assess ways to provide real opportunities for women to fully develop. She stressed the need for a broad discussion about needs and systematic measurement. The FCRP has been in operation for 10 years. She also noted numerous recent studies showing the critical need for quality, affordable childcare.
Many parents opt for other arrangements outside of licensed care.
Another issue besides space is the limited availability of teachers in child care centers. U-M has five affiliated care centers. According to Graves, this number is greater than other Big 10 schools. FCRP programs include the Child Care Subsidy Program, Kids Kare at Home, and the Child Care Task Force. There are also scholarship programs available.