UNM-Gallup child care center to close

GALLUP - Because of financial constraints with the operational budget, the University of New Mexico-Gallup will suspend operations at the Early Childhood and Family Center on campus July 31.

The decision to close the center is largely because of the uncertainty of the state budget for higher educational institutions, according to a news release.

The center, which will close its doors indefinitely, expects to reopen in the future with a viable operational model that will better serve students with children attending the branch campus.

"As an institution, we are committed to providing high quality educational services to our students," interim CEO Jerry Dominguez said. "We realize that a lack of child care options can be a barrier for our students so we will work with them to identify available resources and help them start, continue and complete their education at UNM-Gallup. It is our plan to look at different operating models for the center and hopefully re-open it in the future."

Students and the center

The Early Childhood and Family Center, which opened its doors May 12, 2015, has been available to students and community members at the university for a little over two years.

It has been a local resource for families in need of child care for children as young as infants to 4 years old.

Their vision - as stated on their website - is to "provide a safe, healthy, comfortable, responsive, and stimulating cognitive environment for all children."

Some students, including community members, paid a little more than $600 at the most for eight hours, and some paid less than $130 for four hours at the center. Children would be overseen by teachers and staff while students attended class or members of the community would go about their day.

"Dr. Dominguez had informed us that the center is undergoing a structural phrase, but other than that, I have no additional information," Early Childhood and Family Center Operations Manager Kelly Dineyazhe-Hunter said. "The center is expected to close at the end of July."

Before closure, the university admitted 25 children - 13 of which were from students and 12 of which were children of community members. The branch campus serves approximately 2,200 students per semester.

"I think it's unfortunate that the center is closing because I have friends that rely on the center, and I know that it's hard to find a reliable center for parents for their children," UNM-Gallup student Frederika Kee said. "Especially, when you're in class, you just want your children to be safe."

UNM-Gallup will discuss budget details at an upcoming board meeting Tuesday in the Director's Conference Room at 1 p.m.

The center is among the budget items to be addressed at Tuesday's meeting.