UCR Ph.D students Casandra Vasquez and Genet Tulgetske say that family-friendly initiatives at higher education institutions are desperately needed to help curb the ebb of women from the academic pool.
As a result, they have invited the editor and two other contributors of the book "Mama, Ph.D" to speak at UCR on May 20th in efforts to make UCR a more family-friendly campus.
"[We seek to] implement policies to provide parental rights to graduate students," Vasquez said.
Tulgetske and Vasquez wrote letters to Chancellor Timothy White, Dean of Graduate Division Joseph Childers, the Graduate Student Council and the Graduate Council of the Academic Senate in an attempt to shed light on issues that student-parents face.
They have come up with numerous ideas and policies, ranging from a children's section of the library, to various parental support systems and priority teaching assistant assignments.
They also contacted the editors of Mama, Ph.D, which is a collection of narratives written by mothers who strive to reconcile family and academic life.
Contributing authors Caroline Grant, Aeron Haynie, and Dana Campbell, will hold a panel presentation and book signing on Wednesday, May 20 in Room 367 of the Highlander Union Building (HUB), formerly known as the Commons.
Tulgetske and Vasquez said they believe that this panel and book signing is one way to reassure parent graduate students that they are not alone. They said that the three speakers will share their experiences and aid the parents in understanding how to balance parenthood and academia.
Be the first to comment on this article!