Members of the MIT community are invited to play a role in planning the first new on-campus child care center in 38 years -- the 104-child facility in the Ray and Maria Stata Center for Computer, Information and Intelligence Sciences, scheduled to open in 2003.
The Stata Center Child Care Committee is conducting an online survey to learn about people's previous experiences, attitudes and needs in choosing child care centers. Faculty, staff and students who have at least one child under age 13 or who anticipate having a child in their household in the next five years are encouraged to take part in the survey. The questionnaires may be downloaded from the Family Resource Center home page. Participants will be asked to identify themselves only by their affiliation to MIT.
The committee is also seeking volunteers for focus group discussions in the next few weeks. Participants will offer input on the design of the center's services and options, as well as discussing the needs of the parent community on such issues as scheduling and services to children at different ages. Anyone willing to participate in focus groups or those with questions should send an e-mail to childcaresurvey@mit.edu">childcaresurvey@mit.edu.
The Technology Children's Center (TCC) currently accommodates 50 children from 15 months to five years old. The facility at the Stata Center will provide care for children from birth through five years. Infant care and expanded toddler care are included to respond to the critical need for care in these age groups.
The center at Lincoln Laboratory also plans to increase its capacity.
The last on-campus child care facility added was in 1965 when the Westgate-based Technology Nursery School opened a second site at Eastgate.
Gail Sullivan Associates, a local architecture firm specializing in child care facilities, is the program architect for the Stata Center child care area. A rendering of the entire complex, designed by world renowned architect Frank O. Gehry and Associates, is available at
The advisory committee was established by Provost Robert A. Brown to address program and governance issues related to the new center. Committee members include Professors Leigh Royden, Richard Locke, and Anne McCants; staff members are Kathy Simons of the Family Resource Center, Lydia Snover of the Planning Office, Pat Bartels of MIT Medical, David Silverman of Facilities and Marianne Howard of the Benefits Office. Professor Phillip L. Clay, associate provost, chairs the group. Suggestions and comments should be sent to childcaresurvey@mit.edu">childcaresurvey@mit.edu.
MIT facilities serve children of faculty, staff and students on a priority basis, as well as children from the wider community, space permitting.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on April 5, 2000.
