By Monique Simpson
For the Daily Bruin
Chris Gantner is in his last year as a graduate student in
history at UCLA.
He commutes for two hours back and forth from Pomona College
where he holds a teaching position.
Like most graduate students, he has a pretty busy life, but
unlike others, he also has two children to raise.
With all his commitments, Gantner still manages to find time to
spend with his family and said he enjoys his present position.
“I’m just doing my part in keeping our species
alive,” Gantner said.
Like Gantner, many graduate students choose to have children
while in school instead of waiting until after graduation to start
a family.
“There’s no good time to have children,” said
Berta Sandberg, a graduate student in math and the mother of two
girls. “There’s always something ““ a job
promotion, starting a new job.”
For students who start a family, managing writing papers and
changing diapers are not easy tasks.
“It’s difficult to balance study time and family
time,” said Eric Altice, a graduate student in history and
father of two.
“Sometimes I feel like I cannot devote enough time to
either part of my life,” he said. “When I’m
studying, I feel like I should be home. When I am at home, I worry
that I should be studying.”
Tina Oakland, Director of The Center for Women and Men, formerly
known as UCLA’s Women’s Resource Center, said many
students share Altice’s feelings.
“A lot of student parents ask, “˜Am I a good parent?
Am I spending enough time with my children?'” Oakland
said.
Time management can be a tricky issue for student parents so
many have strict daily routines.
Altice’s routine begins with dropping his oldest daughter
off at school at approximately 8 a.m. and ends with returning home
in time for dinner.
“I always try to be home by seven so I can see the
kids,” he said.
Because they have so many family obligations, student parents
often realize they have less time to socialize with their
peers.
“I don’t know what all my friends are doing after
graduation,” Sandberg said.
Graduate Student Association President Martin Griffin said the
lack of socializing among student parents results because there are
so few meeting places for graduate students.
He said if there was one central gathering place for graduate
students, the facility could provide childcare services, allowing
student parents to interact more with other students.
A common problem faced by most UCLA students is finding
reasonably priced housing close to campus.
But when student parents receive UCLA housing, things work out
well. Brent Green, a graduate student in linguistics, moved into
the University Village housing complex on Sawtelle Boulevard with
his family approximately two weeks ago.
“I secured housing a month before coming here,” said
Green, who had considered leaving his family in Hawaii and coming
to California alone first if he did not get housing.
Since getting admitted in March, he said he constantly called
the housing office to try to secure an apartment for him and his
family.
Housing officials said there is usually a six-to-nine-month wait
to move into the housing complex.
But Green said getting housing is more about being
persistent.
“Whoever calls at the time when a tenant has to give a
“˜short notice’ (a 30-day notice) can get a
place,” Green said.
When students don’t receive housing, they are referred to
the Community Housing Office, which provides students with
apartment listings, housing officials said.
Nonetheless, Green is happy with his three-bedroom, two-bathroom
apartment in the complex. University Village three bedroom
apartments are listed for as much as $766 a month.
“It’s the best deal,” he said.
His children are meeting friends and the local elementary school
has a good reputation, he said.
The complex provides a computer lab, outdoor play areas, picnic
tables, a swimming pool, security gates and a day-care center.
Coming from a small community in Hawaii, the safety of his
family was a concern, so seeing that the complex had security gates
was a relief for Green.
He is also looking forward to school starting because he
anticipates the Student Association in the complex will plan
activities that his family can attend and meet more people.
In addition to family housing, the university also provides
other assistance to student parents.
On the first Monday of every month, the center holds information
sessions where parents can find out about campus and community
services to help them with child-rearing and give feedback.
As a result of these monthly meetings, baby-changing tables have
been installed in some campus buildings.
Before the tables were installed, Oakland said she observed
parents changing diapers on the grass when the weather permitted,
and having a difficult time finding a place when it rained.
“Students would ask where could they go to change their
babies’ diapers,” Oakland said.
Over the next three years, the center will pilot a new program
consisting of one-on-one assistance and counseling, an Open House
in the Fall, and workshops dealing with student parent’s
concerns.
Also, the Center holds “Brown Bag Lunch Discussion for
Re-Entry and Nontraditional Students,” which provide a space
for student-parents to talk with people that have similar
experiences.
With all the difficulties of raising children, attending school
and balancing jobs, many of the students are happy with their
decisions.
Sandberg said she enjoys seeing her daughter learn something new
like walking for the first time. She also looks forward to spending
time with the children as a break from studying.
Altice said she feels many people have a misconception of
student-parenting.
“I think it might be very easy to see your family as a
burden because being a good parent does demand time, and not just a
few minutes of quality time,” Altice said. “But you
just get yourself mentally geared to the fact that your life is
very full and very busy.
“While that may be a hassle sometimes, you also have a lot
of built-in rewards by being involved in your children’s
lives.”