going to the KSG-Man about babies

So for the last month or so I have been an advocate (putting it nicely) or a crank about the lack of support for student parents at the Kschool. I chided our program head over scheduling a meeting at the last minute, and my letter to the editor was printed this week. I rattled off my complaints to the student services coordinator, who's trying to put together a web site for student parents, and my program head had been encouraging me to come talk to him, so I finally did on Thursday during his open office hours in the forum. I can't say that it was really helpful for either of us.

When I told him that one of the reasons I chose UC Berkeley was their parent friendly policies, he asked me which program. When I told him it was sociology - he said, almost derisively, "Oh, that's why" - "No, I told him. These were university wide policies." "Well, that doesn't really work here because we don't have the same endowments as the business school." Huh? what does this have to do with the business school???!!!!???

Then, for some reason he brought up how the local Cambridge high school has built a childcare center for highschool student mothers. "That's great," I said. He was not so enthusiastic. Afterwards, I got pretty angry - is that what we are? Stigmatized high school students who shouldn't have gotten knocked up and then expect to get "special treatment" at school!!!

He also didn't seem to get the whole issue of this being a gender matter. He was shocked, almost to the point of disbelief, when I told him about how women which children are least likely to get a job over other equally qualified candidates. There was a HR head for MA state sitting at the table with us, and he asked him if he discriminated against mothers in that way. What a silly question. Of course, he said, he didn't intentionally. This guy was so frustrating. I now know why I haven't gone to talk to him all year - I think what tipped me off initially was when he said in the beginning of the year that grades don't matter to any of us because we will never have to send our transcripts out - he was wrong with me....

I then found out that for our MPA outdoor dinner on Thursday some students had asked if they could bring their families - and he said no, well that made me even more resolute to bring my kids - even after an e-mail went out about this - I even brought the kids in for a bit at our heartfelt mid-career wrap-up session - he didn't seem too thrilled. Oh well, and the food wasn't that good - bringing kids to those events just never are that fun as we try to chase them around - why not have something at an enclosed park?

Nonetheless, all of the parent speaking up did some good - for our final graduation party, they are offering free childcare - yahoo! Although it feels like a little too late - as my family will be here that week....