Faculty and graduate student parents say poor management and internal tensions at UCLA’s child care centers are affecting their children’s well-being. Some parents said the problems started after Jayanti Tambe, the executive director of UCLA Early Care and Education was hired in February 2015.
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh answered parents’ questions and responded to their concerns in a town hall meeting Dec. 5, which more than 60 people attended. He also commissioned a task force in August that is interviewing between 50 and 70 staff members and parents and will make specific recommendations for action in January.
At the town hall, several parents asked Waugh to place Tambe on administrative leave to ensure there is a transparent investigation process. Waugh apologized to several parents and said he is considering many solutions, but did not specify whether he would place Tambe on administrative leave.
“I appreciate your apology, but I feel like I’ve heard your apologies over and over,” said Isabel Guerrero, a graduate student in public health, at the town hall. “What I would really like is to see is change, and … ideas that you are really implementing as of now.”
ECE has provided early care for newborns and toddlers of UCLA faculty and graduate students for 30 years. Tuition ranges from about $1,800 to $2,200 per month, depending on the child’s age. Many parents who have had children at the child care center for several years said they have loved the center because of the outstanding teachers.
But now, parents say Tambe and other subdirectors have abruptly transferred teachers to different classrooms without considering how it would affect children and created a hostile environment for teachers and families.
The Community Care Licensing Division under the California Department of Social Services has investigated several complaints against ECE...
Full story at http://dailybruin.com/2016/12/
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