On-Campus

Childcare Proposal
for the University
of North Texas

Morgan Dungan
TECM 4100
Dr. Cooke

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Current Situation ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Project Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 5
Facility Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Operations and Staffing ........................................................................................................................ 6
Timeline for Project Completion ........................................................................................................ 7
Cost and Benefits ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Qualifications ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 12

Page 2 of 12

Introduction
The University of North Texas (UNT) is one of the largest schools in the state with nearly 44,000
students enrolled. Unlike other universities of similar size, UNT does not have an on-campus
childcare facility for children of students and faculty. The purpose of this proposal is to explain
how an on-campus childcare facility would benefit both students and faculty as well as the
university. Currently, the UNT campus has a child development laboratory preschool within the
College of Education, with teacher training as the primary focus. This facility is not considered a
traditional childcare and only accepts children ages 3-6 years. The proposed on-campus childcare
facility would expand upon the current child development laboratory to accommodate children
ages 3 months through 3 years.
On-campus childcare is becoming more common among universities throughout the country. A
larger on-campus childcare facility would increase student enrollment and be a selling point to lure
top faculty in choosing UNT as their place of employment. UNT has an opportunity to increase
revenue for the university while providing a much needed service for current and potential
students and faculty. This proposal will outline the current situation of on-campus childcare,
explain the project plan for implementation of a fully licensed childcare facility, explain
qualifications for expertise on the subject, and breakdown the cost and benefits of a newly
constructed childcare facility.

Current Situation
Students with dependent children make up almost a quarter of the undergraduate students in the
United States. More than half of those student parents attend a four-year college or university (US
Department of Education). Student parents are 45% less likely to come from a family with parents
that hold a postsecondary degree, and almost twice as likely to be low-income. (Institute for
Womens Policy Research, 2011).
UNT enrolls 5,260 or more non-traditional students with approximately 3000 - 4000 being student
parents. As UNT strives to attract more non-traditional students, and as more non-traditional
students return to college each year, this figure can only increase.
Childcare is a crucial factor in determining whether or not a parent will pursue a postsecondary
education. A study of parents attending college found that over 80% of respondents reported that
the availability of childcare was very important in the decision to attend, and 46% reported that
campus childcare was the first priority factor when enrolling in college. Nearly 60% of respondents
reported they could not have continued their education without childcare. (Keys and Boulton,
1995).

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Parent students reported a need for a diverse range of childcare services:

Percentage

CHILDCARE ASSESSMENT NEEDS

Infant-3 Years
44%

4-5 Year Olds

25%

Over 5 Years
31%

Source: (Polakow and Ziefert, 2002)

The University of North Texas Student Activities Center conducted a needs assessment during the
fall of 2011 of non-traditional students. The study consisted of four focus groups, where nontraditional students were asked various questions as it related to their experience at UNT and also
how the university can better serve them. The results of the study produce high volumes of
childcare needs from each focus group. Also, the student activities center sent out a childcare
survey to all of the non-traditional students at UNT and found out that over 90% of the students
that responded would benefit greatly if the university provided a childcare option. (UNT Faculty
Success Office).
Higher education leaders are recognizing that high quality childcare services are essential to the
enrollment, retention, graduation and success of student parents. These childcare services are also
a valuable tool for recruiting and retaining high quality faculty and staff. With the support of UNT
leadership, the university can provide this valuable resource to both its students and faculty.

Page 4 of 12

Project Plan
The University of North Texas lack of on-campus childcare requires a plan that allows for
development of a childcare facility that will provide care for children of students and faculty. The
facility will be large enough to accommodate 135 children ages 3 months through 3 years. The
company selected to build the facility will be responsible for a turn-key operation. The Fouts Field
area is a prime location for the childcare facility. This location provides easy access to I35 and is a
central location inside the university complex. By using existing assets, there would be a significant
cost savings to the university. To meet these initiatives I believe that the university must meet the
following objectives:

Submit an RFP to potential architecture/engineering firms with the following capabilities:

o Construction management
Award A/E firm the contract
Start and complete new build construction
Begin marketing to university students
Inspection and final walk-thru assessment
Grand opening

Facility Overview
To meet these objectives, close collaboration between the Office of Grants and Contract
Administration at UNT and the selected firm would be essential. All square footage requirements
for the facility will meet or exceed all state minimum standards for child-care centers. (Minimum
Standards for Childcare Centers ) These standards are the basis for the room size requirements
and care giver to child ratios. Included in the standard square footage, each classroom would have
a restroom facility. The table below outlines the ratio requirements:
Age
3-11 Months
12-17 Months
18-23 Months
2 Years
3 Years

Ratio
4:1
5:1
9:1
11:1
15:1

20 children/5 caregivers/600sf
10 children/2caregivers/300sf
27 children/3 caregivers/810sf
33 children/3 caregivers/990sf
45 children/3 caregivers/1350sf

Additional features of the childcare facility will include:

Square Foot Example

Directors office
Reception office/Assistant Director office
Small library/meeting room
Preparation kitchen
o For food preparation only
Indoor and Outdoor play area
o To ensure year round recreation
Restroom facilities
o For visitors
Page 5 of 12

Operations and Staffing

The facility will offer full-time childcare services Monday Friday with operating hours of 7:00am
6:30pm. Childcare classroom staff will include:

8 full-time non-student employees

20 part-time student employees
o 8 part-time work-study students
o 8 part-time paid students
o 4 part-time work-study students for food preparation

The childcare facility will be operated by a full-time Director and Assistant Director. These two
positions will be responsible for all functions of the facility including finance and administration.
Office space will be designated at the front of the building for the Director. A reception area will
serve as the office space for Assistant Director. A small meeting room with a library will also be
included in the reception area for potential clients to meet with the Director or for child-parent
conferences.
The childcare facility will also have a food preparation kitchen where breakfast, lunch, and snacks
are prepared during the day. For children who are bottle fed, the parents would be required to
provide their own supply for the classroom teachers each day. In the two classrooms dedicated to
the 3-11 month olds, refrigerators, microwaves and bottle warmers will be included. For children
in the other classes, there will be a designated refrigerator in the food preparation kitchen.
The children will also have access to an inside and outside play area. An indoor play facility will
ensure daily recess for each classroom in cases of inclement weather. The indoor play area will
double as a room for special events. This space will be fully functional for other special activities
as needed. It would include round tables for seating and games, puzzles, and other indoor
recreational activities. A 1200 square foot outside play area will have an age appropriate jungle
gym, a swing set inclusive of safety swings, and age appropriate ride-on toys. The classrooms will
be on an established rotating schedule. In accordance with the state standards, we have allowed
for 15 children to utilize the play area at one time.

Page 6 of 12

The graphic below illustrates the layout for the UNT childcare facility:

Timeline for Project Completion

Write RFP

1/1/2015

Issue RFP

1/15/2015

15
30

Proposals Due

2/15/2015

Contract Award

2/18/2015

13

Site Survey

2/20/2015

Begin Construction

3/1/2015

Begin Interviews-Full Time

120

6/1/2015

21

Issue Offer Letters for FTE's

6/28/2015

Construction Complete

7/1/2015

Final Walk-Thru

7/2/2015

FTE's Begin Work

7/15/2015

Office Set-Up Begins

7/16/2015

30
15

Grand Opening

8/1/2015

Open Enrollment

8/2/2015

15

Day One of Operation

8/25/2015

Page 7 of 12

Cost and Benefits

The budget shown below, has been established based on a 12 month period. The costs have been
segregated into one-time costs, labor, and other direct costs. The construction costs of the facility
is based on a quote from a local design/build architecture and engineering firm. The contractor
was selected based on their ability to meet the timeline requirements, offer the most competitive
price, and exhibit past performance on similar projects. The quote is inclusive for all construction
and permit costs for a turn-key operation. Upon completion of the build out, the company will
turn over the key to the university with everything in working order, with the exception of the
office and classroom furnishings. A budget has been established for all of the furnishings which the
employees would set up with the help of UNT maintenance support.
The salaries for the labor have been researched on salary.com and are in accordance with the
average median rate for the Denton area. All part-time worker wages are based on a 20 hour
work week at $8.25 per hour. The facility could also work in collaboration with some of the
university students and provide work-study opportunities which would benefit the students as
well as the facility. All other direct costs have been based on educated estimates and are
considered reasonable based on market rates and experience.

Childcare Facility First Year Budget

Facility Infrastructure One-Time Costs
Qty

Cost

$134.76/sq.
ft.

$673,800

Total Construction Costs

$673,800

Construction of 5,000 sq. ft. facility- Design Build

Total Cost

Labor
Office Director
Assistant Office Director
Day Care Classroom Teacher
Part-Time Classroom Assistant ($8.50 at 20 hours a
week)
Work Study Students- Classroom
Work Study Students- Kitchen

Qty

Cost

1
1
8

$64,584.00
$33,081.00
$28,325.00

$64,584
$33,081
$226,600

8
8
4

$170.00
$0.00
$0.00

$1,360
$0
$0

Total Labor Costs

$325,625

Page 8 of 12

Total Cost

Other Direct Costs

Qty

Cost

Total Cost

Front Office Costs

Office Director Furniture (desk, chair, file cabinets,
etc.)

$300.00

$300

Meeting Room Furniture (chairs, table, bookshelves,

etc.)
Reception area furniture

1
1

$300.00
$600.00

$300
$600

20
20
60
1
2
2
6
2
1
6
6
6
4
8
1
20
2

$150.00
$75.00
$5.00
$1,500.00
$450.00
$100.00
$15.00
$250.00
$186.00
$10.00
$10.00
$20.00
$60.00
$50.00
$500.00
$50.00
$250.00

$3,000
$1,500
$300
$1,500
$900
$200
$90
$500
$186
$60
$60
$120
$240
$400
$500
$1,000
$500

2
1
1
1
4
3
1

$150.00
$750.00
$300.00
$500.00
$150.00
$50.00
$250.00

$300
$750
$300
$500
$600
$150
$250

4
1
1
1
8
2

$150.00
$1,250.00
$600.00
$500.00
$150.00
$250.00

$600
$1,250
$600
$500
$1,200
$500

$100.00

$600

3-11 Month Rooms (2 Classes of 10)

Cribs
Crib mattresses
Crib sheets
Contingency baby items
Refrigerators
Microwaves
Bottle warmers
Storage for Diaper Bags
Storage for Consumables
Changing pads
Trash cans
Play mats
Baby bouncers
Baby walkers/saucers
Misc. Toys
Highchairs
Bathroom Consumables

12-17 months (1 Class of 10)

Child Table- multiple seating
Misc. Toys
Art/Craft supplies
Contingency items
Storage bins
Walker/Saucers
Bathroom Consumables

18-23 months (2 Classes of 13)

Child Table- multiple seating
Misc. Toys
Art/Craft supplies
Contingency items
Storage bins
Bathroom Consumables

2 Year Olds (3 Classes of 11)

Child Table- multiple seating

Page 9 of 12

Misc. Toys
Art/Craft supplies
Contingency items
Storage bins
Bathroom Consumables

1
1
1
12
3

$1,500.00
$800.00
$500.00
$150.00
$250.00

$1,500
$800
$500
$1,800
$750

6
1
1
1
12
3

$100.00
$1,750.00
$1,000.00
$500.00
$150.00
$250.00

$600
$1,750
$1,000
$500
$1,800
$750

1
2
4
1
1
1
1
1

$5,000.00
$1,500.00
$500.00
$1,500.00
$2,000.00
$800.00
$2,000.00
$89,700.00

$5,000
$3,000
$2,000
$1,500
$2,000
$800
$2,000
$89,700

3
10
5
1
1
1
1
10

$100.00
$5.00
$4.00
$850.00
$150.00
$75.00
$200.00
$40.00

$300
$50
$20
$850
$150
$75
$200
$400

1
1
1
1
3

$5,319.00
$1,000.00
$250.00
$75.00
$180.00

$5,319
$1,000
$250
$75
$540

Total Other Direct Costs

$147,335

3 Year Olds (3 Classes of 15)

Child Table- multiple seating
Misc. Toys
Art/Craft supplies
Contingency items
Storage bins
Bathroom Consumables

Kitchen Preparation
Industrial Stove/Oven Combo Unit
Industrial Refrigerator
Microwaves
Prep Table
Cooking Utensils
Ice Machine
Cooking Consumables
Food ($3 per day X 115 students X 260 days per year)

Inside Play Area

Tables w/Chairs
Games
Puzzles
TV- 60in LED
Blue Ray Player
Balls/Jump Ropes/Hula Hoops
Ride on toys
Padded matts

Outside Play Yard

Large Swing Set/Jungle Gym Combo
Soft Gravel (Rubber Mulch)
Ride on toys
Balls/Jump Ropes/Hula Hoops
Picnic Benches

Total Cost of Facility for Year One $1,146,760

Page 10 of 12

The benefit of having an on-campus childcare facility will far outweigh the costs. UNT will be able
to recover their costs quickly and turn a sizable profit in the long run. The cost recovery could be
accomplished in one of the following ways:
o Directly charge parents
o Roll the cost into the cost of tuition and utilized financial aid
o Allow the facility to accept government assistance for income sensitive parents
Childcare costs are estimated at $150 per week for infants through 12 months, $135 per week for
12 months through 2 years, and $115 per week for 2 years and older. An approximate recovery
amount, based on an average rate of $133 per week multiplied by full carrying capacity of 135
children, during the first year of operation the university could recover $933,660. This one year of
operation alone could almost cover the entire expense of the facility. Within 18-20 months the
initial cash layout would be recovered and sizeable profits could be expected each year thereafter.
Even considering the reoccurring costs, it is highly unlikely for this project to become a burden on
the university. The intangible benefits would also be substantial by allowing students to learn and
experience what to expect when teaching and caring for small children. Overall, this project could
reap large financial and intangible benefits.

Qualifications
As a non-traditional student with a young child, I understand how important an on-campus
childcare facility is. Without access to adequate childcare, I had to wait an additional 3 years
before enrolling in UNT. Even with the current UNT Child Development Laboratory, the age
limitations as well as the years-long wait list made the option not viable. A key factor in my
decision to return to college was my son and where I could take him during the day for quality
care. He is now eligible for a Pre-kindergarten program through our public elementary school,
however if there had been accessible childcare at UNT, I could have enrolled in college earlier and
be a graduate today. I feel my real-life experience with this issue gives me adequate qualifications
to submit a proposal for an on-campus childcare facility at UNT.

Page 11 of 12

Conclusion
In conclusion, this proposal provides the University of North Texas a solid foundation from which
to build a successful and highly profitable on-campus childcare facility. By accepting this plan, it is
anticipated that the university would see an increase in student enrollment and interest in UNT.
The approximate current enrollment of 3000-4000 non-traditional students with children, can only
increase with the access to childcare that this facility will provide. The university will also be able
to attract highly skilled faculty members who have a need for on-campus childcare. UNT has an
opportunity to increase revenue for the university while providing a much needed service for
current and potential students and faculty.
The benefit of having an on-campus childcare facility will far outweigh the costs. UNT will be able
to recover their costs quickly and turn a sizable profit in the long run. Even with the initial
investment of approximately $1,146,760, the yearly projected revenue of $933,660 will make the
facility profitable. The yearly revenue from the childcare facility along with an increase in
enrollment that would be directly linked to an increase in revenue from tuition, makes this
proposal a sound investment for the future.
Quality childcare services are essential to the enrollment, retention, graduation and success of
student parents. With the support of UNT leadership, the university can provide this valuable
resource to both its students and faculty. A small investment from UNT now, will allow for a large
return on that investment in the future.

Page 12 of 12