University Village, Student Parent Center to be Demolished, MU Officials Announce
University will offer assistance to residents and parents in need of alternative housing and child day care facilities.
March 12th, 2014
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin announced today that the University Village Apartment Complex will close on June 30 and will be demolished shortly thereafter. Licensed, professional engineers have inspected every occupied building at University Village, including the Student Parent Center, and have declared that all buildings are safe for occupancy. Loftin is asking several organizations on campus to begin discussing the feasibility of the future of child day care services on the Mizzou campus.
The Student Parent Center, which was funded originally by student fees, was created in 1974 to accommodate students who are parents. Since that time, in order to keep fees at an affordable rate for parent-students, the university has been using additional student fee funds to subsidize the operations of the center. Of the 29 children currently enrolled at the Student Parent Center, 16 are children of students.
“Going forward, I will ask representatives from student, faculty and staff groups to consider the feasibility of continuing to offer child care on campus for the children of students, faculty and staff,” Loftin said.
Residents of University Village will be allowed to terminate their leases without financial penalty between now and June 30. Additionally, any necessary maintenance and repair work will continue at the complex.
“It’s important to note that even though we have made this decision, the facilities have been declared safe by licensed, professional engineers,” Loftin said. “The safety of our students and their families is the University’s top priority.”
“We will provide assistance to any students who are looking for alternative housing, as well as provide resources to those parents searching for child care,” said Cathy Scroggs, vice chancellor for student affairs.