The University Park Student Fee Board heard allocation request presentations from the Student Parent Child Care Subsidy Program, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity Friday.

Friday’s meeting began with brief subcommittee updates from the Board. Chair Tyler Akers said that he had received fee funding requests from the Penn State Student Farm and University Health services. Board members will review these requests in the coming weeks.

Director Holley Cyone and coordinator Cheryl Zeljak then presented the Student Parent Child Care Subsidy’s $206,362 level funding request.

The Student Parent Child Care Subsidy helps qualifying low-income student parents remain enrolled in Penn State by paying a portion of their childcare costs and encouraging them to select high-quality childcare.

The subsidy oversees seven childcare centers. Three are located at University Park, and four serve Penn State commonwealth campuses. Several are outsourced.

Cyone and Zeljak explained that the subsidy allows qualifying students to maintain their academic standing and further immerse themselves in campus life. According to a recent survey conducted by the center, 42% of new student parents said they wouldn’t have been able to remain academically enrolled in Penn State without the subsidy.

“While the children are in the childcare center, the students, they’re not just going to class…they’re able to participate in things that maybe they wouldn’t be able to participate in,” Cyone said.

The center aims to serve 200 students across the Penn State commonwealth within the next fee cycle.

Brian Patchcoski then outlined the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity’s proposal for a $153,338.76 funding request, which represents a $12,000 increase over the center’s previous allocation total.

Patchcoski outlined a period of significant change for the center, which assumed its current name last year and will move into a new space in the HUB Robeson center next week.

The center organizes extensive programming to promote and support sexual and gender diversity at Penn State through extensive programming, which includes an LGBTQA welcome reception, events surrounding Transgender Awareness Month, and Lavender Graduation. It employees a staff and several student employees.

Patchcoski shared more information on the center’s new HUB space, which will feature a quiet study area, conference, wellness, and chat rooms, and will be at least partially open 24 hours a day. It will be co-located with the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, and will open in January.

“We’ve been really intentional about the design of the space,” he said.

The center’s request featured special attention on graduate student programming as well. Patchcoski said that the center’s allocation would fund programming, marketing and outreach, and student employment and professional development.

CAPS senior director Ben Locke presented an $872,008 funding request to the Board, which represents a 2.5% increase over the organization’s previous allocation.

CAPS’ 55-person staff provides rapid access and crisis services as well as treatment and counseling for students. The center also conducts research and has created a comparison database for similar organizations. Locke said that his organization was exploring and organizing a program that would support off-campus referrals as well as an overall online wellness portal for students.

“As we move toward the bigger wellness perspective in the university, we’re going to need something like this,” he said of the portal.

The center also hopes to increase treatment capacity and streamline its crisis services.

Locke said that CAPS was also exploring telecounseling and short-term “coaching” programs that would allow for short, but productive, interactions.

CAPS’ Student Fee funding goes directly toward its staff, and Locke said that increasing the center’s services had been the Fee Board’s biggest impact. Locke said that the center would need to expand its services even further, however, due to several recent changes and a general increase in individuals seeking treatment. These changes include the Universal Community Behavioral Health’s decision to close its Bellefonte location, which will increase demand in other local providers. Locke said that community providers were full by August this year.

“I do think that we need to continue growing services,” Locke said.