The UCCS campus can expect more lactation spaces for parents, students and visitors in the near future. On Feb. 10, the CU Board of Regents approved plans for all four CU campuses to create new and expand upon existing policies regarding lactation spaces.
UCCS will be adding four new lactation rooms immediately, with plans to implement 11 more in subsequent years.
Chris Valentine, assistant vice chancellor of marketing and communication, spoke about how these resolutions would affect UCCS.
“No one should have to walk more than five minutes for a lactation space,” Valentine said.
UCCS has had lactation spaces in three locations: the Ent Center for the Arts, the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center and the University Center.
The additional four spaces will be in University Hall, Main Hall, the El Pomar Center and Columbine Hall.
“UCCS is well-below the industry standard,” Valentine said. While Denver and Boulder have lactation spaces that exceed the local regulations, UCCS is caught playing catch-up as there has been less new construction at UCCS comparatively.
“Within the next four years, we will be up to industry standards,” Valentine said.
According to Valentine, the spaces will cost $225 per square foot to refurbish, and each room will be about 140 square feet in size. Therefore, each room will cost approximately $30,000 to construct.
“It is definitely a significant investment from the university to construct these spaces,” Valentine said.
Right now, the goal is to encourage people to use these spaces, so tracking usage is not the first priority. “There is not going to be someone who tracks how many times people are using these spaces,” said Valentine.
In addition to the new lactation spaces, the CU system will also make menstrual products more widely available on the four campuses.
UCCS will pilot this project in four buildings across campus this semester, according to Valentine. Using the information from this initial project, the university will then move forward with further plans.
“The bottom line is, it’s the right thing to do,” Valentine said.