Childcare Solutions Work Group

In early Oct. 2026, KU Chancellor Douglas Girod asked Chief Academic Officer, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for the KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses Arash Mafi to form a work group to address pressing needs in childcare on the Lawrence campus.

From the numerous individuals who came forward to volunteer in service to the Lawrence campus, the following individuals were selected for the Childcare Solutions Work Group.

Work Group Members

  • Katie Batza, Chair of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and former Hilltop parent, Work Group Chair 
  • Kim Beets, Research Analyst, Analytics, Institutional Research and Effectiveness, recent graduate student alumnus 
  • Heather Desaire, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, COBRE grant PI 
  • Claudia Dozier, Professor and Chair of Applied Behavioral Science, previous Director of the Enda Hill Child Development Center 
  • Shelley Hooks, Vice Chancellor for Research 
  • Natasha Kothari, Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student and Hilltop parent
  • Lisa London, Executive Director, Project Eagle KU Medical Center
  • Mary Rezac, Dean of Engineering 
  • Missy Somers, Functional Systems Analyst Sr., Finance Administration
  • Monte Soukup, Senior Vice President, Property, KU Endowment
  • Morgan Swartzlander, Director of Graduate Support Services, Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, and current Hilltop parent 
  • Dale Walker, Research Professor and Senior Scientist, Director for the research-practice-partnership and the local evaluation partner with EduCare KU, affiliated with KU Medical Center Project Eagle
  • Joy Wang, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology and former Hilltop parent  

The chancellor’s charge states: 

… Convene a work group of faculty and staff with relevant expertise to recommend assistance for affected KU families and viable short- and long-term childcare solutions, both within and outside KU. The work group's evaluation and recommendations should address strengthening access to high-quality childcare for the KU Lawrence community. The work group should consider multiple governance and operating models, and its analysis should address affordability and access for students and employees; academic and research opportunities; financial sustainability; staffing and regulatory requirements; facilities; institutional recruitment and retention; liability concerns; and implementation feasibility. The group will engage the campus community, consult relevant internal and external experts, and submit to you by a specified date actionable, financially and operationally sustainable options and recommendations to meet the childcare needs of the KU Lawrence community. 

Please proceed expeditiously and provide me with an initial action plan and a timeline for the work group's recommendations.

The work group is expected to deliver its findings early in the spring semester. A website for the work group is currently being developed and will be shared with the KU community soon. Concerns, ideas and feedback can be shared directly with the work group through childcareworkgroup@ku.edu.