Day Care Group, Faculty Meet

Faculty and administration members met for the first time last night with a Harvard day care steering committee representing different day care groups in the University. Six administrators and Faculty members came to the meeting with 15 members of the committee.

Although the committee has met previously its purpose is still undefined. Some members of the group suggested specific functional needs the committee might serve. These functions included coordination of volunteer recruitment and location of new day care sites.

Others in the group felt it should work toward making a proposal for day care at Harvard rather than serving existing groups.

The steering committee met two weeks ago with Edward S. Gruson, assistant to the President for Community Affairs, but faculty were not present at that meeting.

Day care representatives felt the absence of faculty members lessened theauthority of their group. "We can get together among ourselves any time; but we want to have some official impact," Virginia Demos of the Harvard-Day-Care Action Group said.

Several representatives considered the small faculty turnout "marginal" support. "We're tired of screaming we might as well work with what we've got," one woman said. "We've finally concluded that their presence is symbolically important, but not practically important," she added.

'Window Dressing'

Gruson, who was responsible for inviting faculty and administration representatives, said they should not be "just window dressing." He said they could contribute to the working meetings of the group, and act as liason with the faculties which will make decisions about day care policy.

He explained the absence of faculty members from the earlier meeting as a result of a heavy work-load during his recovery from illness.

"I was very badly behind in my work. I felt that the important thing was to get the various day care groups together so that they didn't feel isolated, and then to get faculty who were interested," he said.

The committee also discussed a report on existing and proposed day care facilities. The report was compiled by Kathy Sylva, a representative of the projected Harvard Yard Child Care Center.