UCSF Launches Family-Oriented Web Portal, Conducts Survey

This month, the University is launching the “My Family at UCSF” web portal to provide the UCSF community with resources and information on child, youth, and older adult services at UCSF and beyond.

The site acts as a centralized location for parents and others to find information, ranging from child care, health and nutrition and UC family policies, in a one-stop, easy-to-access web portal. 

The web portal is a collaborative effort between the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Child Care, the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women, Campus Life Services, and supportive friends and families at UCSF.

“The web portal provides a badly needed and overdue centralized site to coordinate resources and information regarding family life for our UCSF community,” says Diane Wara, MD, chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Childcare and associate dean of Minority and Women’s Affairs at the UCSF School of Medicine. “For example, one can identify child care opportunities—including the new facility at Parnassus—lactation room locations throughout the UCSF campuses, or child nutrition suggestions by utilizing links available on the same page. Our thanks to the many individuals involved in its design.”

Coinciding with the launch of the web portal is a new survey that seeks input on family needs. With the goal of increasing the availability and access of family programs, services and events, UCSF is surveying the campus community to determine what support is valuable to families. Participants that include contact information (which will remain confidential) will be entered in a drawing for one of five $25 Safeway gift cards.

To take the online survey go here.

“We request that everyone with family needs complete the campus survey distributed,” Wara says. “Your thoughts and needs will be considered as we move forward with UCSF child, youth and adult services at UCSF.”

The results will be used by the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Child Care, helping them develop short- and long-term plans to provide more child care, youth programs, parent education and elder care.

The new “My Family” aims to help UCSF employees strike a work-life balance by providing information such as youth fitness programs, child care referrals, and health information. 

“It is very exciting to have a centralized site where we can efficiently find essential information and resources about work-family life at UCSF,” says Elizabeth Ozer, faculty co-chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee On the Status of Women (CACSW). 

Features of the “My Family at UCSF” web portal include a “Spotlight” story, links to web resources, a child/family-focused calendar, news articles, and partner sites. Currently in the Spotlight is an article about the new Kirkham Child Development Center, the newest UCSF Child Care Center that opened on the Parnassus campus in January.

“Additionally, CACSW applauds the hard work and dedication that went into opening a new child care facility. Both initiatives reflect the campus’ ongoing commitment to support UCSF families,” adds Cathy Garzio, CACSW staff co-chair.

The Kirkham Child Development Center is now taking applications for ten open spots; application information can be found in the Spotlight article. 

“This web portal is for everyone at UCSF, and includes a wide range of resources that we feel will meet the needs of our diverse families,”  says Tracey Gearlds, director of Programs and Services at Campus Life Services. “Supporting families at our university is a priority for us.”

The portal is an ever-evolving site; if you have any ideas for improvement of the “My Family at UCSF” portal, please send an email.

Those with questions about the web portal, the survey, or current UCSF family programs, should send an email.

Related Links:

UCSF Prepares to Open Kirkham Child Care Center
UCSF Today, Aug. 31, 2009