Frequently Asked Questions
The University’s initial compensation proposal is to increase wages 16.75% (17.96% compounded) over the next six years.
The teams have met regularly since negotiations began in March 2026. Eight collective bargaining sessions have been held as of August 18, 2028. The teams will meet again in September to continue negotiations.
The University seeks to put forward a total compensation package, inclusive of wages and benefits, that is competitive amongst market food service workers in the Greater Boston area. We also seek a collective bargaining agreement that is sustainable over time so that we can honor commitments in the years ahead.
The UNITE HERE Local 26 bargaining unit includes approximately 580 food service workers employed by the University. Each year, employees serve approximately 5 million meals to students, faculty, staff, and invited guests across campus.
There are several state and local resources that can help you identify other group childcare options. Please visit Finding Childcare to learn more.
Between 1964 and 1976, six non-profit childcare centers were founded on Harvard’s campuses, by and for Harvard’s students, faculty and staff. Hosted in Harvard space and tailored to their individual communities’ needs, they were governed by parent-run boards of directors and operated independently from one another and the university. In 2017, they unified as a single new nonprofit organization, Campus Child Care, Inc, (CCC) with a view to streamlining their administrative functions, strengthening collaboration across centers, and improving long-term governance. Since then, CCC has opened a seventh center. CCC has an operating agreement with Harvard for the services it provides.
In addition, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health participate in a childcare center consortium managed by Longwood Collective. This gives affiliates of these schools access to a limited number of slots at the Longwood Medical Area Child Care Center.
Harvard-University benefits-eligible faculty, staff and postdocs may be eligible for one of several means-tested childcare scholarship programs. Please go here for more information.
Residents of Allston zip codes 02134 and 02135 may be eligible for a limited scholarship at Western Avenue Children’s Center. Please read more here.
Harvard’s Graduate Student Union (HGSU-UAW) offers a childcare fund for eligible members.
Residents of the City of Cambridge may be eligible for limited financial support. To learn more, please visit the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood.
Childcare center tuition payments go directly to Campus Child Care, Inc. (CCC), the independent, nonprofit organization that comprises all six childcare centers. Eighty-five percent of childcare centers’ budgets go to salaries and benefits. For more information on Campus Child Care’s practices and policies, please see CCC’s website and FAQ.
The cost of high quality childcare is in the number and qualifications of caregivers. An overwhelming body of evidence connects educated and experienced caregivers, small group sizes, and low teacher-to-child ratios with high-quality early-childhood programs. Centers operating at Harvard have a longstanding commitment to investing in recruiting and retaining skilled and experienced teachers. Across the seven centers, most teachers have BA, MA, or higher degrees; many group sizes are smaller and teacher/child ratios are lower than both National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards and Massachusetts regulations.
Campus Child Care, Inc. (CCC), the independent nonprofit that comprises all six childcare centers, provides competitive salaries and excellent benefits. CCC is mindful of the need to balance competitive salaries and top-tier benefits for its employees and affordable tuitions for families in a high cost-of-living region.
Yes, members of the community may enroll on a space-available basis. People who do not have a current Harvard affiliation are offered spots only after tier 1 and 2 families are offered spots.
No, being affiliated with Harvard does not guarantee campus childcare, although it does give families preference for enrollment. Families must apply, and children are enrolled on a space-available basis, according to a tier system.
No, housing location does not confer any sort of preference for childcare centers. Families must apply, and children are enrolled on a space-available basis according to the tier system.