Pregnancy & Childbirth Resources | Title IX & Civil Rights

Table of Contents

Title IX Pregnancy and Childbirth Resources

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities including academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic, and other programs or activities of schools. Title IX makes it illegal to discriminate, harass, or intimidate because of sex, which includes pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or related conditions, including recovery.

Title IX protects pregnant students in the classroom as well as school-sponsored extracurricular activities and internships, athletics, financial aid and scholarships, career counseling, labs and clinical work.

Students may request reasonable accommodations as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.

Specific accommodations will vary from student to student. Examples of accommodations may include:

a larger desk
breaks during class, as needed
rescheduling tests or exams
excuse absences due to pregnancy or related conditions
submitting work after a deadline missed due to pregnancy or childbirth
providing alternatives to make up missed work

A pregnant student will be allowed to make up any work missed due to medically necessary absences for pregnancy. A student will be offered acceptable alternative arrangements to make up missed work. These alternative arrangements cannot alter the course or the objectives of the course.

Student Information

Pregnant or parenting students are not required to tell the faculty, staff or administration unless they are seeking accommodations. When you decide that you need accommodations, students are expected to:

Complete the request for accommodations
Meet with the Wellness & Accessibility Services Coordinator to determine the necessary accommodations (Required)
Communicate needs and requests to faculty in a timely manner.
Complete assignments and other requirements as per prior arrangements with faculty.

Know Your Rights

Required Pregnancy Information
https://crtix.wnmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/131/Required-Pregnancy-Information.pdf

US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At School

Request for Modifications

Complete this Request for Modifications Form.
https://crtix.wnmu.edu/?page_id=3134&preview=true#gsc.tab=0

Frequently asked questions

Student are allowed time off for pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, abortion as well as recovery for as long as their doctor deems is medically necessary. Time off includes time for doctors’ appointments or a longer leave of absence for high-risk pregnancy or childbirth.

Students cannot be penalized for taking leave, and must be able to return to school in the same status they held before taking leave.

Title IX requires WNMU to provide students who are pregnant and those recovering from childbirth with a Title IX complaint process.

If you have requested accommodations through the Student Accessibility Office that are not being met, complete the Report It! form so the Title IX Coordinator can assist you and/or investigate.

If you feel the University has not satisfactorily resolved your complaint, you may contact the Office of Civil Rights:

Office for Civil Rights,
Denver Office
U.S. Department of Education
Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building
1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310
Denver, CO 80204-3582
Telephone: (303) 844-5695
Facsimile: (303) 844-4303
Email: OCR.Denver@ed.gov

Resources

WNMU is required to give you time, a safe space, accommodations, and freedom from harassment while breastfeeding and offers the following locations:

The Regulation Area
Mental Health Office
Suite 139
Juan Chacon Building

The Resiliency Room
GRC 103D

~~Coming Soon~~

The Pregnant Scholar is a great resource for pregnant students.

NCAA Pregnant & Parenting Student-athletes

The Early Childhood Programs are a division of the School of Education at Western New Mexico University, and the programs are under the management of the Executive Director for Early Childhood Programs. The programs provide early care and education for children eight weeks to five years of age and also serve as a laboratory site for university students from many disciplines. The Child Development Center and Growing Tree Infant Toddler Program are 5 Star licensed and nationally accredited by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Early Childhood Programs Executive Director
Phone: 538-6801

Laboratory Site Program Administrator
Phone: 538-6807

Faculty Information

Faculty must provide the student with the Required Pregnancy Information. A digital PDF can be found by clicking here.
Encourage them to complete the Pregnancy and Childbirth Accommodation Request.

No, faculty cannot require or ask for documentation. Please refer the student to the Wellness and Accessibility Services Office and encourage them to complete the Pregnancy and Childbirth Accommodation Request.

The Pregnant Scholar is a great resource for faculty; they include a ‘Best Practice Guide‘ which has information on preventing and responding to harassment, absences, accommodations, respecting student rights, and reporting discriminatory behavior.