Pregnancy & Parenting

The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. The Department's Title IX regulations prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy and related conditions in institutions that receive Federal funds.

The regulations make clear that Title IX protects students and employees from
discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of
pregnancy, or recovery therefrom.

In addition, the University must assist a student with reasonable adjustment to continue their education. (U.S. Department of Education).

How to Request Pregnancy/Parenting Support for Yourself or for a Student

There are many ways in which pregnant or parenting students may request support. These options include:

1. Completing the pregnancy and parenting support form. After receiving the form our office will reach out to the student to discuss available university resources to help them navigate their pregnancy and parenting. 

2. Email the student with the attached pregnancy and parenting support postcard. This will provide the student with information on how the university can support them and it will provide the contact information to our Title IX office. 

3. Call 806-742-7233 or email titleix@ttu.edu indicating the request for pregnancy or parenting support for the student. 

Pregnancy Support at Texas Tech

Title IX protects students who are navigating pregnancy, childbirth, and related outcomes. This includes their partners too! 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the University must:

• Excuse absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as your doctor says it is necessary.
• Allow students to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before medical leave began, which should include giving the opportunity to make up any work missed while the student was out.
• Ensure that faculty and staff understand the Title IX requirements related to excused absences/medical leave. Faculty may not refuse to allow a student to submit work after a missed deadline because of pregnancy or childbirth. If the professor's grading is based in part on class participation or attendance and a student missed class because of pregnancy or childbirth, the student should be allowed to make up the participation or attendance credits they didn't have the chance to earn.
• Provide pregnant students with the same special services it provides to students with temporary medical conditions. This includes homebound instruction/at-home tutoring/independent study, parking accommodation and desk accommodation.
• For parking accommodation for expectant students, please go to TTU Transportation's Page for Expectant Mothers and complete the steps for preferred parking. 

Postpartum Recovery Support

Our office supports students during their postpartum recovery. This includes recovery from not only childbirth, but also loss of pregnancy, false pregnancy, and termination of pregnancy. The duration of this absence is determined between the student and their healthcare provider. The student must be allowed to return to their same academic standing and may not be academically penalized. There are many supportive measures for pregnant and parenting students, get in contact with our case managers to learn more on how we can support you! 

Breastfeeding and Nursing Mother Support for Students

Nursing Mother Rooms/Lactation Rooms

Texas Tech has multipe rooms across campus to create a safe, quiet, and private place to express milk for parents who are choosing to breastfeed or pump. Rooms are available to all students who are nursing/pumping and who are enrolled at Texas Tech.

Locations:

For students who are in joint programs with Texas Tech Health Science Center, please check out their Nursing Mother/Lactation rooms locations, on their TTUHSC's Mother and Baby Resources page. 

Breast Pumps

Safe, efficient, and sanitary hospital-grade electric pumps are in each nursing room. However, you will need to bring your own breast milk collection kit. You can get a kit at either UMC or Covenant Health System when you deliver. Be sure to ask for a Medela hospital grade pump kit. If you are unable to obtain a kit from the hospital, you can purchase one at South Plains Medical Supply at a 10% discount with a Texas Tech ID. 

Reserving Nursing Mother Rooms (Lactation Rooms) for HR managed rooms.

• • • Mother-friendly University Brochure - Contains information on Nursing Mother Rooms (Lactation room) locations on campus, and how to gain access and reserve the use of these rooms.
    • Room Request Form Process for Nursing Mothers
      1. Read the Mother Friendly Brochure in its entirety. 
      2. Watch the five minute training video
      3. Email the completed (1) Break Request Form for Students, and (2) written confirmation that you have watched the training video to Holly Caglar at hcaglar@ttu.edu . Make sure to provide Holly with the on-campus Nursing Mother room locations you need, and the requested days and times that you plan on pumping/breastfeeding. 
      4. Holly will then follow up with you with the access code to the room(s) you have selected. 

Breastfeeding/Pumping Resources

U.S. Breastfeeding Committee

Pregnancy and Parenting Support Resources

• • Health Services
    • Student Wellness Center - 806-743-2848.
      • On-Campus medical care exclusively for Tech students. Clinical Services include primary care, urgent care, women's health, and sports medicine. Confidential Services.
    • Covenant Emergency Room - 3615 19th St. Lubbock, TX 79410 - 806-725-2233
      • Emergency health care and forensic examinations within 96 hours of sexual assault. 
    • UMC Emergency Room - 602 Indiana Ave. Lubbock, TX 79415 - 806-775-8462
      • Emergency health care, children's emergency care, neonatal intensive care unit, and forensic examinations within 96 hours of sexual assault. 
    • Lubbock Health Department - Same-day appointment- 806-775-2933
      • Provides different clinical and behavioral health support such as vaccines for children. Also, they provide free STI/HIV testing. 
    • Planned Parenthood - appointments online or call 806-696-3436
      • Men & Women's Health Care, Pregnancy Testing and Counseling, Birth Control, and STI/HIV Testing.
    • Heartline: M-TH 9-5:30pm; 2309 Broadway; 806-788-0500
    • Grand Expectations: M-F 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.; 2602Q; 806-761-0611
    • Parkridge: M-Th 9-5;5203 79th Suite A; 806-794-8555
    • Nurturing Center: M-Th 9-3 & F 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; 3303 66th St; 806-780-6853  
  • Childcare Support
    • Center for Early Head Start
      • a federally funded program that provides child development and family support services to approximately 100 Lubbock families with children from 0-3 years
    • Child Development Research Center
      • The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences in the College of Human Sciences operates a Child Development Research Center (CDRC) which provides educational/developmental programs for approximately 80 families with children from birth through five years of age. 
    • Workforce Solutions South Plains Child Care Services
      • subsidizes childcare for eligible low-income families.
    • Early Learning Centers Lubbock
      • Provides options for low-cost childcare and support
    • Communities In Schools
      • Provide support for children in grades K-12
    • Texas Child Care Solutions
      • Connects Texas parents with up-to-date parenting information, ideas, and resources.
  • Parenting Education and Resources
    • The Parenting Cottage
      • Provides education, resources, and encouragement.
    • Talking to Your Children about Consent
      • A quick video on talking to your child, teen, or college student about consent.
    • Consent Conversations
      • Discussing consent with your student is one of the most important conversations you can have, even if it seems uncomfortable.  Watch our webinar, Consent Conversations, with representatives from the TTU Title IX Office, Parent & Family Relations, and the Office of Student Conduct for more information and tips on how to have this crucial conversation. 
  • Family and Protective Services
    • Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
      • The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works with communities to promote safe and healthy families and protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We do this through investigations, services and referrals, and prevention programs.
    • Women's Protective Services - Domestic Violence Crisis Helpline: 806-747-6491
      • A shelter for survivors of family violence. 
  • Financial Education and Support Resources
    • Budgeting for a Baby: Pregnancy, Infancy, & Fertility Treatment - information on how to manage costs each step of the way from conception through your baby's first year.
    • Red to Black Peer Financial Coaching - a nationally recognized model program staffed by students pursuing Personal Financial Planning degrees. Red to Black provides financial education and awareness to students through individual coaching sessions, presentations, outreach booths and resource referrals.
    • Raider Relief - Advocacy and Resource Center - supports the needs of students and connects them with the most essential resources required to achieve academic goals as a Texas Tech University student. Those needs include but are not limited to: food, housing, financial education, and basic living supplies (clothing, kitchen essentials, toiletries, etc.) 
  • Legal Resources
    • TTU Student Legal Services
      • TTU's Student Legal Services office. Students can make appointments for consultation on child custody, child support, immigration law, landlord/tenant disputes and much more. 
    • Legal Aid Society of Lubbock
      • A nonprofit organization that can provide protective Orders and other assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence; Child custody/child support; Modification of child custody or child support; Enforcement of child custody or child support.

Faculty/Staff Quick Reference for Supporting Student-Parents

As faculty and staff, we want to be empathetic and supportive to our students who are navigating pregnancy and parenting. Understand that the needs for each individual student during their pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery are very different. Some pregnancies can be high risk, whereas others are not; some students may experience morning sickness, whereas others do not; some may have many doctors' appointments whereas others do not. We want to support our students and be understanding to their changing needs, supporting students with the understanding that every pregnancy is different. 

It is the student's decision to disclose to you if they are pregnant. If a student discloses to you that are pregnant, please notify our office by completing the pregnancy support form.  This allows our office to inform the students of those supportive measures that are available to them. Please be aware that all information is kept private and that our office will not disclose any information about a student's pregnancy or related medical conditions.

During a semester, our office may send you faculty notifications of excused absences or requests for extensions on coursework on behalf of the student who is pregnant and parenting. Understand that we have verified this with the student and that our office documentation is sufficient for excusing absences and requesting opportunities to make up any missed work. We ask that you work with the student to accommodate their needs so that they suffer no academic penalty because of their pregnancy or parenting.

If you have questions about faculty notifications or would like to request a Title IX Training Workshop on Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Students, please email Alex Faris at alfaris@ttu.edu. If you yourself are a pregnant employee of the University, please check out the information on  pregnancy and parenting for staff and faculty employees of the University.

Resources for TTU Graduate Assistantships, Staff & Faculty

• For TTU Human Resources questions regarding parenting and pregnancy, FMLA or parental leave please contact Holly Caglar at hcaglar@ttu.edu 
• Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
• Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
• FLSA Protections to Pump at Work
• Mother Friendly Workplace
• Staff Caregiver Resources
• Texas Tech Support Resources Program

Parent and Family Relations

• Parent and Family Relations is dedicated to student success by engaging parents and family members of TTU students as active partners in supporting student success at Texas Tech University. Their office provides parents of TTU students with information and resources about what is going on at Texas Tech,  how to support your TTU student, and connect with other parents and families of TTU students. 

Resources on Title IX and Pregnancy and Parenting. 

• US Department of Education: Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant & Parenting Students
• US Department of Education, October 2022: Discrimination Based on Pregnancy and Related Conditions
• The Pregnant Scholar - Title IX Basics