Title IX Pregnancy and Parent - FAQs

 To comply with legislative requirements for institutions receiving federal funds, Laredo College has established specific policies and procedures to address compliance with Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C., Section 1681 Et. Seq. (Title IX)) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex including pregnancy or parental status in educational programs or activities. Protection extend to students who are pregnant or who have either had a false pregnancy, have gone through childbirth, lactation, medical, or are recovering from any of those conditions.

Laredo College does not discriminate any student on the basis of pregnancy or related conditions. Absences due to medical conditions relating to pregnancy will be excused for as long as deemed medically necessary by a student's doctor and the student will be given the opportunity to make up missed work. 

Parenting Student Liaison:

Students who want to learn more about support services for parenting students should contact LC's Parenting and Foster Care Liaison, Ms. Fabiola Rodriguez, Retention Director, at 956-721-5134 or fabiola.rodriguez@laredo.edu .

Title IX Coordinator:

Students seeking pregnancy accommodations from the Title IX Office may contact Ms. Raquel A. Peña, Title IX Coordinator, (956) 794-4988 or rapena@laredo.edu. 

Pregnancy Forms

Pregnancy Accommodation Request - This form can be used by pregnant students to initiate their pregnancy accommodation request for the current semester. It is the pregnant student's responsibility to renew their pregnancy accommodation for every semester enrolled at Laredo College. 

Pregnancy and Parenting Support Referral - This form can be used by an instructor or staff member wanting to refer a student for services. 

FAQ

How can I use Title IX to ensure that my pregnancy or family responsibilities do not interfere with my education?  
What types of assistance must Laredo College provide to pregnant student at school?  
Does Laredo College have to excuse a student's absences due to pregnancy, childbirth or other pregnancy-related conditions?  
What if my instructor says their absence/makeup policies applies regardless of any medical condition?  
May an instructor require a student to keep up with lectures, reading assignments, papers and online tests while at home on maternity leave?  
What about internships, externships and other off-campus elements of the program -- does the student have a right to participate in those while pregnant?  
May a student choose to take an Incomplete for the course even if the required percentage of work has not been completed??  

Examples of Title IX Accommodations

What pregnancy-related accommodations can I receive?  
What parenting-related accommodations are available?  
A student has four labs to make up. Resetting the lab for each exercise is an all-day process. The instructor is willing to let the student attend the class during the next term at a satellite campus if there is room. May we require the student to wait for the following term? Would having the Incomplete for one semester create other problems?  
A pregnant student who registered for Title IX accommodations is not attending classes. The student has missed three weeks. The instructor emailed last week and told the student to contact the Title IX Coordinator or Disability Services. So far, there has been no response from the student. The instructor is going to email again. The student has already missed more classes than the course policy allows. At what point can the instructor withdraw for not attending?  
PLEASE NOTE: The pregnant student must request accommodation(s) due to medical necessity related to the pregnancy. Pregnant students are encouraged to seek assistance for excused absences or accommodations as quickly as possible. It is expected that pregnant students will act proactively in communicating their situation with their instructor(s). If excused time is needed the student must communicate with the Title IX Coordinator. It is important to submit accommodations on a timely basis. Failure to do so may limit what the College must provide. Excused absences under Title IX do not follow the same definitions as employment processes such as the Family Medical Leave Act or "maternity leave".