Pregnancy and Parenting Support

Link to Title IX Protections for Pregnant Students – Fact Sheet/FAQ  (PDF)

Requests for Pregnancy Accommodations for Employees:

If you are a Chico State employee, please contact the Title IX Coordinator as soon as possible for assistance with accommodations.

Sample Syllabus Statement:

Pregnancy and Pregnancy Related Condition Modifications Under Title IX:

Chico State is committed to compliance with Title IX, and to supporting the academic success of pregnant students and students with pregnancy related conditions (pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, and all related medical conditions or recovery). If you are pregnant, or have a pregnancy related condition, and would like to request reasonable, related modifications from the University under Title IX, please email the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@csuchico.edu. The Title IX Coordinator will work with your professors and academic unit to provide reasonable modifications needed to be supportive of your education while pregnant or due to related medical conditions or recovery under Title IX.  More information can be found on the Title IX webpage .

New Responsibilities for Employees:

Under the updated Title IX regulations, effective August 1, 2024, when any student or a person who has a legal right to act on behalf of the student, discloses pregnancy or a related condition to any employee, the employee must do the following:

1. Promptly provide the student with the Title Coordinator’s contact information
2. Let the student know the Title IX Coordinator can coordinate specific actions to prevent sex discrimination and ensure the student’s equal access to [campus name]’s programs and activities.

To fulfill this requirement, below is sample language you can use to send an email to the student:

Thank you for sharing with me that you are pregnant (or have a pregnancy-related condition).  I wanted to make sure you know that our campus Title IX Coordinator is [insert name of Title IX Coordinator] and [he/she/they] can be reached at [insert Title IX Coordinator’s email] or [insert Title IX Coordinator’s phone number].   The Title IX Coordinator can coordinate specific actions to prevent sex discrimination and ensure you maintain equal access to programs and activities on our campus.  In other words, your pregnancy or related condition should not be a barrier to you being able to continue to participate fully in all education programs and activities of our campus.  You can find more information about your pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition rights at [insert URL for appropriate campus web site].

If you ever feel as though you are being discriminated against or harassed because of your pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, you may also contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss your options for filing a complaint and actions that can be taken to stop the discrimination or harassment.

Additional Information About This New Requirement:

• Employees are not required to, and should not, report the student’s pregnancy or related condition to the Title IX Coordinator.
• If a student or employee discloses that they are actively experiencing or already have faced discrimination or harassment because of their pregnancy, the employee should fulfill their duty to report under the Nondiscrimination Policy and inform the Title IX Coordinator.

What are Pregnancy and Related Conditions:

Pregnancy or related conditions means: 

• Pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation;
• Medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation; or
• Recovery from pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, or related medical conditions.

Additional examples of medical conditions related to pregnancy: pregnancy-related illness (i.e., excessive morning sickness, fatigue, nausea, prenatal depression, etc.), miscarriage, IVF treatments, lactation related conditions (i.e., mastitis), and treatment for postnatal depression (also called postpartum depression).

Termination of pregnancy includes miscarriage, abortion, medical abortion, and stillbirth.  Per California state law, medical abortions are provided at our campus health center.

Questions

Employee FAQ and Resource Guide (PDF)

If you have questions about these new requirements or are unsure what is expected of you, please contact the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@csuchico.edu.

• Lactation Support Program
  • The Lactation Support Program encompasses the accommodations available to expecting and new parents, supporting their transition back into the workplace or classes after the birth of their child. Chico State understands the challenges of leaving your newborn and is committed to easing the transition through accommodations for employee break times and use of campus lactation spaces.
  • Lactating parents have a right to request a reasonable lactation accommodation, including a private space reasonably close to their working and learning environment.
• Childcare at ASCDEL
  • The AS Child Development Lab (ASCDL) is a licensed, on campus facility, that provides early learning and care to children ages 2 months to 5 years and parenting students of Chico State are given first priority. ASCDEL is a teaching and learning laboratory that provides internships and work experience to Chico State students int eh Child Development Department. For more information, visit the ASCDL webpage.
• Accessibility Resource Center (ARC)
  • ARC facilitates accommodations for students with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to enjoy equal benefits as a student without a disability. For more information, visit the ARC webpage.