Pregnancy and Parenting Services

House Bill 1361, Senate Bill 412, Senate Bill 459, and Title IX lay out student rights and anti-discrimination guidelines for pregnant and parenting students. These laws state that each college or university should:

• Designate a liaison officer to assist with student success efforts
• Offer resources and support services
• Provide reasonable accommodations
• Allow pregnant or parenting students to take a leave of absence while remaining in good standing without being required to reapply for admission
• Provide opportunity for early registration

A college or university cannot, due to issues related to pregnancy or parenting:

• Require a student to take a leave of absence or withdraw
• Require a student to limit studies or activities
• Require a student to change their major or degree program

Please visit the Title IX page for concerns related to Title IX or to complete the reporting form.

Reasonable adjustments vary for each individual student based on their unique needs and challenges, but some adjustments a pregnant or parenting student may receive include:

• Access to instructional materials and recordings of lectures
• Accessible seating
• Frequent restroom breaks
• Ability to have food or drink in the classroom
• Priority Registration (must be file-complete a week prior to registration opening)
• Allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from substances, areas, and activities known to be hazardous to pregnant women or unborn children
• Excused absences due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a resulting medical condition when deemed medically necessary by a health professional

A variety of community resources are also available. Download this referral handout for information about resources offered at Blinn College and community agencies.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of reasonable accommodations provided under Title IX:

• Excused absences and medical leave that are deemed medically necessary for pregnancy or related conditions. The Title IX Office will work with both the student and the student’s faculty member to create a plan for completion of coursework and continuation of the student’s education. Individual plans may be adjusted as circumstances change.
• Opportunity to make up any work missed, such as extensions of due dates or rescheduling of tests.
• Breaks during class to attend to health needs or express breastmilk
• Access to online resources
• Changes in schedule or course sequence
• Counseling
• Reasonable adjustments to an education program or activity, which include, but are not limited to:
  • Accessible seating (i.e. a larger desk)
  • Appropriate restroom breaks.
• Leave of Absence
  • Pregnant and parenting students can take a leave of absence, and if in good standing when leave is taken, the ability to return to the degree or certificate program in good academic standing without being required to reapply for admission.

For information regarding pregnancy or related conditions, or to request an accommodation related to pregnancy, please contact Adrienne McCain at adrienne.mccain@blinn.edu, 979-830-4216, or contact the Title IX Office at 979-830-4949.

A pregnant or parenting student is allowed to take a leave of absence. If you believe you may need to take a leave of absence, please contact the liaison to discuss this option.

STEP 1:

Complete the online Parenting Services intake packet. Be sure to provide documentation such as the child’s birth certificate, a doctor’s note, or a copy of a certified court order.

STEP 2:

Schedule an appointment with the student parent liaison.

STEP 3:

Parenting Services will issue a letter with instructions, which will be emailed to the student’s BUC email account. The student's Blinn email may be accessed through the myBLINN portal. Students are responsible for providing letters to faculty.

STEP 4:

To renew services, students should complete the renewal parenting form for each semester they are enrolled.

Students requesting parenting services will be notified by email once the intake and documentation have been reviewed. Please check your student Blinn email for a response. If a student has not heard back from Parenting Services within three weeks of submitting the intake form, please contact the liaison.

Blinn will allow reasonable breaks for students and employees for lactation. Blinn will ensure the availability of a clean, private, non-bathroom space for lactation that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from others. Discrimination based on lactation or related medical conditions is prohibited.

• Brenham Campus - Bullock Building, Room 118 and STEI Building, Room 218
• Bryan Campus - Modular Building B, Room 110-B
• Bryan Campus - S Building, Room 121 (inside the Human Resources suite)
• Post Office Center - Room CC-33
• RELLIS Campus – Blinn RELLIS Administration Building, Room 243
• RELLIS Campus - Schwartz Building, Room 457
• Sealy Campus - Faculty Office, Room 106
• Schulenberg Campus - Room 101-04

Yes. Each semester, parenting services will re-evaluate the adjustments based on the student's stage of pregnancy or parenting. Students may not receive the same adjustments during their time at Blinn. The nature of the situation will impact the types of support needed. Students can request to renew services by clicking here.

Students experiencing normal pregnancies typically need “reasonable adjustments” and would go through Parenting Services. Students experiencing complications related to pregnancy may qualify for academic accommodations coordinated by The Office of Disability Services and Counseling if the complication(s) qualify as an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 were designed to ensure that colleges and universities are free from discrimination in their recruitment, admission, and treatment of students. Please visit the Disability Services Office website for more information.

Accommodations provided by The Office of Disability Services and Counseling is entirely dependent upon the documentation with a clearly stated diagnosis and varies from student to student.

Reasonable adjustments for parenting students will vary based on student needs. Adjustments may include a larger desk, bathroom breaks, access to food/water during exams or extended time for exams. Keep in mind, every situation is unique, and adjustments may change throughout the student's tenure at the college.

If students are unsure of which department to contact, we recommend students contact either office to discuss their situation.

“Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting Students” under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Students who have questions or believe they have experienced discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment/sex-based misconduct, and/or related retaliation are encouraged to contact:

Dr. Adrienne McCain
Title IX Coordinator
902 College Ave.
Brenham, TX 77833
979-830-4216
adrienne.mccain@blinn.edu

Alexis Baker
Student Parent Liaison
979-209-7251
studentparents@blinn.edu

Students can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1100 or fax a complaint to (202) 453-6012.