A graduating mother touching her son's hand.

Parenting and Pregnancy Resources

Supporting Student Parents

East Texas A&M is committed to creating an accessible and supportive environment for pregnant and parenting students.

Title IX Protections and Accommodations

Pregnancy and Related Conditions

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex, including pregnancy and sex-based harassment, in employment, educational programs and activities. This includes harassment and discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or lactation, as well as any related medical conditions or recovery therefrom.

East Texas A&M will provide reasonable accommodations due to pregnancy and/or related conditions. The university will allow access on a voluntary basis to any separate and comparable portion of a program or activity. East Texas A&M will also allow a voluntary leave of absence, ensure the availability of lactation space, and maintain grievance procedures to provide for the prompt resolution of complaints of sex discrimination.

Title IX mandates that schools (1) offer supportive measures to students who are pregnant or have related conditions and (2) allow students who are pregnant to return to their same academic and extracurricular status as before their pregnancy.

Lactation

East Texas A&M will allow reasonable breaks to students and employees for lactation. The university will ensure the availability of a clean, private non-restroom space for lactation that is shielded from view and free from intrusion. Discrimination based on lactation or related medical conditions is prohibited.

A room with two chairs and a sign that says lactation room.

Lactation Rooms

  • McDowell Business Administration Building, Room 265
  • Ferguson Social Sciences Building, Room 136
  • Nursing and Health Sciences Building, Rooms 107, 250, 350
  • East Texas A&M at Dallas, 19th floor women's restroom
  • East Texas A&M at Dallas, 20th floor, across from Room 2006

Request an Accommodation

To request an accommodation related to pregnancy or parenting, please complete the Pregnancy/Parenting Accommodation Request Form.

For information regarding parenting, pregnancy or related conditions, please contact Demeshia Shannon, Pregnancy and Parenting Liaison, Performing Arts Building, Room 119. Her phone number is 903.886.5787. You may also contact [email protected].

Learn more about Title IX

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

A student seeking accommodations, adjustments or requesting excused absences related to pregnancy will need to provide official documentation from the student's physician/medical provider. This letter must include dates for excused absences and a statement that absences are deemed medically necessary and/or other information to support the need for adjustments or accommodations.

Documentation can be submitted:

  1. Via email to [email protected] and reference “Documentation for Pregnancy” in the subject line. Include your name and UIN in the body of the email.
  2. In-person. Bring your documentation materials to the University Ethics and Compliance Office at the McDowell Business Administration Building, Ste. 113, 2008 University Dr, Commerce, TX 75428.

Students who have questions or believe they have experienced discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment/sex-based misconduct and/or related retaliation are encouraged to contact Mona Gilley, Civil Rights Administrator/Title IX Coordinator:

University Ethics and Compliance Office
McDowell Business Administration Building, Ste. 113
2008 University Drive, Commerce TX 75428
903.886.5998
[email protected]

Texas Statuary Protection for Parenting Students

Under Texas law, parenting accommodations are limited to early registration for classes and academic leave of absence.

However, East Texas A&M University extends additional accommodations based on the parenting student’s needs relative to their child’s needs.

A parenting student is defined as a student enrolled at an institution of higher education who is the parent or legal guardian of a child under 18.

Parenting Student Early Registration

Under Texas Education Code Sec. 91.983, institutions providing early registration for any student population shall similarly offer early registration for parenting students.

Undergraduate and graduate students may self-certify by completing the form below. To be considered for early registration for the 2025 Summer I/II and Fall semesters, students must self-certify by 5 p.m. on March 10, 2025.

Pre-Registration For Parenting Students

For more information about early registration, parenting students can contact the Parent Liaison Officer via email at [email protected] or by phone at 903.886.5787.

  • Students are not required to recertify for each registration period.
  • Please note that early registration is only available to continuing students.

Parenting Student Leave of Absence

Parenting students may initiate a leave of absence without showing a medical need, which may be taken with the advance approval of the student's department. Leave of absence may be taken for at least one semester and up to two long semesters (i.e., fall and spring). For students participating in competency-based programs, the maximum leave of absence is four semesters.

Students taking a leave of absence should contact the UECO at least 30 days before the start of the leave or as soon as possible at [email protected].

Contact Us

  • Performing Arts Center, Room 119
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