What to do if you become pregnant:

    We recognize that a student-athlete’s pregnancy is often a stressful event. As soon as you learn that you are pregnant, we encourage you to tell someone with whom you feel safe or who can best support you during this difficult time. While you are in the best position to determine who is safe to discuss your pregnancy, we will respect your confidentiality within our institution as long as it is medically safe to do so. At Stanislaus State University, we want to help you achieve your academic goals while protecting your physical and psychological health and the health of your pregnancy. You should know that many student-athletes have traversed through these same life transitions successfully, and there is usually no reason to make overly rushed decisions.
 

What happens to your team membership?

    Federal law provides many legal protections for your continued involvement with our athletics department. As long as you are in good academic standing with the university and you do not voluntarily withdraw from your team, federal law protects your membership on the team. This would include access to services provided to other student-athletes with injuries or temporary disabilities, such as academic tutoring, athletic training, medical services, rehabilitation services, among others. We will modify your workouts as your pregnancy progresses if needed. Federal law also requires us to grant you as much leave as is medically necessary and to reinstate you to active team membership. You may have to earn back your specific playing position that you achieved before your pregnancy, but others have successfully made the transition back to their former playing shape. You can too.
 

What happens to your scholarship?

    As long as you are in good academic standing with the university and you do not voluntarily withdraw from your team, it is against federal law for us withdraw or reduce your financial aid in the event of your pregnancy, childbirth, conditions related to pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, recovery from pregnancy, or parental or marital status during the term of the award. Federal law also requires us to grant you as much leave as is medically necessary and to renew your scholarship under certain circumstances. Finally, you should also know that NCAA bylaws allow a female student-athlete to apply for an additional year of eligibility if her athletic career is interrupted by pregnancy.
 

Who can help you:

    We encourage you to find someone trusted within our institution that can help you navigate through the numerous decisions that confront you. Our institution has a number of people that are equipped to help you, such as our athletic trainers, coaching staff, and administrators.
 

Some specific individuals who can help you are:

    Paul Norris
    Executive Director of Equity Programs and Compliance
    Mary Stuart Rogers Bldg., Suite 320
    Phone: (209) 667-3868
    Email: pnorris@csustan.edu
 

    Julie Keo
    Equity Programs and Compliance Specialist
    Mary Stuart Rogers Bldg., Suite 340
    Phone: (209) 667-3746
    Email: jkeo@csustan.edu
 

    Alissa Aragon
    Assistant Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Development/Senior Woman Administrator
    Student Services Bldg. 116
    Phone: (209) 664-6596
    Email: aaragon@csustan.edu
 

    Gary Hogan
    Athletic Trainer
    Fitzpatrick Arena, Athletic Training Room
    209/667-3415
    ghogan@csustan.edu

    Elizabeth Melo
    Athletic Trainer
    Fitzpatrick Arena, Athletic Training Room
    209/667-3033
    emelo@csustan.edu

 
  Brashit Tarmani
    Athletic Trainer
    Fitzpatrick Arena, Athletic Training Room
    209/667-3033
    Brarmani1@csustan.edu
 

How to continue training and competing:

    If you decide to remain pregnant and wish to continue in your sport, we will help you assemble a decision-support team that you feel comfortable with. It could include you, your obstetrician or other maternal health care provider, your coach, athletic trainer, team physician, academic counselor, a mental health counselor or others as needed. Your decision-support team will monitor your health and academic progress and will assist your rehabilitation and your return to competition if that is your desire. Medically necessary absences due to pregnancy from team activities are considered excused absences.
 

What is covered by your medical insurance?

    Our athletics department will cover your medical expenses and provide the same health benefits provided to other students-athletes with injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions, including counseling services, physical examinations, medical treatment, surgical expenses, medication, rehabilitation and physical therapy expenses and dental expenses. Insurance and medical care for the baby are not covered by the athletics department secondary insurance policy which only covers athletic related injuries and would not be applicable for medical expenses related to a non-athletic medical situation.
 

What if you’re a male student-athlete whose partner becomes pregnant:

    Obviously, you won’t be affected by physical changes associated with pregnancy. However, you may suffer psychological stress, have concern about the health of your pregnant partner and her pregnancy, and question your readiness for fatherhood and the personal and financial obligations you face. You may disagree with your partner about the pregnancy, whether to carry the pregnancy to term or to terminate the pregnancy. We encourage you to take advantage of our psychological counseling services and join in any decision-support team your partner may have formed. You should also know that Title IX also protects you from being discriminated against because of your partner’s pregnancy or your status as a parent.
 

    This page contains the accessible HTML version of this official document. The PDF below is provided for download, printing, and recordkeeping convenience.