ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the spaces where we can direct attention in order to effect critically needed change for pregnant and parenting college students from the vantage point of the executive director of the International Association of Maternal Action and Scholarship (IAMAS), an academic, non-profit organization whose central mission is to advocate for mother-scholars and support the study of maternal theory and analysis. Pregnant and parenting students are often seen as a homogenous group, but faculty-parents, graduate students, undergraduate students, mother-scholars, and father-scholars can face separate challenges. Similarities exist, too. This chapter outlines the key problems facing pregnant and parenting students and addresses the most important supports that, when done well, would deeply benefit parent-scholars. Some of these supports include funding childcare, facilitating co-op childcare programs, offering paid leave (when applicable) and robust healthcare coverage, permitting children on campus and at academic conferences, devising equitable work expectations and deadlines, supporting hybrid class/meeting times, maintaining family centers, offering transparency around and improvement of data collection, strengthening support for pregnant and parenting faculty, and conducting deep communication with pregnant and parenting students. This chapter posits that Title IX falls short when it comes to protecting mother-scholars and argues that campus-based DEIJA (diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and access) initiatives should be extended to address the needs of mothering students. The chapter closes with an overview of the work that is being done to accelerate change.
