The Campus Citizen recently published an article highlighting the struggle of parenting students at IUPUI to find and pay for childcare.
While pregnant and parenting students are protected by Title IX, Indiana University does the minimum required to support them. Being a parent is difficult. Being a parent as well as a full-time student is even more difficult. This is a significant reason why many pregnant students opt for abortion, as touched on in the article.
As the President of Life Defenders, the pro-life club on the IUPUI campus, I understand abortion is a great injustice which takes the life of thousands of innocent children every day. It is sad that many women come to the point where they feel like they have no support and ending the life of their child is their only option.
As a club we seek to offer help to anyone who is faced with this situation. There are multiple external organizations that we direct students to for support, such as Let Them Live, which provides financial support through crowdfunding. However, there are limited resources that Indiana University offers to pregnant and parenting students.
One way we are seeking to change this is by petitioning the University to establish special parking for pregnant students. While this may seem like a small thing, it can go a long way to show pregnant students that they are welcomed and supported on our campus. Our aim is to either establish a new type of permit for pregnant students or allow them to qualify for a disability parking pass. In either case, this parking pass would allow them to park in almost any space on campus minimizing the distance they have to walk to and from classes.
There are multiple universities around the country, including Ball State, that provide this opportunity for pregnant students. It is time that Indiana University step up and show their support for pregnant and parenting students, and Parking and Transportation Services finally fulfill their aim to create an "equitable system for all individuals driving to campus."
Pro-choice or pro-life, support for pregnant students is one thing we should agree on. So, what can you do to help? Sign our petition here to show the University your support for providing these parking spaces for pregnant students.
Share it with friends and always be willing to lend a hand to those in need. Our club will continue to support those faced with planned or unplanned pregnancies even if Indiana University does not. If you or anyone you know needs help, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact us on social media and at LifeDefendersIUPUI@gmail.com.
Editorial Note: Publishing a letter to the editor does not constitute an endorsement of the views therein by The Campus Citizen or its staff.
Caleb Manring is a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in math. He is the President of Life Defenders at IUPUI.