Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy in the programs and activities of the university and mandates that the university provide reasonable adjustments for students experiencing pregnancy or related conditions. Pregnancy and related conditions encompass pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, termination of pregnancy, false pregnancy, lactation, or recovery from any of these conditions. The Title IX Office coordinates the provision of reasonable adjustments for students experiencing pregnancy or related conditions.
Note to faculty and staff:
If a student requests a pregnancy-related adjustment that you believe is unreasonable, please consult with the Title IX Office before denying the request. If a student has disclosed pregnancy or a related condition, you are encouraged to notify them of the availability of support through the Title IX Office. Instructors are also encouraged to use the Title IX Office’s syllabus statement regarding pregnancy and related conditions. Find more information below under Providing Adjustments.
Additional Information
Participation or withdrawal: A student may request to voluntarily limit their participation in a university class, program, or activity due to pregnancy or a related condition, but they may not be required to limit their participation due to pregnancy or a related condition.
The student must be able to choose the extent to which they participate, including full participation (e.g., a student choosing to continue exercising). A student may only be asked to obtain the certification of a physician to continue participation in a program or activity if such a certification is required of all students for other conditions requiring the attention of a physician.
A student may request to voluntarily withdraw from one or more courses or submit a leave of absence for a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by their physician due to pregnancy or a related condition. If a leave of absence is taken by a student experiencing pregnancy or related conditions, the student will be reinstated to the status they held when the leave of absence began. During a leave of absence, the university must provide students with the same special services it provides to students with temporary medical conditions.
Absences or tardiness: Absences or tardiness due to pregnancy or a related condition that are deemed necessary by a student’s doctor must be excused, and the student must be allowed to make up any missed coursework. Absences or tardiness must not be counted toward a course’s absence limit regardless of an instructor’s syllabus or a department’s policies. The student must be provided with the opportunity to make up participation and attendance credits.
Reasonable adjustments: Reasonable adjustments for pregnancy and related conditions may include but are not limited to a larger desk, elevator access, breaks during classes, excused absences, or the opportunity to make up missed coursework.
For more information on the rights of students experiencing pregnancy and related conditions: Know Your Rights: Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You from Discrimination at School.
To request adjustments, students may complete the Student Pregnancy and Related Conditions Assistance Request Form. The Title IX Office is available to assist students in completing the form or to discuss concerns about submitting information through the form.
A student may choose to request adjustments directly from their instructor(s). The student is encouraged to record the date that they requested the adjustment and consult with the Title IX Office if the request is denied.
Adjustments under Title IX for students experiencing pregnancy or related conditions are separate and distinct from accommodations for temporary disability that are facilitated through the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Students may contact ODS directly to inquire about their services.
If an employee receives a request for adjustments from a student who is experiencing pregnancy or related conditions, the employee is encouraged to contact the Title IX Office to consult, without the expectation that they share the student’s name.
Faculty or staff may receive an email notification from the Title IX Office regarding a student who is experiencing pregnancy or related conditions. This notification is to inform the faculty or staff member that the student is requesting or may in the future request adjustments or notify the faculty or staff member of excused absences due to pregnancy or related conditions.
A student’s requested adjustment due to pregnancy or related conditions must be provided if the Title IX Coordinator deems the adjustment to be reasonable. The Title IX Office will work with faculty and staff to determine whether a requested adjustment is reasonable; an adjustment that does not fundamentally alter the essential nature of the course will generally be deemed reasonable. The Title IX Office is available to support faculty and staff in administering reasonable adjustments.
If a faculty or staff member believes a requested adjustment is unreasonable, the faculty or staff member should contact the Title IX Office before denying the request. The Title IX Coordinator may consider a range of factors in determining whether the requested adjustment is unreasonable, including but not limited to the nature of the course, the timeliness of the request, and the hardship or burden the request places on the university.
If a person believes they have been denied their right to benefit from or participate in a university program or activity on the basis of their pregnancy, they may contact the Office of Equal Opportunity to inquire about their options under Policy 1324.
If a person believes they have experienced sexual harassment based on their pregnancy or related condition status – including sexual comments, jokes, rumors, propositions, or gestures, if the actions are sufficiently serious that it interferes with the student’s ability to benefit from or participate in a university program or activity – they may contact the Title IX Office to inquire about their options under Policy 1340 or Policy 1346.
The university treats pregnancy and related conditions as any other temporary disability for all job-related purposes.
If an employee experiencing pregnancy or related conditions has insufficient leave or accrued employment time to qualify for leave, the university will, if requested voluntarily, provide a leave of absence without pay for a reasonable period of time. If a leave of absence is taken by an employee experiencing pregnancy or related conditions, the employee will be reinstated to the employment status they held when the leave of absence began.
Employees of the university may contact Human Resources for information regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
For individuals seeking a lactation space (a private room in which they can express breastmilk), please see the non-exhaustive list of lactation spaces on campus. If an individual would like to explore options for an additional lactation space that is convenient to their location on campus, or if an individual has concerns about an existing lactation space, they should contact the Title IX Office if they are a student or Human Resources if they are an employee.