Title IX protects the rights of pregnant and parenting students. For faculty this means that a student who is pregnant or has a related condition should be treated similarly to students with temporary disabilities. It also means:
- If your program allows for excused absences, any medically necessary absences verified by the Title IX Coordinator must be excused and the student must be allowed to make up work missed.
- If a student takes a leave of absence due to pregnancy, the student must be able to return to the same academic status before the leave.
- Pregnant students may not be excluded from participating in particular classes or programs, and certification to return to class cannot be required unless it is required for all other students.
If a student discloses a pregnancy to you, you should inform the student of their right to contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss options for ensuring the student can participate in class and have any medically necessary accommodations. Once the student provides medical documentation to the Title IX Coordinator, the student will receive a verification letter to review with you which discusses the necessary accommodations. It is up to you to identify what academic activities may be appropriate that preserve the quality of the course or academic requirement, while still allowing for the modification. If there are multiple options available, you are encouraged to offer those to the student. Commons modifications include:
- Rescheduling an exam or breaking an exam up into multiple parts
- Excusing an absence from class and giving an alternate assignment
- Allowing a student to participate in class virtually while on bedrest
- Allowing for extra breaks to pump break milk
- Granting an incomplete or leave of absence, if applicable