Title IX protects the rights of pregnant and parenting students. For faculty this means:
- Medically documented absences must be excused and the student must be allowed to make up work missed
- If a student takes a leave of absence, 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
If a student discloses a pregnancy to you, you should inform the student of the 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 accommodation. If there are multiple options available, you are encouraged to offer those to the student. Commons accommodations 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, in applicable