Pregnant & Parenting Students Guide

You have the right to stay at the College.

You have the right to stay in your same classes and extracurricular activities

• You may not be excluded from any classes or activities because of your pregnancy or a related condition, such as childbirth, miscarriage, abortion, or lactation.

You are not required to provide supporting documentation about your pregnancy or related condition unless necessary and reasonable to determine reasonable modifications or other specific actions.

• The College must offer you modifications unless it can show that the modifications would “fundamentally alter” the nature of the school’s program or activity.
• Examples of modifications may include:
  • Breaks during class to take care of pregnancy-related health needs, like eating, drinking, using the restroom, or expressing milk
  • Excused absences to attend medical appointments
  • Access to online or remote educational programs
  • Extensions of time on coursework, tests or exams
  • Changes in physical space or supplies, like a larger desk or footrest
  • Elevator access
  • Other changes to College policies, practices, or procedures
• The College will not force you to accept a modification you do not want or need.

You have the right to excused absences for pregnancy related needs, including childbirth, without penalty.

• Your absence will be excused for at least as long as your health provider says it is medically necessary.
• When you return to class, you will be restored to the same academic status (and where possible, extracurricular status) as before you went on leave.
  • You will be given the opportunity to make up work you missed while away.

You have a right to a clean, private lactation space that is not a bathroom.

• You may take breaks during class to pump milk or breast/chest feed.
• To request access to a private lactation space, email Kim Pacelli, Interim Title IX Coordinator at kim.pacelli@tngconsulting.com.

You have a right to learn in a space free from harassment or sex discrimination based on your pregnant or parenting status.

You have a right to speak to the College’s Title IX Coordinator to learn about your rights.

You may have rights under other nationwide laws.

• For example, if you have a pregnancy-related disability, you may have additional protection from discrimination at school under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Or, if you are also a student employee, you might have rights under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act or PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act.

Parental status means the status of a person who—in relation to someone younger than 18 years or older than 18 years but incapable of self-care due to physical/mental disability—is:

• A biological parent;
• An adoptive parent;
• A foster parent;
• A stepparent;
• A legal custodian or guardian;
• In loco parentis; or
• Actively seeking legal custody, guardianship, visitation, or adoption.

Pregnancy or related conditions means:

• Pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation;
• Medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation; or
• Recovery from pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, or related medical conditions.

• College must not discriminate against any student based on the student’s current, potential, or past pregnancy or related conditions.
• College must not adopt or implement any policy, practice, or procedure concerning a student’s current, potential, or past parental, family, or marital status that treats students differently on the basis of sex.
• The College must treat pregnancy or related conditions in the same manner & under same policies as other temporary medical conditions with respect to benefits, services, policies, participation, and admission, among others.
• The College must not require supporting documents unless necessary and reasonable to determine reasonable modifications or other specific actions.
• The College must not require certification from healthcare provider that the student is physically able to participate in class/program/activity, subject to exceptions.