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Pregnancy and Accommodations

A temporary medical condition due to a complicated pregnancy must create a substantial impairment to major life activities, as documented by the physician indicating medical necessity of extended absences.

Possible accommodations and adjustments may also include a larger desk, frequent bathroom trips, and temporary elevator access.

Class Attendance

As attendance may be essential to the learning process, OAS is not able to fundamentally alter attendance policies set by the faculty. It is essential for students to understand that faculty are not required to make substantial modifications in the structure of their course. A student may be referred to the Dean of Students in the case of significant absences beyond the professor's regular attendance policy.

Title IX

Title IX requires a school to excuse a student's absences due to pregnancy and related conditions, for as long as the student's doctor deems the absences to be medically necessary. When the student returns to school, she must be reinstated to the status she held when the leave began, which should include giving her the opportunity to make up any work missed. A professor or school may offer the student alternatives to making up missed work, such as retaking a semester, taking part in an online course credit recovery program, or allowing the student additional time to continue at the same pace and finish at a later date.

Unless a pregnant student voluntarily decides to participate in a separate portion of her educational program or activity, the college or university cannot discriminate or exclude her from any class or extracurricular activity on the basis of her pregnancy status. If the student takes a leave of absence for childbirth or other pregnancy related conditions she must be re-instated to the status she held when the leave began.