Student Pregnancy and Related Conditions
Policy Statement
Emerson College is committed to supporting any student who is currently pregnant or has a pregnancy related condition by providing them with equal access to the College’s programs, services, and activities, as mandated by Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments (“Title IX”) and all other applicable state and federal laws.1 Emerson College (the “College”) provides support to students during pregnancy and while experiencing any related conditions, including but not limited to, childbirth, fertility treatments, the end of pregnancy in any manner (i.e. miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion), lactation, and any related medical conditions or recovery related to pregnancy.
Reasonable Modifications
Students who are pregnant or have a related condition are entitled to reasonable modifications to ensure equal access to the College’s educational programs and activities. Any student seeking a reasonable modification must first contact their instructor(s) to discuss individual needs. Students are encouraged to request reasonable modifications as promptly as possible. Examples of possible reasonable modifications include, but are not limited to, extra break time during class, allowing food or water during class, changes in schedule, time or deadline extensions for coursework or exams, rescheduling exams, changes in physical space (i.e. a larger desk or a footrest), or any other modifications deemed necessary and reasonable. Please note that not all of these examples are appropriate in all contexts. Students will need to work with their instructors to determine what modifications make sense for their specific needs and course/program. For any questions or concerns regarding reasonable modification requests and implementation, students and instructors can contact the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at oeo@emerson.edu or 617-824-8999. OEO can assist with developing a modification plan and helping with implementation, as needed. Information about a pregnant student’s requests for modifications will be shared with faculty and staff to the extent necessary to approve and implement the modification.
In some situations, a student may be looking to take a voluntary leave of absence due to pregnancy or a related condition. To the extent possible, Emerson will take reasonable steps to ensure that after a leave, the student will return to the same position of academic progress that they were in when they took leave. A student leave of absence or withdrawal will be processed in the same manner as any other leave through the Registrar’s office.
No Required Health Certification
Students who are pregnant or have a pregnancy-related condition will generally not be required to provide any form of health certification regarding their ability to participate in a College educational program or activity. However, such documentation can be required in programs where a health certification is necessary for all participants, due to any unique health or safety risks to students (which is rare at Emerson). If there are health and safety risks in participating in a specific Emerson academic program or activity, that information should be shared with all students regardless of pregnancy status.
Temporary Disability
There are times when a student who is pregnant or experiencing a pregnancy-related condition may become temporarily disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. In those situations, the student is eligible for reasonable accommodations just like any other student with a temporary disability. The request for an accommodation would be referred to Student Accessibility Services (SAS) (sas@emerson.edu or 617-824-8592). In this case, the student requesting the accommodation will need to follow the SAS process for requesting accommodations, including providing medical documentation regarding their condition. Emerson will protect and maintain the privacy and confidentiality of any medical information obtained in connection with the reasonable accommodation process. The decision to grant or deny a requested accommodation is made by SAS after engaging in the interactive process with the student. More information on the accommodation process can be found on the SAS website.
Lactation Spaces on Campus
Emerson provides students and employees with access to lactation spaces across campus. Currently there are lactation spaces located in the Park Plaza building, the Walker Building, the Ansin Building (4th floor), and in Paramount. Anyone needing to use one of the lactation spaces should contact either OEO (oeo@emerson.edu) or HR (hr@emerson.edu), who can arrange access to those spaces.
Connecting Pregnant Student with OEO
All College employees (faculty or staff) who become aware of a student’s pregnancy or related condition should provide the student with the contact information for the OEO (oeo@emerson.edu or 617-824-8999) and inform the student that they can work with OEO to ensure they continue to have equal access to Emerson’s educational programs and activities throughout their pregnancy.
1 The AVP of Equity, Access, & Equal Opportunity supervises the Office of Equal Opportunity and serves as the Title IX Coordinator for Emerson College. [Return to Footnote 1]