Accommodating Pregnant Students Policy

Stony Brook University is committed to creating and maintaining workplace, educational, and recreational environments that are safe, accessible, and free from all forms of discrimination.

Scope

This policy applies to all University students, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

Policy:

In compliance with all applicable state and federal laws, including the Department of Education's (DOE) regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Stony Brook University (“the University”) shall not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery therefrom.

Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

A pregnant or postpartum student may contact the Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC) to request an accommodation at any point during the student’s pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition. A student may contact SASC for information from the onset of pregnancy.

As a best practice, students should contact SASC directly about their need for a pregnancy or pregnancy-related reasonable accommodations.

Faculty members, teaching assistants and all other academic staff must document all requests for pregnancy-related accommodations and submit them to SASC.

Student requests for reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy will be treated similarly to requests based on a temporary disability. The University will engage in an interactive process with any student requiring pregnancy-related accommodations to implement a plan that allows the student to continue in or resume their academic program and is not an undue burden on the University. This interactive process may include, as appropriate: the student, the student's medical provider(s), faculty or other department leadership, and the Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC).

After the interactive process is complete, appropriate accommodations may be provided and will vary on a case-by-case basis. Examples of potential, accommodations provided may include but are not limited to: 

• Reasonable breaks during class time to attend to health needs associated with pregnancy or related conditions, or to express breast milk;
• Allowing a student to sit or stand, or carry or keep water nearby;
• Changes in physical space or supplies (for example, access to a larger desk or a footrest);
• Elevator access;
• Reasonable course adjustments, such as extended deadlines;
• Opportunity to make up missed work, assignments, papers, quizzes, tests, and exams; 
• Provision to complete incomplete grades at a later date; and
• Medically necessary leave.

Provision of any particular accommodation is not governed by an academic department or program or individual faculty member's class rules or policies, but by the nature of the work or program.

Students are welcome to provide SASC with a suggested accommodation(s) for consideration. The University will provide an accommodation that is safe and effective, does not impose an undue burden, serves the academic requirements of the student, and allows the student to continue in or resume the academic program. This may or may not be the exact accommodation requested.   

Medical Documentation

The University may request that the student provide documentation from a medical provider to confirm the condition, its link to pregnancy, and the necessary accommodation. Documentation may be required when the need for, and the appropriate accommodation, is not obvious or straightforward. 

Medically Necessary Leave

When medical leave is necessary, pregnant students will be granted leave for as long as is deemed medically necessary by the student's medical provider. To the extent practicable and pedagogically possible, students returning from medically necessary pregnancy leave will be placed in the same position of academic progress that they were in when they took leave. In situations where the inherent structure of the program, activity or task do not allow for extended absence, such as clinical rotations, large performances, and some lab or group work, Stony Brook will work with the student to, whenever practicable, devise an alternative path to completion.

Initial Review and Appeal

If a pregnancy accommodation request is denied on the basis of insufficient information to justify the accommodation, the student may submit additional medical documentation or information and request an additional review from SASC.

A pregnant student who wishes a reconsideration of the denial of or the outcome of any accommodation may request a review from SASC leadership. 

Following a reconsideration request and/or a review by SASC of the outcome of any pregnancy-related accommodation request, a student who wishes to may further appeal the decision with OEA. 

Title IX & ADA Coordinator: The University has designated an Title IX and ADA Coordinator who oversees the University's overall Title IX and ADA compliance efforts, which include but are not limited to

investigating/responding to reports, inquiries, and accessibility complaints, identifying and addressing patterns or systemic problems, ensuring that appropriate policies and procedures are in place, and conducting appropriate training for students and employees.

Definitions: 

None

Contact: 

Additional information about this policy is available here:

Office of Equity and Access

201 Administration Building

Stony Brook, NY 11794 (631) 632-6280

www.stonybrook.edu/oea

Marjolie Leonard

Title IX and ADA Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer

201 Administration Building

Stony Brook, NY 11794 (631) 632-6280

titleix@stonybrook.edu

Student Accessibility Support Center 

Stony Brook Union, Suite 107

Stony Brook, NY 11794 (631) 632-6748

sasc@stonybrook.edu

University Ombuds Office

137 Psychology B Building

Stony Brook, NY 11794

(631) 632-9200