Title IX prohibits discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery from any of these conditions.

Chamberlain University is committed to creating an inclusive environment for pregnant and parenting students. Chamberlain prohibits harassment and/or discrimination of any member of its community based on their sex, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or parental status.

The Office of Equity and Access assists pregnant and parenting students understand their options through their pregnancy, when pregnancy-related conditions arise and when accommodations are needed due to parenting responsibilities. Under this policy, a parent is defined as a biological parent, adoptive parent, foster parent or legal guardian of a child. If you are a student who would like to request accommodation and you can provide medical or other appropriate documentation for review, then contact the Office of Equity and Access’ Case Coordinator at [email protected] or 630.829.0233.

Accommodations may include but are not limited to:

• Providing modifications requested by a pregnant student to protect the health and safety of the student and/or their pregnancy (such as allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from hazardous substances)
• Providing mobility support
• Extending deadlines and/or allowing the student to make up tests, assignments, participation in online courses
• Excusing medically-necessary absences
• Granting leave per the institution's leave of absence policy or implementing incomplete grades for classes that will be resumed at a future date
• Allowing breastfeeding students reasonable time and a location that is private, lockable, clean and reasonably accessible, to pump and store breast milk
• Allowing reasonable modifications to academic responsibilities for parenting students during the first 12 months from the time the child entered the home. Extensions may be granted when additional time is required by medical necessity or extraordinary parenting responsibilities

Process

Please note that accommodations pursuant to this policy will not be approved retroactively. Please contact the Office of Equity and Access in advance of your need for accommodations.

The first step in the accommodation request process is to contact our Office of Equity and Access at 630.829.0233 or at [email protected].

After you contact the Office of Equity and Access, the Case Coordinator will ask you to specify your pregnancy or parenting status and the requested accommodation. You must provide recent documentation from a qualified medical professional or appropriate professional knowledgeable of your parenting needs (i.e., adoption counselor) that:

• Provides a specific diagnosis or parenting status; and
• Recommends specific accommodations that might be helpful to you in an academic setting based on your specific circumstance

The Case Coordinator will evaluate your request and supporting documentation and request or obtain any additional input, including additional supporting documentation as appropriate to determine whether your request should be granted or denied. If your request is granted, the Case Coordinator will work with you and any school personnel (e.g., instructors, test administrators) who will help implement the approved accommodation(s).

If your request is denied, the Case Coordinator will engage in a dialog with you to explore any alternative reasonable accommodation options, if appropriate. Denial of accommodations will not preclude students from requesting disability-related accommodations through the Office of Equity and Access (OEA).

Once accommodations have been implemented, you should continue to work with the Office of Equity and Access on any accommodation-related needs. If you experience difficulty in implementing or obtaining approved accommodations, you must immediately notify the Case Coordinator for assistance in rectifying the situation. Accommodations are granted on a case-by-case basis as different resources may be available. Although the same accommodations may well be available, adjustments may be necessary due to the new location or modality. You must notify the Office of Equity and Access if you plan to transfer to a new location.

Questions related to accommodations requests and complaints of discriminatory treatment or retaliation related to pregnancy or parenting status should be directed to the Case Coordinator at [email protected] or 630.829.0233.

Complaints may also be filed with the US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights at:
Office for Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC. 20202-1100
Customer Service Hotline: 800.421.3481; TDD: 877.521.2172
Facsimile: 202.453.6012 | Email: [email protected] | Website: ed.gov/ocr