Resources & Information for EKU Faculty, Staff, and Students

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Pregnant and Parenting Students

Eastern Kentucky University is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals enjoy freedom from discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of sex, as mandated by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). Title IX states that institutions cannot discriminate against students who are pregnant, give birth, experience a false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, miscarriage or recovery therefrom.

In compliance with Title IX, EKU faculty and Title IX Coordinator pledge to collaborate on a case-by-case basis with all students facing pregnancy and parenting issues. We also pledge to provide strategies that support the academic freedom of faculty and the academic integrity of the learning environment.

Please use the Pregnancy Adjustment Request Form to request assistance as a result of a pregnancy/parenting related situation. As a result of your report, we will reach out to you to provide information on Title IX.

Additional Information for Specific Situations

I am currently pregnant and:

Title IX requires schools to excuse absences related to pregnancy and/or a pregnancy-related medical condition as long as it is deemed medically necessary by your physician. You should speak with your Professor ahead of time to see what documentation needs to be provided. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX, 859-622-8020, for more information.

Title IX requires that schools allow students to participate in programs or activities, including extracurricular activities, as long as you want. Administrators will not ask for a doctor’s note giving permission for you to participate, unless the note is required for other temporary medical conditions or disabilities. If you feel that you can participate in any activity and you are not allowed to participate, it could be a potential violation of EKU’s policies. If you have any questions, please contact the Title IX Coordinator for more information.

EKU prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, which includes parental, marital, or familial status. If you feel that you have been discriminated against, please contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX, 859-622-8020.

EKU will not require any pregnant students to stop working because of their pregnancy. Administrators should rely on their doctor’s judgment when it comes to how long they can continue working.

EKU has resources and administrators that can help. For more information, call the Counseling Center to see what services are available. The Counseling Center is located in Whitlock, Room 517. Phone: 859-622-1303.

If you are a student and have an underlying medical condition which has interfered in your educational goals here at EKU, you may be able to receive a reasonable accommodation through EKU’s Center for Student Accessibility.

The Title IX Coordinator released guidance to the faculty-at-large on how they should address the issue of pregnant or expecting students. Additionally, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released guidance in the form of a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL). Please select the links below.

Sample Attendance Policies

Title IX requires that the University forgive absences for pregnant students that are deemed medically necessary by the student’s doctor. The Title IX Coordinator receives many questions about how faculty should structure their attendance policies to ensure they are Title IX compliant. Below are three sample attendance policies that faculty can use or modify at their discretion.

Students are expected to attend class and actively participate in all aspects of the learning process. This includes class discussions, written work, and in-class activities. National and local studies have shown a direct correlation between attendance and grade performance. Therefore, attendance is considered mandatory.

Students who miss more than 10% of the regularly scheduled class meetings due to unexcused absences are subject to failing the course.

Students enrolled in TR sections may not exceed 3 unexcused absences for the semester.

Students enrolled in a MWF section may not exceed 5 unexcused absences for the semester.

For the purposes of this course, “excused absences” include verifiable medical or family emergencies, University approved activities (accompanied by a University excuse), illness (yours or a family member’s), and other absences as outlined in the University’s “Student Absence from Class” policy. Students should be prepared to document the reasons for the absence. Students whose absences are not excused will not normally be allowed to make up tests, quizzes, and/or assignments. Students who anticipate having a high number of excused absences should contact their instructor as soon as the situation arises so that they can make arrangements for how to handle missed class time.

Late arrival or early departures from class that are unexcused will be considered in the tabulation of absences as well.

Students are expected to attend class and actively participate in all aspects of the learning process. This includes class discussions, written work, and in-class activities. National and local studies have shown a direct correlation between attendance and grade performance. Therefore, attendance is considered mandatory.

Students with unexcused absences are subject to failing the course.

For the purposes of this course, “excused absences” include verifiable medical or family emergencies, University approved activities (accompanied by a University excuse), illness (yours or a family member’s), and other absences as outlined in the University’s “Student Absence from Class” policy. Students should be prepared to document the reasons for the absence. Students whose absences are not excused will not normally be allowed to make up tests, quizzes, and/or assignments.

Late arrival or early departures from class that are unexcused will be considered in the tabulation of absences as well.

Students should make every effort to attend every class meeting. In the case of an excused absence with proper documentation, extended deadlines or alternate activities will be provided for any graded activities. However, these accommodations do not always provide equivalent learning opportunities. An acceptable excuse is a doctor’s excuse, a University excuse, or a catastrophic emergency resulting in unavoidable absence. Arrangements to complete alternate activities, such as another version of an exam, must be made within one week of returning to class; otherwise, a zero will be recorded.

Pregnancy FAQs for Faculty & Staff

If you typically require documentation to excuse an absence, then you may require the same from pregnant students. A doctor’s note should suffice.

This determination is reserved for the physician. In these cases, the judgment of the physician must be trusted. If the doctor advises that the pregnant student should be absent, then the doctor’s note should suffice.

No. Schools cannot require a pregnant student to produce a doctor’s note in order to stay in school or participate in activities, including interscholastic sports, unless the same requirement to obtain a doctor’s note applies to all students being treated by a doctor.

No. These requirements do not include “paternity leave” unless the mother’s doctor believes that it is medically necessary for the father to be excused.

Students who need additional accommodations should be referred to the Center for Student Accessibility (CSA). The CSA is located at 521 Lancaster Avenue, Whitlock 361, Richmond KY 40475, (859) 622-2933, disserv@eku.edu

It Depends:
If the pregnant student has not given you documentation that the absences were for medical necessity, then yes, you may apply the same attendance policy that applies to other students. If the student has given you documentation that the absences were for medical necessity, then no, you cannot apply the attendance policy. You must excuse any absences for which the pregnant student’s doctor has written a note stating that the absence was medically necessary.

No, there can be no penalty for pregnant students who are absent due to medical necessity.

EKU has many resources available to assist you, including recording lectures, Blackboard, synchronous conferencing, and student note-takers. You could also consider switching classrooms to an integrated classroom that has permanent web-conferencing capabilities. Please contact EKU IT Help Desk for more information at (859) 622-3000. Additionally, the Center for Student Accessibility (CSA) may be a resource when receiving available accommodations.

If the pregnant student cannot be in class to participate, then you must allow the student to complete alternative assignments to replace the participation component. You may not simply weigh other assignments more heavily, which could disadvantage the student. The alternative assignment should be similar in difficulty to the participation component that it replaces. Some options might include journaling, other reflection pieces, participation in a chat room or other online format, or another written assignment.

You should report the situation to the Title IX Coordinator.

Yes. Title IX prohibits a school from excluding a pregnant student from any part of its educational program, including all extracurricular activities, such as school clubs, academic societies, honors programs, homecoming court, or interscholastic sports. If you require a medical release for other students to participate in the activity, you may also require it for pregnant students. If you believe that the activity will put the students at significant risk or physical harm, please contact the Title IX Coordinator for assistance.

Yes. Title IX prohibits harassment of students based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions. Harassing conduct can take many forms, including verbal acts and name-calling, graphic and written statements, and other conduct that may be humiliating or physically threatening or harmful. Particular actions that could constitute prohibited harassment include making sexual comments or jokes about a student’s pregnancy, calling a pregnant student sexually charged names, spreading rumors about the student’s sexual activity, and making sexual propositions or gestures. Reports of these incidents should be sent to the Title IX Coordinator.