Pregnant and Parenting Students

Marymount University is committed to providing a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for students who are pregnant or parenting. 

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational settings. This protection extends to students who are pregnant, have experienced a pregnancy-related condition, or are new parents.

  • Pregnancy-related conditions include:
    • Pregnancy
    • Childbirth
    • False pregnancy
    • Miscarriage
    • Termination of a pregnancy
    • Conditions arising in connection with pregnancy
    • Recovery from any of the above conditions

Students may request reasonable accommodations as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.  

How do I request reasonable accommodations?

Title IX accommodations are intended to reduce pregnancy-related barriers and provide equal access to MU programs and services in a reasonable manner. By definition, accommodations should not alter essential elements of a program, place other students at a disadvantage, or create institutional burden. 

Because support cannot be issued retroactively, students who are pregnant should contact the Title IX Office for support at titleix@marymount.edu. 

Title IX Office will discuss the pregnant or parenting student’s needs and may ask for documentation that supports any requested accommodations.

What type of reasonable accommodations may I request?

Specific accommodations vary from student to student. Reasonable accommodations approved by the Title IX Office may include:

  • allowance of brief breaks during class; 
  • a larger desk;
  • reasonable flexibility to reschedule examinations; 
  • ability to consume food or beverages during class; 
  • reasonable flexibility with some class absences as medically appropriate;
  • reasonable flexibility with some class absences for parenting students (both male and female) who need to take their child(ren) to medical appointments or provide care for their sick child(ren).

What if I have a pregnancy-related health condition?

Students with pregnancy-related health conditions should contact Student Access Services as soon as possible to discuss accommodation support. Information about your pregnancy-related health condition is considered part of your educational record, is protected by FERPA, and will not be shared except with those MU personnel who need the information in order to provide academic support to you. You can learn more about SAS and pregnancy accommodations here.

What if I have been discriminated against based on my pregnancy or parenting status?

Students who believe they have experienced discrimination at MU as a result of a pregnancy-related condition should make a report here.

Students may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), even if you have not filed a complaint with the University. If you file with OCR, make sure you do so within 180 days of when the discrimination took place.

What are resources that are available to me as a pregnant or parenting student?