Title
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Procedure for Pregnancy and Related Medical Conditions Accommodations for Students and Applicants
Introduction
Purpose
This Procedure outlines the steps for seeking, evaluating, and granting requests for accommodations for Students and Applicants who are Pregnant or have a Related Medical Condition. Requests for absences pertaining to childrearing must be addressed without regard to the Student’s sex or gender.
The University is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals enjoy freedom from discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of sex. Discrimination, which can include discrimination based on Pregnancy and Related Medical Conditions and discrimination based on sex or gender related to Parenting status, is prohibited and illegal in University admissions, educational programs and activities, and extracurricular activities. As part of this commitment, the University will make good faith efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals who are Pregnant or have a Related Medical Condition covered by the Policy on Pregnant and Parenting Students and Applicants unless such accommodations would result in a Fundamental Alteration of the academic program or impose an Undue Burden on the University.
The University is committed to diversity and nondiscrimination and supports equal access to educational programs and activities for all Students and Applicants. This commitment is in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and accompanying regulations.
Scope of Applicability
This Procedure applies to and protects all University Students and Applicants. The Procedure also applies to the conduct of all University employees.
Procedure
Procedures for Seeking Accommodations for Pregnancy and Related Medical Conditions
The University is committed to providing Students and Applicants who are Pregnant or have a Related Medical Condition with reasonable accommodations that are necessary to afford such Students and Applicants an equal opportunity to participate in University educational programs or activities, to the extent that such accommodations would not result in a Fundamental Alteration of an academic program or impose an Undue Burden on the University. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Granting incomplete grades for courses to be completed at a later date
- Modifications of the physical environment, such as accessible seating or provision of temporary elevator access
- Mobility support
- Allowance of more frequent trips to the restroom or breaks for water
- Extending deadlines and/or allowing the Student to make up tests or assignments
- Providing temporary disability parking permits
- Providing remote learning opportunities
- Excusing medically-necessary absences in coordination with the Policy on University Approved Absences
- Granting reasonable time and private space to pump breastmilk
- Providing larger uniforms for athletics or on-campus jobs
- Allowing course drops, medical underloads, medical leaves of absence, or medical withdrawals
- Granting requests from Pregnant or nursing Students to protect the health and/or safety of the Student, Pregnancy, or infant (e.g., allowing the Student to maintain a safe distance from hazardous substances
Students and Applicants seeking Pregnancy related accommodations must contact the Assistant Director in the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office (EOC). Any covered Student or Applicant may request accommodations by submitting the Accommodation Request Form to the EOC via email at cehall@email.unc.edu or in person at the Equal Opportunity and Compliance (EOC) Office, located at 214 W. Cameron Ave. Chapel Hill, NC 27599. The Pregnancy Accommodation Request Form is attached to this Procedure.
The EOC will provide Students and Applicants with a centralized and collaborative process to provide consistency across all University programs and courses. Upon receipt of the Accommodation Request Form, or upon request by a Student or Applicant, a member of the EOC will invite the Student or Applicant to discuss the accommodations requested and the Student or Applicant’s needs. The EOC may request that covered Students and Applicants provide additional documentation or information to support the request.
Some accommodations, such as temporary withdrawal or transition to part-time status, may impact a Student’s access to resources such as financial aid, health insurance, and other campus services and may impact stipends, timing for program completion, and immigration visa status. The EOC will work closely with Students to explore all of their options, consider any impacts and alternative solutions, and facilitate communication with other University offices and programs. If a covered Student is also a University employee, the policies and procedures of the Office of Human Resources may apply to employee accommodations. The EOC will help Student employees coordinate between Student and employee accommodations.
Students and Applicants must request accommodations in a timely manner to allow the EOC to review documentation, determine eligibility, and implement accommodations. All accommodations are determined as part of an interactive and collaborative process. Following receipt of the request, the EOC will work with the Student or Applicant to determine how to reasonably accommodate their specific needs and with other appropriate individuals to further evaluate and/or implement the accommodations. The requirements for every class and academic program are different; therefore the EOC will collaborate with the Accessibility Resources and Service (ARS), the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS), the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Academic Advising Program, The Graduate School, and program administrators (as appropriate) and solicit input from faculty or other academic administrators as needed to determine what accommodations are reasonable for a particular class or academic program. For undergraduate Students requesting excused absence(s) from class(es), the EOC will notify the appropriate University officials of any such approved request.
Decisions regarding accommodations will be provided in writing to the requesting individual and to the appropriate faculty members or other University employees responsible for implementing the accommodations. A Student or Applicant who is not satisfied with the decision regarding their request for accommodations is encouraged to work with the EOC to resolve any disagreements. If the Student or Applicant is unable to resolve their concerns, they may appeal by making a formal report to a Report and Response Coordinator or to the Title IX Coordinator in the EOC under the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Misconduct for failure to accommodate.
A Student or Applicant who believes that a faculty member or other University employee is not appropriately implementing the predetermined accommodations should report their concerns to a Report and Response Coordinator or the Title IX Coordinator in the EOC, who will address the matter in accordance with the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Misconduct.
Individuals with questions about this Policy and/or its application may contact the EOC Assistant Director at 919-962-7185 or at cehall@email.unc.edu.
A. Absences - Students (including Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Students
Being absent from class or excused from other educational responsibilities does not relieve Students of their responsibility to keep up with any information shared or expectations set during the missed class(es). A Student whose absence has been approved by the EOC is still responsible for working with individual course faculty or instructor(s) to make alternate arrangements to obtain materials and information provided during any missed class(es) and to reschedule exams or paper deadlines and to submit all required course work. A Student whose absence has been approved by the EOC should not be penalized for their absence. If a Student requests a particular form of make-up work, a particular extension, or an alternative means to obtain materials and information to accommodate Pregnancy and Related Medical Conditions, the Student should request that particular accommodation on the Pregnancy Accommodation Request Form, in addition to the request for the absence from class. Students are encouraged to discuss accommodations for long-term absences with the EOC to determine any accompanying accommodations for related coursework or other program requirements. The EOC will collaborate and consult with faculty and other academic administrators to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations for the requesting Student.
Requests for absences from an internship or externship, field placement, or other practical learning experience outside the classroom will be assessed on an individual, case-by-case basis in consultation with the University placement supervisor and the field placement supervisor.
B. Fundamental Alteration to a Class or Program Assessment Method
The EOC will collaborate and consult with faculty and other academic administrators to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations for the requesting Student or Applicant. The University may decline to provide accommodations that create a Fundamental Alternation of the course or academic program. To determine whether a specific accommodation fundamentally alters the nature of a course or program, the EOC will consult with faculty or other academic administrators to carefully evaluate the requested accommodation, considering the following questions:
- What are the essential academic standards of the course and what are the requirements that go to the very nature of the subject matter or that are of the utmost importance in achieving the course/program objective?
- What are the specific requirements that individual instructors believe are fundamental to teaching the course/program?
- What are the unique qualities of the course/program in relation to its overall objectives and any program for which the course is required?
- After a reasoned deliberation, does the modification of the course/program change the fundamental academic standards? Are there any options concerning the fundamental requirements of the course/program?
- Will the requested accommodation lower the academic standards of the course/program? If so, why? Are these standards the only way to achieve the desired academic objective?
- Can a different method or requirement that will not be altered by the accommodation achieve the required academic or pedagogical result? If not, why?
Definitions
Applicant: An individual who has submitted an application to be admitted to a full- or part-time course for academic credit at the University.
Fundamental Alteration: A change that is so significant that it alters the essential nature of the course or program.
Pregnancy and/or Related Medical Conditions: Pregnancy, birth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, pregnancy or infant loss, breastfeeding and expelling breastmilk, conditions arising in connection with any of these conditions, and recovery from any of these conditions.
Student: A person who has gained admission to a full or part-time course of study for academic credit at the University.
Undue Burden: Imposition of more than a de minimis cost on the University’s operations, which may include those requests that are costly, compromise safety, efficiency, infringe on the rights of others, or require others to do more than their fair share of the potentially hazardous or burdensome work.
Related Requirements
External Regulations and Consequences
University Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information
Primary Contacts
For accommodation requests and/or questions or concerns related to this policy:
Elizabeth Hall, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Equal Opportunity and Compliance / Title IX Coordinator
Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office
214 W. Cameron Ave.
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
919-445-1297
cehall@email.unc.edu
For complaints of discrimination or harassment based on Sex or Gender, including failure to accommodate:
- Equal Opportunity and Compliance (EOC) Office
- Email: eoc@unc.edu
- Phone: 919-966-3576