Pregnant and Postpartum Students and Students Who are Parents of Newborns

Compliance with New Jersey Law

This policy addresses the requirements of NJSA 18A:3B-74 et seq. to provide certain accommodations for students who are pregnant, or postpartum, or a parent of a newborn (but not the birth parent) ensuring equal rights and opportunities for such students.

Accommodations

Reasonable accommodation(s) provided to pregnant, or postpartum students, or students who are parents of a newborn (but not the birth parent) shall be no less than those provided to students with temporary medical conditions. Students needing assistance may request temporary accommodations and are required to follow Thomas Edison State University’s procedures for review and approval for accommodations using the TESU Academic Accommodation(s) Request online form. Documentation and approvals for accommodations are reviewed by the ADA Coordinator through the Office of Accessibility Services.

A pregnant or postpartum student in good standing is permitted to request one of the two following options:

Option 1 – Withdraw from the course(s) AND, when possible, have the cost of the courses credited to the student’s account to use in a future term(s). It is crucial that students refer to the University’s Course Withdrawals and Refunds webpage to ensure they understand potential implications for withdrawing.
Option 2 – Request and be approved for up to two course extensions at no cost. (Students opting for this accommodation will not be excused from completing Discussion Forums and may not be eligible for full credit if Discussion Forums are not completed during the original term.)

A student in good standing who is not the birth parent but has received notification of the birth or placement of their child, is permitted to request and be approved for up to two course extensions at no cost. (Students opting for this accommodation will not be excused from completing Discussion Forums and may not be eligible for full credit if Discussion Forums are not completed during the original term.)

Communication and Documentation

Requested accommodation(s) must be done under the guidance of the University’s Office of Accessibility Services and in accordance with the University’s NJSA18A approval procedure as stated on the University website. Students requesting accommodations are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services and provide required documentation via completing TESU Academic Accommodation(s) Request online form as early as possible, so that necessary arrangements can take place. If the original documentation is incomplete or inadequate to provide verification of pregnancy, postpartum, or parenting of a newborn (who is not the birth parent), the University’s Office of Accessibility Services has the discretion to require additional documentation.

Complaints

A discrimination complaint about the implementation of this policy, or any complaint about the implementation of this policy, should be submitted to the Title IX Coordinator for the University:

Heather Brooks
hbrooks@tesu.edu
609-984-1114, ext. 4140