Title IX Policy Update: Rights for Pregnant and Parenting Students

Notification of Rights and Protections: Pregnant and Parenting Students

August 17, 2026

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is committed to ensuring programs, services, and activities are accessible to students who may be pregnant, experiencing a pregnancy-related condition, or parenting a child under the age of 18. The university recognizes that students experiencing the aforementioned may need modifications or adjustments to have equitable opportunities to participate in or benefit from programs, services, and activities.  

Title IX, a federal law, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, recovery, and other similar and related conditions. Students who are pregnant are encouraged to seek out information about support and resources by contacting the Title IX Coordinator. Students who believe they may be experiencing harassment or discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions should contact the Title IX Coordinator to report those concerns.

Pursuant to Title IX, the university has the following general rights and obligations relating to pregnant students:

1. The university must treat absences due to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions as excused absences – consult with the Title IX Coordinator for determination.
2. Once a student returns to the university following an absence due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions, the university must make efforts to return the student to the same academic and extracurricular status as that held by the student prior to the absence, including the opportunity to make up any work missed while absent.
3. Students must be given the opportunity to make up assignments, tests, quizzes, participation points, etc., that are missed due to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions.
4. A student cannot be required to take a leave of absence or withdraw from their studies due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.
5. The university is not required to make modifications to the essential elements of any course or academic program or otherwise change educational or course requirements due to a student’s pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.

Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 135A.1582, pregnant and parenting students are afforded additional rights and protections. 

1. The university may not require a pregnant or parenting student, solely because of the student’s status as a pregnant or parenting student or due to issues related to the student’s pregnancy or parenting, to:
   • take a leave of absence or withdraw from the student’s degree program;
   • limit the student’s studies;
   • participate in an alternative program;
   • change the student’s major, degree, or certificate program; or
   • refrain from joining or cease participating in any course, activity, or program at the college.
2. The university will provide modifications to a pregnant student, including modifications that:
   • would be provided to a student with a temporary medical condition; or
   • are related to the health and safety of the student and the student’s unborn child, such as allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from substances, areas, and activities known to be hazardous to pregnant women or unborn children.
3. The university must, for any reason related to a student’s pregnancy, childbirth, or any resulting medical status or condition:
   • excuse the student’s absence for a reasonable period of time as determined to be medically necessary by a student’s treating health care provider insofar as to not compromise the fundamental outcomes of the academic course, program, or activity;
   • allow students to make up missed assignments or assessments;
   • allow students additional time to complete assignments in the same manner as the university allows for a student with a temporary medical condition;
   • provide students with access to instructional materials and video recordings of lectures for classes for which the student has an excused absence to the same extent that instructional materials and video recordings of lectures made available to any other student with an excused absence; and
   • ensure the benefits and services provided to students affected by pregnancy and related conditions are no less than those provided to students with temporary medical conditions.
4. The university must allow a pregnant or parenting student to:
   • take a leave of absence for a reasonable period of time as determined to be medically necessary by a student’s treating health care provider or the health care provider of the parenting student’s child insofar as to not compromise the fundamental outcomes of the academic course, program, or activity;
   • if in good academic standing at the time a student takes a leave of absence, return to the student’s degree program in good academic standing without being required to reapply for admission;
   • obtain reasonable accommodations, including an excused absence for parenting students to attend to their child’s health care needs, unless the modification would compromise the fundamental outcomes of the academic course, program, or activity.
5. If the university provides early registration for courses or programs at the college for any group of students, it must provide early registration for those courses or programs for pregnant and parenting students in the same manner. Priority registration for parenting students will include the following considerations:
   • automatically assign eligible pregnant and parenting students a registration window time that occurs no later than the earliest registration period offered;
   • ensure that priority registration is granted without separate petition, discretionary approval, or case-by-case determination beyond verification of parenting status;
   • annual notification provided to all enrolled students describing the rights and protections afforded to pregnant and parenting students; and
   • provide notification of the priority registration process to each student who self-identifies as a pregnant or parenting student.

Consult the Title IX Coordinator (titleix@smumn.edu) directly for classroom, assignment, attendance, and/or other accommodations due to pregnancy, childbirth, and/or parenting.

See the attached Exhibit A for a list of resources for prenatal care, child care, transportation, and housing. To view the full policy, visit our Title IX website.