Pregnancy Disclosure Policy for Students

A student who is pregnant is encouraged to notify the Title IX Coordinator as soon as possible.

By doing so, the student and College personnel can collaborate and develop an appropriate plan for the continuation of the student's education. Pre-planning can also help with particular challenges a student may face while pregnant or when recovering from childbirth (e.g., missed classes, make-up work, etc.). However, the choice to declare a pregnancy is entirely voluntary, and a student is not required to disclose this information to the College.

For example, voluntarily disclosing a pregnancy by a nursing program student may be particularly beneficial due to the unique nature of the nursing program and its clinical requirements.

Options After Disclosure:

Once a student has voluntarily decided to disclose a pregnancy to the College, the student will have several options, as described below.

If a student decides to continue in her program and desires to have any adjustments to her academic program due to the pregnancy, the student should contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss any reasonable adjustments that may be necessary to continue in the program. Such adjustments, if any, will be documented in a 'Continuation in Program after Disclosing Pregnancy' form which will be signed by both the student and a College representative.

A leave of absence due to pregnancy may be for various amounts of time depending on a student's particular circumstances. Such a leave may be extended if deemed medically necessary by the student's doctor.

Due to the structure of the College's academic programs, the timing and/or length of a student's leave of absence may result in the student being required to re-take or finish course(s) in a future term.

If taking a leave of absence due to a pregnancy, the 'Education Plan for Pregnancy Leave' form will discussed and signed by the student a College representative.

The student may, in her sole discretion, determine that she must withdraw from the College for an indefinite period of time or permanently due to her pregnancy. Normal College withdrawal procedures, and readmission procedures (if applicable), apply.

A student who has questions about this policy or who is concerned about its implementation, should contact the Title IX Coordinator, Kristie Douglas, at KJDouglas@ccis.edu.

The full Pregnancy Disclosure Policy for Students may be found on the Columbia College Online Policy Library.

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