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Pregnancy Support

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The Office for Civil Rights and Equity works to protects both students and employees from discrimination or harassment based on pregnancy status.

Notice of Rights Under Title IX

Title IX is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex — including pregnancy, loss or termination of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and any related medical conditions — in educational programs and activities.

Know Your Rights: Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At School (ed.gov)

Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting Students (PDF) (ed.gov)

CSUF Transfer Adult Re-entry Parenting & Pregnant Student Center (TAPP)

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Resources for Pregnant Students

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What rights or protections do pregnant students have?

Pregnant students have the right to:

  • Stay at CSUF and in their academic program
  • Continue attending classes and extracurricular activities
  • Voluntarily access separate and comparable programs
  • Request and receive reasonable adjustments or modifications to their learning environemnt
  • Have pregnancy-related absences be excused
  • Take a voluntary leave of absence if it is medically necessary
  • Access a private lactation space
  • Have a learning environment free of discrimination based on pregancy status
  • Be informed of their rights

What are "adjustments" or "modifications" for pregnant students or those with pregnancy-related conditions?

Title IX affords pregnant students and students experiencing pregnancy-related conditions the right to reasonable adjustments or modifications to their learning environment so they can continue with their academic progress. Modifications are granted on a case-by-case basis based on the student’s individualized needs. Modifications must be reasonable, and they cannot be issued if they fundamentally alter the nature of the education program or activity (for example, a request to take a hands-on lab class remotely would likely not be a reasonable modification because it would fundamentally alter the nature of the class). The following list contains examples of modifications that may be available:

  • Breaks during class to take care of pregnancy-related health needs like eating, drinking, using the restroom, or expressing milk
  • Excused absences to attend medical appointments
  • Access to online or remote educational programs
  • Changes in schedule or course sequence
  • Extensions of time on coursework
  • Rescheduling tests and exams
  • Sitting or standing accommodations
  • Keeping food or water nearby
  • Counseling
  • Changes in physical space or supplies, like a larger desk or footrest
  • Elevator access
  • Protective gear, such as for science lab

How do I go about requesting an adjustment or modification?

Under new Title IX regulations effective August 1, 2024, if you tell a campus employee that you are pregnant or have a pregnancy-related condition, they must give you the information for your campus Title IX Coordinator, Sarah Bauer, and the Office for Civil Rights and Equity. The Title IX Coordinator must inform you of your rights and assist you in accessing the support you need. It is always a student’s choice to meet with the Title IX Coordinator or review any information on the Office for Civil Rights and Equity website. Any employee you speak with is not required to, and should not, report your pregnancy or related condition to the Title IX Coordinator. 

If you request a pregancy-related modification directly froma professor but are unsatisfied witht he outcome, please contact the Office for Civil Rights and Equity.

What do I do if my request for adjustments or modifications is not being honored?

Students who want to file a complaint alleging discrimination or harassment may contact the Office for Civil Rights and Equity at (657) 278-2121, make a report online, email civilrights@fullerton.edu, or visit College Park 205.

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Resources for Pregnant Employees

Employees are entitled to a work environment free from discrimination and harassment based on pregnancy status and pregnancy-related conditions. Please refer to Human Resources and Inclusive Excellence for more information about pregnancy-related leaves. 

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Employee Responsibilities to Students Disclosing Pregnancy

Under the updated Title IX regulations, effective August 1, 2024, when any student or a person who has a legal right to act on behalf of the student, discloses pregnancy or a related condition to any employee, the employee  must  do the following:

  1. Promptly provide the student with the Title IX Coordinator’s contact information
  2. Let the student know the Title IX Coordinator can coordinate specific actions to prevent sex discrimination and ensure the student’s equal access to Cal State Fullerton's programs and activities.

To fulfill this requirement, below is sample language you can use to send an email to the student:

Thank you for sharing with me that you are pregnant (or have a pregnancy-related condition). I wanted to make sure you know that our campus Title IX Coordinator is Sarah Bauer and she can be reached at civilrights@fullerton.edu or (657) 278-2121. The Title IX Coordinator can coordinate specific actions to prevent sex discrimination and ensure you maintain equal access to programs and activities on our campus. In other words, your pregnancy or related condition should not be a barrier to you being able to continue to participate fully in all education programs and activities of our campus.  You can find more information about your pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition rights at fullerton.edu/civilrights. 

If you ever feel as though you are being discriminated against or harassed because of your pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, you may also contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss your options for filing a complaint and actions that can be taken to stop the discrimination or harassment.

Additional Information About This New Requirement:

  • Employees are not required to,  and should not, report the student’s pregnancy or related condition to the Title IX Coordinator.
  • If a student or employee discloses that they are actively experiencing or already have faced discrimination or harassment because of their pregnancy, the employee should fulfill their duty to report under the Nondiscrimination Policy and inform the Title IX Coordinator. Learn more about the duties of a Responsible Employee.

What are Pregnancy and Related Conditions:

Pregnancy or related conditions means: 

  • Pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation;
  • Medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation; or
  • Recovery from pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, or related medical conditions.

Additional examples of medical conditions related to pregnancy: pregnancy-related illness (i.e., excessive morning sickness, fatigue, nausea, prenatal depression, etc.), miscarriage, IVF treatments, lactation related conditions (i.e., mastitis), and treatment for postnatal depression (also called postpartum depression).

Termination of pregnancy includes miscarriage, abortion, medical abortion, and stillbirth. Per California state law, medical abortions are provided at our campus health center.

If you have questions about these new requirements or are unsure what is expected of you, please contact the Title IX Coordinator at  civilrights@fullerton.edu.

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