​​​Student Policy on Pregnancy & Related Conditions
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The Chicago School is committed to creating and maintaining a safe learning and working environment that is free of unlawful discrimination, harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. As such, The Chicago School prohibits sex discrimination, which can include discrimination based on pregnancy, family, marital, or parental status in admissions, educational programs and activities, hiring, leave policies, employment policies, and health insurance coverage.

Under the Title IX regulation, an institution that receives federal funding “shall not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom.” This includes post-pregnancy conditions such as​ postpartum depression. Per the regulation, appropriate treatment of a pregnant student includes granting the student leave “for so long a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student’s physician,” and then effectively reinstating the student to the same status as was held when the leave began.

The student is encouraged to work with the Title IX Coordinator, faculty members, and Chicago School ​support systems to devise a plan for how to best address the conditions as pregnancy progresses, anticipate the need for leaves, ​minimize the academic impact of their absence, and get back on track as efficiently and comfortably as possible. While this process should be student-led, the Title IX Coordinator will assist with plan development and implementation. In situations including but not limited to thesis, dissertation, field experience, study abroad, residency, internship, and practicum, an alternative path to completion will be developed, where practicable.​​

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Questions about Title IX and this policy may be directed to:

Title IX Coordinator
Jennifer Stripe Portillo
Dean for Student Success
(213) 615-7264
707 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 6000, ​​Los Angeles, CA 90017

Community members may also direct questions about Title IX and the Campus SaVE Act to:

United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
Customer Service Hotline: 800-421-3481
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100​