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# U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Announces Resolution of Pregnancy Discrimination Investigation of Troy University in Alabama

# U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Announces Resolution of Pregnancy Discrimination Investigation of Troy University in Alabama

January 26, 2023

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -        
Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for  Civil Rights (OCR) announced the resolution of an investigation into whether  Troy University in Alabama responded to a student’s requests for  pregnancy-related adjustments during the 2020-21 school year in a manner that  complied with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).

OCR’s investigation confirmed that the student notified  the university of her pregnancy before the start of the fall 2020 semester and  reflected repeated instances in which the student experienced negative  consequences stemming from a lack of accommodations for her pregnancy.

For example, when the student became unable to fit into a  classroom desk due to her pregnancy, she requested a table for one of her  classes, but never received one. She also was penalized in a class for  poor attendance and received a failing grade in another class because she was  denied the ability to make up work.

OCR’s investigation identified concerns that:
- The university did not       make reasonable and responsive adjustments responsive to the student’s       pregnancy-related requests.
- Those responses the       university did offer to the student’s requests were ad hoc and       uncoordinated.
- The Title IX coordinator       did not consistently or timely intervene when the student alerted him to       issues with certain classes.
- No evidence reflected       that the Title IX coordinator responded to a professor who sought guidance       in addressing the student’s requests. And,
- The absence of available       information about how to obtain pregnancy-related adjustments contributed       to the university’s uncoordinated response and left the student to make       multiple requests through both the university’s Title IX coordinator and       individual professors.

To resolve the investigation, the university’s  commitments include the following:
- Providing the student       adjustments to grades negatively impacted by the university’s handling of       her requests, as well as reimbursement for documented expenses related to       courses she has had to retake since the semester when she was pregnant.
- Reviewing and, where       necessary, revising or drafting policies and procedures on how to address       requests for adjustments from pregnant students to ensure that it complies       with Title IX.
- Updating its website to       provide information such as the Title IX rights of pregnant students, the       process for requesting adjustments, and a link to the grievance procedures       that apply to complaints of pregnancy-related or other sex       discrimination.
- Faculty and staff       training regarding the Title IX rights of pregnant students and the       university’s obligations regarding pregnant students, as well as a survey       to gauge the effectiveness of the training. And,
- Tracking of students’       requests for pregnancy-related adjustments and the university’s responses       to the requests.

“I thank Troy University for addressing the  pregnancy-related needs of the student who came to OCR for help and for  ensuring that, going forward, it will provide pregnant students equal access to  the university’s courses and other offerings,” said Assistant Secretary for  Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon.

The letter to Troy University is available here and the resolution agreement is available here.
   -  Tags: Civil RightsTitle IXPress Releases
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