Ohio University lacks essential parental leave policies, which might be a violation of Title IX and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, according to a report prepared for the provost.
Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit formed a pregnancy task force in late 2010 to examine the needs of pregnancy, childbirth and parental leave for students, faculty and staff. The task force consisted of eight professors and administrators from throughout campus.
“Inconsistent leave practices among faculty may also constitute gender discrimination, creating financial and professional inequalities for women,” the report states.
The study found that guidelines for student, faculty and staff parental leaves were inconsistent. One graduate student reported she was denied a one-quarter leave of absence after becoming pregnant, while another lost her assistantship, according to the report.
“Faculty or advisers who work with graduate students seem more flexible than department administrators or Graduate College administrators,” the report states.
Undergraduate students surveyed reported mixed results, but most said they are easily able to take a break from school during a pregnancy. However, there are no numbers to indicate how many return to OU.
“Anecdotal evidence suggests that many pregnant students hide their pregnancies as long as possible and many of them don’t resume their education after giving birth,” the report states.
If a student returns, the Division of Student Affairs is responsible for accommodating the student’s additional needs.
“There are no clear guidelines, however, on how to accommodate students (both undergraduate and graduate) who have child care needs,” the report states.
Faculty, staff and administrators received mixed results when applying for parental leave, depending on their departments or colleges.
Some faculty went “under the table” to take their leave without informing the university because of the current setup, according to the report.
“The chairs strongly believe that we need a minimum standard policy that includes an automatic stopping of the tenure clock in the event of birth or adoption in order to ensure that all faculty have the same rights,” the report states.
In the report, the committee requested a minimum standard for paternity leave; paid parental leave; employment guidelines for modified duties while employees are pregnant or lactating; automatic stoppage of the tenure clock; and a policy for students.
The report also asks for severe-weather care for students, faculty and staff with children and more lactation rooms on campus.
In their research, the members of the task force reviewed other universities’ policies and conducted an internal investigation after Benoit requested information on OU’s current parental-leave policies.
Faculty Senate passed a resolution addressing the issue of parental leave last spring, but Benoit did not sign it because it asked that a plan be “developed and implemented with all deliberate speed.”
“We need to understand what the best policy for Ohio University is, so that is going to take some digging,” said Ann Fidler, Benoit’s chief of staff.
Benoit said at Monday’s Faculty Senate meeting that she did not sign the policy “because of the wording,” but she repeated her commitment to have a policy on the president’s desk by February.
Faculty Senate Chairman Joe McLaughlin said he was satisfied with Benoit’s response.
“The executive committee had a very good conversation with the provost … and feel pretty good about her commitment to move forward with exploring this,” he said.
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