Equal Opportunity & Access

Reasonable accommodations are provided on an individualized basis depending on the student’s needs and when necessary to prevent discrimination and ensure equal access to OSU’s educational programs or activities.

Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, providing:

• Breaks during class to attend to related health needs
• Access to lactation rooms, as well as breaks during class for expressing milk
• Intermittent absences to attend medical appointments
• Access to online or other home-bound education
• Changes in schedule or course sequence
• Extension of time for coursework and rescheduling of tests and examinations
• Changes in physical space or supplies (for example, access to a larger desk, chair, or a footrest)
• Elevator access
• Access, on a voluntary basis, to a separate and comparable educational program or activity
• Allowing a voluntary leave of absence from an educational program or activity
• Or other appropriate changes to policies, practices, or procedures

Students are always welcome to discuss needs with instructors or programs first, and work through modifications without going through Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). As students prefer, they can contact EOA at anytime to request an accommodation or for more information. EOA will work with you, your instructor, and other appropriate units as necessary to determine whether or not a reasonable accommodation can be made.

If you are experiencing a pregnancy-related disabling condition, please contact Disability Access Services to request an accommodation or for more information.

Reasonable accommodations are provided on an individualized basis depending on the employee’s needs and when necessary to prevent discrimination and ensure equal access.

Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, providing:

• Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices
• More frequent or longer break periods or periodic rest
• Assistance with manual labor
• Modification of work schedules or job assignments

• Access to lactation rooms or private locations, as well as rest-periods for expressing milk

Employees are always welcome to discuss needs with supervisors first, and work through modifications without going through Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). As employees prefer, they can contact EOA at anytime to request an accommodation or for more information. EOA will work with you, your supervisor, and other appropriate units as necessary to determine whether or not a reasonable accommodation can be made.

Instructors, faculty, and staff must not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from their education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, based on a student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom. Faculty and staff’s default assumption should be that a student who is pregnant or experiencing a pregnancy-related condition may participate in any classroom activity unless or until the student requests a reasonable accommodation.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to consult with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA) if they have questions, concerns, or need assistance. Faculty and staff who become aware of a student’s pregnancy or pregnancy-related medical condition should inform the student that they may contact EOA for assistance and provide the individual with EOA’s contact information.

If a student discloses that they are pregnant or experiencing a pregnancy-related medical condition, faculty and staff may work with the student directly to grant modifications that do not affect the educational environment without EOA assistance. If faculty or staff feel a modification is not reasonable and/or if the requested modification affects the educational environment, the faculty or staff must refer the individual to EOA and may not deny the request themselves. Faculty and staff can always reach out to EOA for assistance or consultation.

Faculty and staff may not request medical proof of pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition.

Supervisors must not discriminate against or exclude from employment any employee or employment applicant based on the individual’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom.

Supervisors are encouraged to consult with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA) if they have questions, concerns, or need assistance. Supervisors who become aware of an employee’s pregnancy or pregnancy-related medical condition should inform the individual of the OSU resources available to them, and that they may contact EOA if they need an accommodation.

If an employee discloses that they are pregnant or experiencing a pregnancy-related medical condition, supervisors may work with the individual directly to grant modifications that do not affect business needs without EOA assistance. If a supervisor feels that a requested modification is not reasonable and/or if the requested modification affects business needs, the supervisor must refer the individual to EOA and may not deny the request themselves. Supervisors can always reach out to EOA for assistance or consultation.

Supervisors may not request medical proof of pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition.