Parent Support
Support for Students who are Current or Expecting Parents
The Student Affairs Office provides a broad range of supports for expecting students and parents irrespective of gender. We encourage you to contact us with questions you have related to pregnancy and parenting at Denver Law. Support is also provided for pregnancy-related conditions, including, but not limited to, abortion, miscarriage, false pregnancy, fertility treatments, postpartum complications, pregnancy-related depression and anxiety, or other related medical conditions.
A combination of supports and accommodations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Assistance with navigating course load and scheduling
- Exam arrangements, including but not limited to breaks during exams or a separate testing environment
- Classroom arrangements (e.g., preferential classroom seating)
- Rescheduling/deferment of exams due to the birth of a child or for medical reasons
- In-class note-takers for absences due to birth of a child or for related health reasons
- Taping of classes for absences due to birth of a child
- Lactation room access
- Breaks during exams to allow for pumping/nursing
- Leave of absence for the birth of a child or for health-related concerns
- ADA accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions
Please note that arrangements are considered on a case-by-case basis and determined by individual circumstances. Contact Student Affairs to discuss what options may be available to you.
To review Denver Law’s Parental Leave Policy, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions from Student Parents
I am due during the semester and am worried about missing class. What options do I have?
We can videotape classes up to two weeks following the birth of a child and/or provide note-takers for missed classes. Both the Student Affairs Office and the Office of the Registrar are available to talk with you about arranging a manageable schedule in light of academic and parenting responsibilities.
What if I am due during final exams?
The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs can provide you with exam arrangements as appropriate. Examples of exam arrangements for expecting students may include:
- Permission to take breaks during exams
- Separate testing environment
- Ergonomic exam equipment
- Possible exam deferments
Please note that arrangements are considered on a case-by-case basis and determined by individual circumstances.
What if I want to take a leave of absence from Denver Law following the birth of my child?
You may take a personal or medical leave of absence from Denver Law. Please note that students must complete the degree requirements for the J.D. within seven years of matriculation in law school. To review Denver Law’s Parental Leave Policy, click here.
Additionally, students should note that some jurisdictions prescribe a shorter period of time during which the J.D. must be completed. For example, New York requires that the J.D. degree be completed within five years after a student has commenced the study of law in a law school.
My partner is due during my time at Denver Law. What sorts of supports are available to me?
Supports are available for birth parents and their partners. Supports provided to partners have included but are not limited to the following:
- Deferment of exams
- Assistance with navigating course load and scheduling
- Class recording
Please reach out to the Student Affairs for questions related to your particular circumstances.
Do pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions qualify for accommodations under the ADA?
Generally, pregnancy on its own does not typically qualify for ADA accommodations. Instead, the Student Affairs office will work with you on arrangements mentioned above. However, complications with pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions often qualify for ADA accommodations. Contact DU’s Disability Services Program at dsp@du.edu or 303.871.3241 with questions regarding pregnancy-related accommodations or visit DU’s Disability Services Program webpage to learn more about requesting accommodations.
What sorts of financial aid options do I have?
If you have specific questions about your unique family circumstances, including questions about childcare allowances, please contact our Director of Student Financial Management at financialmanagement@law.du.edu.
I am on the student health insurance plan. What resources does the DU Health & Counseling Center provide?
There are several resources provided through HCC, including medical care related to pregnancy, contraception, and women’s health.
- Gynecological exams
- Pregnancy testing and consultation
- Contraceptive counseling
- Couples or individual counseling
Information for medical services can be found here. Information on counseling services for students can be found here.
Are there lactation rooms on campus?
There is one private lactation room in the law building (Room 247) and several more around campus. The room in the law school is equipped with a refrigerator. The rooms are available to all Denver Law affiliated parents. Please contact Student Affairs to gain access to the lactation room in the law school.
Information about other lactation/nursing rooms on-campus at DU can be found here.
Are there other students on campus that I could talk to about parenting and/or pregnancy at Denver Law?
Parents Attending Law School (PALS) is a student organization at Denver Law for students who are parents, expecting parents, or students who want to help support other students with children. Look for PALS at the annual student organization fair, Derby Day, or on the student organization webpage.
Title IX Information
The Pregnant Scholar
Title IX’s implications for athletics and sexual assault are widely known, but its maternity leave mandates and prohibition of pregnancy discrimination have largely been overlooked. As universities move towards full compliance and resolve gaps in their policies, students, educators, and administrators need to know their rights and obligations under the law. The Pregnant Scholar site provides resources for students, postdocs, faculty, administrators, and others. For more information visit: http://www.thepregnantscholar.org/
Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX
The Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX is responsible for ensuring University of Denver provides an environment for faculty, staff and students that is free from discrimination and harassment on the basis of categories including pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identify, gender expression, and marital status. The office has a responsibility for providing prompt and effective responses to all complaints of sex discrimination or harassment for faculty, staff, and students. Contact information, policies, and procedures are all listed at https://www.du.edu/equalopportunity/titleix/