Teaching Relief for New Parents
Maternity Related Teaching Relief
A faculty member who has been granted FMLA leave for the birth of a child and whose due date falls any time during the semester may be relieved from all teaching responsibilities during that semester. In cases where the birth of the child is expected late in the semester, the faculty member may request teaching relief in the semester following the birth instead of the semester of the birth. Contact the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs as soon as is practical after confirmation of pregnancy to request teaching relief.
When a faculty member’s due date falls outside of a semester, the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs may grant teaching relief in the semester following the birth of the child.
Any faculty member relieved of teaching responsibilities under this policy may be assigned other service and administrative responsibilities during the period when the faculty member is not on FMLA leave but is relieved from teaching.
Non-Maternity Related Medical Teaching Relief
Faculty members who take FMLA leave for reasons unrelated to childbearing should contact the Office of the Provost regarding whether they will be relieved from teaching responsibilities during those portions of a semester that they are not on FMLA.
Course Relief for New Parents
In addition to FMLA-related course relief for birth mothers, the Office of the Provost offers course relief to parents of newborn or newly adopted children. The program offers course relief in the semester of the birth or adoption. Exceptions are at the discretion of the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs. The primary caregiver of a newly adopted child may be relieved of all teaching duties. Secondary caregivers of newborn or adopted children may be relieved of a portion of their duties depending on their faculty appointment. In accordance with College policy, a course release granted under this policy may not be combined with other course releases in order to reduce a faculty member’s teaching load to zero. The only exception to this policy is maternity-related teaching relief for the birth mother of a child, as described above. Further information on this policy may be found here.