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The Suspension of Responsibilities for Childbirth Policy gives
PhD students in the Arts and Sciences departments who give birth in their
fellowship years a six-week period where regular responsibilities associated
with their doctoral program are suspended for pregnancy, birth, and/or care of
a newborn. Responsibilities that may be suspended include class attendance,
course assignments, exams, and other academic requirements; and research and
other work in the lab. We recognize that Teaching Fellows make important
contributions to the instructional mission of the university. Further, we
realize that releasing a TF from the classroom for six weeks could be
pedagogically unwise, depending on the point of time in the semester and the
extent of the TF’s responsibilities. Thus, for some students, teaching
responsibilities may be suspended for the entire semester. Non-teaching
responsibilities for Teaching Fellows will be suspended for six weeks.
During this period of suspension of responsibilities,
full-time student status will be preserved, so the stipend for a Columbia fellowship,
student health insurance, and housing eligibility are retained. The policy does
not affect a student’s ability to request a leave of absence to begin after the
six-week period has ended.
Students funded on an external fellowship or other
non-Columbia awards must inform the external award agency if they are not able
to maintain compliance with the external award/fellowship guidelines. Where the
external award agency has a policy of its own, those guidelines will supersede
this policy.
Graduate students who are pregnant are asked to meet with
their advisors as soon as possible to plan for time off. This policy does not
preclude additional time and alternative arrangements with their advisor and
department. However, departments may not offer an alternative period of
suspension of responsibilities that is shorter than the period described in
this policy. In fact, we encourage and expect communication and cooperation
between students and their advisors related to the birth of a child that will
provide support and accommodation for students and recognition of Columbia’s role in preparing female scientists and scholars.
So that the Dean’s Office and the department can make
appropriate arrangements, the student should submit the Suspension of
Responsibilities for Childbirth Policy form
to GSAS no later than four months before the pregnancy due date. GSAS will then
work with the department to determine expenses associated with the
accommodation period, including costs of replacement research fellows and
teaching fellows. The department will work with the student to develop a plan
to replace necessary responsibilities (such as teaching and research). Students
should communicate with their department their revised timeline for completion
of degree. Students using the Suspension of Responsibilities for Childbirth
Policy are offered an extra semester for completion of the MA, MPhil, and PhD degrees.
Eligibility for Teaching Fellowships and other awards are also extended for a
semester.
Suspension of Responsibilities Policy for Non-Fellowship
Students
PhD students in Arts and Sciences departments in years six
and seven who are not on fellowship, and GSAS PhD students who are not in Arts
and Sciences programs, are also eligible to have regular responsibilities
associated with their PhD program suspended for pregnancy, birth, and/or care
of a newborn. Responsibilities that may be suspended include class attendance
(if applicable), dissertation progress, and other academic requirements.
Students using this policy will be offered an extra semester for completion of
the PhD degree. Eligibility for Teaching Fellowships and other awards are also
extended for a semester. Students should submit the Suspension of
Responsibilities for Childbirth Policy form
to GSAS no later than four months before the pregnancy due date (and indicate
on the form non-funded status). This policy does not apply to students beyond
their seventh year of doctoral study.
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