Navigating Parental Leave Through Ad Hoc Policies in Higher Education: Voices From the Field

Who are Pregnant Academics?

The term pregnant academics is used in an inclusive manner, representing anyone who is able to conceive and carry a child, regardless of how that person identifies. However, there are clear limitations with this definition as the path of conception is different for everyone and experiences such as infertility, in vitro fertilization, and loss of pregnancy are no less important than the labor, delivery, and postpartum process (which typically is the focus of a parental leave). The authors also recognize the need for established family leaves, for both biological and adoptive parents, in addition to the type of formalized parental leave we refer to here. This chapter acts as an introduction to discussions around each of these concerns and the related need for explicit workplace policies to support families across the United States. Pregnant academics are identified as a marginalized group as they are likely to experience exclusion and discrimination during the time when they are pregnant (and recovering from pregnancy) either from colleagues with more power (e.g., those on the tenure and promotion committee or senior faculty members) or their respective administrators with more power (e.g., department chair, dean) (Shope, 2005). As there is a specific time parameter around pregnancy and recovery, pregnant academics can identify as a marginalized group that is different from women as a marginalized group. Academic settings are also very different from most workplace environments as faculty are not typically expected to work a traditional 40-hour week. Instead, faculty often set annual goals for teaching, research, and service that are approved by their administration. While they may be expected to be on campus for certain tasks (e.g., teaching, office hours, committee meetings), much of their time is self-directed. This flexibility in job implementation is perhaps what drives the perceived need for flexibility in leave-related policies in academia and the prevalence of informal negotiations when trying to interpret these policies.