Brown University has come to an agreement with the US Department of Justice and the Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island to protect the rights of students who need to take leave because of mental health issues.
The settlement concludes the department’s investigation of Brown after finding that campus policies prevented students who took time off from their studies for mental health reasons from returning to school, violating Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Under the agreement, Brown will adjust its undergraduate leave policies according to Title III and pay $684,000 to the affected students. Additionally, it must provide all faculty and staff with adequate training in how to evaluate student requests for leave.
“Students with disabilities deserve access to equal opportunity to help ensure that they can achieve their educational goals,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that colleges and universities do not exclude students on the basis of their disability or because they took time to receive the treatment they needed to thrive. We will keep fighting to ensure equal access for students with mental health disabilities at colleges and universities across our country,” she added.
Previous School Policy
According to the Justice Department investigation, several students sought readmission between Fall 2012 and Spring 2017 after filing for medical leave because of mental health issues.
However, their applications were rejected since Brown’s policy dictates that a medical leave should only last two full semesters, which may not be enough time to treat certain disorders.
“Universities play a critical role in fulfilling the ADA’s promise of equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. Instead of imposing extra barriers on students seeking to return to campus from medical leave, universities must reasonably accommodate students who are treating their mental health disabilities,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Richard Myrus.
“The policies that Brown has agreed to implement should serve as a timely reminder to other colleges and universities to ensure that their medical leave policies must not discriminate against students with mental health disabilities,” Myrus concluded.