Yale University settled a lawsuit brought by Elis for Rachel, a group representing students and alumni who accused the school of discriminating against students with mental health conditions, in some cases pressuring them to withdraw. Under the agreement, Yale will modify its leave of absence policies, making it easier for students to take time off for mental health reasons and streamlining the process for returning to campus. Elis for Rachel argued the former process discouraged students from taking medical leave when they needed it most. Yale will also now allow students to study part-time if they have urgent medical needs.
In a statement to MCI, Dr. Alicia Floyd, Co-founder of Elis for Rachael, said “This is a landmark settlement that lets students with mental health disabilities know that they belong and they have rights, that they won’t be punished for an illness or a disability when they have so much to offer.” The Mary Christie Quarterly profiled Elis for Rachel in a December 2022 article.