Georgetown and Rutgers Maintains COVID Vaccine Requirement and Mask Mandate Despite Wider Changes
While most educational institutions have relaxed their pandemic protocols, over 100 schools continue to enforce mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for in-person
Nik Richie
While most educational institutions have relaxed their pandemic protocols, over 100 schools continue to enforce mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for in-person attendance, as noted by No College Mandates, a group tracking COVID-19 policies in higher education.
Among these, Rutgers and Georgetown are among the few that also uphold indoor masking requirements.
With students gearing up to return to campus next month, there’s speculation about how these policies might impact enrollment numbers.
Rutgers University has made it clear that incoming students must adhere to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, as stated on the institution’s official website. Although exceptions to this rule will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, the mandate emphasizes no blanket exceptions will be granted.
Even if students receive hypothetical exemptions from vaccination requirements, on-campus attendance isn’t guaranteed. Instead, these students will be subject to regular testing.
Antonio Calcado, Chief Operating Officer at Rutgers University, stated, “If their choice is that they cannot be here under these conditions, we understand that. We wanted to give them that … opportunity, though, to make that choice and not be rushed into that choice.”
Declan O’Scanlon, a New Jersey Senator, expressed his readiness to support any students who may face disenrollment due to their vaccination status. O’Scanlon went so far as to criticize Rutgers administrators, labeling them as cowards for adhering to what he deems an “anti-science” stance and imposing potentially life-changing penalties on students.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued its most relaxed set of COVID guidelines since the pandemic’s onset, announcing the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency. In New Jersey, almost all school districts have discarded indoor mask mandates.
Nationally, the American College Health Association reported that 61% of campuses suggest students receive the COVID vaccine. However, only approximately 18% of the 300 surveyed schools mandate vaccination for students.