Rutgers University will require all students to be vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19 to attend classes in-person for the fall semester, the school announced on Thursday.
In a letter posted to the New Jersey school’s website and signed by President Jonathan Holloway, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Prabhas Moghe, and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Antonio Calcado, Rutgers said President Joe Biden’s order to states to make the vaccine to all adults by May 1 influenced the decision.
''The anticipated additional availability of the COVID-19 vaccine is enabling Rutgers to take steps to protect the health of our academic community and to move toward a full return to our pre-pandemic normal as a vibrant institution in Fall 2021,'' said the letter titled ''Our Path Forward – COVID-19 Vaccination and the Fall Term.''
''This health policy update means that, with limited exceptions, all students planning to attend in the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated. In parallel, we continue to strongly urge all Rutgers faculty and staff to get immunized against COVID-19 at the earliest opportunity.''
The school, by far the largest in the state with nearly 69,000 students – including about 49,000 undergraduates – divided across campuses in Camden, Newark and its main branch in New Brunswick, said any of the three approved vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson would be acceptable.
''Students planning to attend the fall 2021 semester may request an exemption from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons,'' it said. ''Students enrolled in fully online degree programs (typically defined as having no access to on-campus facilities), as well as individuals participating in fully online or off-campus Continuing Education programs, will not need to provide proof of vaccination.''
Most schools across the country quickly adopted ''virtual'' learning at the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, closing campuses and conducting classes via videoconference or through other online methods.
In an apparent attempt to encourage vaccinations, Rutgers touted the benefits of returning to campus.
Those included ''additional face-to-face course offerings and academic experiences, opportunities for a wider range of events and activities offered at our campuses, expanded dining and recreation options at Rutgers, (and) greater interpersonal collaboration among faculty, students, and researchers.''
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