As colleges and universities nationwide make plans to welcome back students in the fall, a growing number have announced they will require all students to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before returning to campus.
So far, at least 14 colleges have said vaccinations will be required, according to a CNN tally — and that number is expected to grow.
Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, became one of the first to say that having all students vaccinated will allow for an “expedited return to pre-pandemic normal,” making more in-person classes possible, as well as more on-campus events that will be allowed.
“This health policy update means that, with limited exceptions, all students planning to attend in the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated,” a statement from Rutgers president Jonathan Holloway said, adding that proof of vaccination will be required.
Cornell anticipates all members of the university community will be vaccinated in the spring or summer. Individuals who are not able to be vaccinated prior to their arrival to campus, “will be expected to be vaccinated as soon after their arrival as possible, and Cornell is investigating ways to facilitate this process,” a statement from the university said.
Brown University said in its announcement that it plans to return to a schedule of “mostly in-person operations” when the fall semester begins, and will require the Covid-19 vaccine for any student who will be on campus.
Notre Dame will require all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to be vaccinated, but did not specify whether it will also be required of faculty and staff.
Ithaca College said in a statement Wednesday that the Covid-19 vaccine will allow a fall semester that will “resemble a pre-pandemic “normal,” with a greatly reduced risk of infection for our campus community.”
Northeastern is also planning to be fully reopened by the fall for all students to return and for all classes to resume in-person.
Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, which was one of the first schools to shut its campus at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last March, will now require students to enter their proof of vaccination through an online portal.