Carnegie Mellon to require students receive covid-19 vaccine for fall semester

Carnegie Mellon University will require students to be vaccinated for covid-19 to the extent permissible by law, school officials announced Tuesday.

The policy, which is “consistent with scientific evidence on the importance of vaccine adoption to control spread of the virus,” according to a letter posted on the university’s website, applies to all undergraduate and graduate students in U.S.-based programs.

“The expansion of vaccine production and eligibility, as well as widespread adoption, have enabled us to plan for resuming operations to support as many in-person experiences as possible, both inside and outside the classroom beginning this fall,” the letter reads.

The letter was signed by Jim Garrett, provost and chief academic officer; Gina Casalegno, vice president for student affairs and dean of students; and Daryl Weinert, chief of staff, vice president for strategic initiatives and covid-19 coordinator.

NEW: To the extent permissible by law, all students at Carnegie Mellon domestic locations will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to be enrolled for the fall semester. https://t.co/t97Uuv5wUe pic.twitter.com/i71K6QDNKy

— Carnegie Mellon (@CarnegieMellon) May 11, 2021

The policy will be updated by July 15 for the 2021-22 academic year.

The university’s global locations will communicate vaccine requirements separately based on their regional contexts.

Carnegie Mellon will consider medical or religious exemptions, consistent with federal and state law. Details on the exemption process will be announced over the summer as well as mitigation requirements that will apply to those students “in order for them to participate in campus life,” according to the letter.

Students will be required to provide documentation of their vaccination prior to the start of the fall semester, officials said.

“As we develop the mechanism for gathering this information, we will do so in a manner that protects the privacy of our students, as we do with all medical records,” the letter reads.

The university is also considering a potential vaccination requirement for all Pittsburgh-based faculty and staff.

Carnegie Mellon will secure vaccination opportunities in the weeks leading up to the fall semester to ensure all students have access to the vaccine.

A clinic is currently scheduled by University Health Services for Friday and Tuesday in the Rangos Ballroom. It is open to all CMU students, faculty, staff, affiliates and vendors. An appointment can be made on the university’s website. Walk-ins will be accommodated based on dose availability.

According to the letter, school officials still expect to begin the fall semester with mitigation protocols in place. Decisions on those protocols will be based on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and county health departments and the university’s public health experts.

“As we look forward to being back together on campus this fall, creating and maintaining a healthy campus environment continues to be our top priority,” the letter reads. “We thank you for your ongoing perseverance, commitment and resilience.”