Rutgers to require students be vaccinated for in-person classes

Students at Rutgers University will require proof of receiving a coronavirus vaccine in order to register for classes this fall.

In a statement released on Thursday, school President Jonathan Holloway, said that President Biden’s recent order for states to make the vaccine available to all adults by May 1, as well as recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had informed its decision.

Holloway also shared that Rutgers had been approved by the New Jersey state government to offer vaccines on-campus for its faculty, staff and students.

“Thus, the University urges all members of its community currently eligible to receive a vaccine not to wait and to register with the State in order to get vaccinated as soon as possible, wherever you can, if you have not done so already,” he said.

Holloway stated that the policy would apply to all students “with limited exceptions,” including medical or religious reasons. Students who are fully enrolled in online classes are also not required to abide by the rule.

“From the onset of the pandemic, the safety of the broader Rutgers community has been our shared responsibility. This has never been more true. The importance of an effective vaccination program to make our community safer for all cannot be overstated,” Holloway added.

Colleges have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus, both financially and academically, and are no doubt eager to return to pre-pandemic conditions. Nearly all U.S. universities moved their classes completely online this past year due to the pandemic, and many dropped standardized testing requirements as it became too difficult to safely conduct tests such as the SAT and ACT.

A survey conducted by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of 68 institutions surveyed reported spending more on COVID-19 related expenses than anticipated. Many of these costs were for masks, building modifications and costs associated with enforcing social distancing.