U of M requiring COVID-19 vaccination on all campuses

By STEPHEN BOROWY, KENDALL KEYS

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    ANN ARBOR, Michigan (WNEM) — The University of Michigan is requiring all of its students, faculty, and staff on all its campuses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Aug. 30.

Individuals’ vaccination information must be submitted before the start of the fall, according to the university’s announcement made on July 30.

The requirement not only applies to the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses but also to Michigan Medicine.

“Widespread vaccination is the primary and most effective tool that will bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control and it is the key to a vibrant and engaging academic year,” officials wrote in an email.

The vaccine requirement also applies to those working or learning remotely.

The university said the step is consistent with the advice of U of M campus public health experts and is in line with recent announcements made on university and health care campuses across the nation. Those campuses include Veterans Health Administration, Google, and the Mayo Clinic. More than 600 colleges and universities have announced vaccination requirements of different types.

“We’re making this announcement today to allow those who remain unvaccinated the time to begin their vaccination series in the month ahead,” the message said. “While we will provide limited exemptions for medical and religious reasons, it is imperative that all members of our community are protected from this devastating virus.”

All faculty, staff, and students may apply for medical or religious exemption. That process is being developed and will be announced by Aug. 4.

Anyone approved for a vaccine exemption will be required to complete mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing and must continue to wear masks indoors while on campus, the university said.

Rick Fitzgerald, spokesperson for the university, said about 45 to 46 percent of the Flint campus’ staff is vaccinated. Data for the students is not available yet.

Fitzgerald thinks the vaccine mandate is necessary to bring students back on campus while still being safe, even as the new Delta variant spreads.

“People learning and teaching and doing research and public service and extracurricular activities for our students, the safest way to do that was to ask that everyone be vaccinated,” he said.

Fitzgerald acknowledged a month is fast, especially for those who opt to get the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. To accommodate for those who may not be able to get both doses on time, those who get the first dose by Aug. 30 can still participate in the U of M community – as long as they still wear a mask and submit to weekly testing until they get that second dose.

Students TV5 spoke to are glad to see the requirement.

“I think it’s great. I’ve been waiting on them to make an announcement like this,” said Dorothea Zahor, U of M-Flint student.

“I think the more people vaccinated, the better. Keep us all safe,” said Kenneth Glynn, U of M-Flint student.

“I think it’s great. I think it will be good so that everyone can feel safe on campus in the fall,” said Bradley Allendorfer, U of M-Flint student.

Kirsten Herold, president of the Lecturer’s Employee Organization, issued the following statement:

“Today, the University announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all faculty, staff, and students for fall semester, with exemptions made for medical and religious reasons. While important details remain to be worked out, LEO is in favor of such a mandate, which will provide great relief for the vast majority of our members who will be heading back to crowded classrooms on August 30.

In a recent survey, 85% of lecturers indicated they favored a vaccine mandate, which was similar to the response from other faculty groups.

We recognize that a small number of members are not going to be in support of this mandate, and we can all wish it would not have been necessary. However, given the highly contagious and dangerous nature of the Delta variant, LEO agrees that mandating the vaccine is a crucial public health measure.

Labor law requires impact bargaining when terms and conditions of employment change, as is the case here. As part of impact bargaining, LEO intends to demand representation at any committee working out the details around the implementation of the mandate, including the timeline for complying, accommodations for those who are issued medical and religious exemptions due to ‘sincerely held beliefs,’ and accommodations for those who have members of household who need additional protection due to their health conditions. For the return to in-person instruction to be as safe as possible, it is essential that the Employer involves University unions in figuring out how best to implement the vaccine mandate.”

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