Montclair State Will Require COVID Vaccines From Most Students

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair State University has become the latest New Jersey college to require its students to get a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to classrooms.

On Thursday, the university announced that students will need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 before returning to campus this autumn. Read More: MSU Announces Return To In-Person Education In Fall 2021

Administrators said the requirement will apply to every student, undergraduate and graduate, whether they are commuters or living on campus. There will be two exceptions:

• People who are enrolled in fully online degree programs that offer no on-campus instruction, activities or services
• People who qualify under New Jersey law for medical or religious exemptions

“In the weeks to come, the university will provide more details about the vaccine requirement, including how and when students can submit their proof,” administrators said Thursday.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be one of several the university already requires from its students.

According to MSU administrators, the university isn’t able to currently mandate that employees get vaccinated.

“However, we continue strongly to urge every faculty and staff member to do so, and a large number of our employees have already done so,” officials said. “Now that vaccinations are widely available, we expect that most, if not all, employees will be fully vaccinated by the time the fall semester begins.”

In addition to Montclair State University, other New Jersey colleges that are requiring a COVID-19 vaccine for returning students include Rutgers University, Princeton University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

MSU President Susan Cole offered more details about the decision in a statement to the school community. She wrote:

“The past year has been a difficult one, and we have all had to adjust to the many changes forced upon us by the COVID-19 pandemic. I have been amazed – though not surprised – by how well this community has responded. Your resiliency, determination, and ability to innovate new ways of teaching, learning, and providing important services has enabled the university to remain strong and carry on through this complicated and stressful time.

“In recent days, I have been heartened by signs that the State is making progress against the virus. New cases are trending downward, and although the pandemic is far from over, we can envision being in a very different place four months from now, when the fall semester begins.

“One of the most important reasons for my optimism is the increasing availability – and adoption – of vaccines that protect against COVID-19. Already, nearly 4,000 of you have reported on Hawk Check that you have received at least one dose. On Monday, everyone aged 16 and over became eligible for vaccination in New Jersey, and yesterday, our shuttle buses began carrying hundreds of residential students to the Livingston Mall to receive their first shot.

“Vaccination offers the best path forward for us to return safely to the vibrant, fully accessible campus community we all love.”

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