Vaccinations will be required for students at USU

Utah State University announced Friday afternoon they will be requiring vaccinations for students.

This is a developing story that will be updated as more information is released.

The logistics of the mandate are still being discussed. According to a spokesperson, the university plans to release a detailed plan for the mandate in the next week.

Faculty and staff are not included in the mandate at this time.

Emilie Wheeler, the news director for University Marketing and Communications, said the only way to ensure students can continue to be in classrooms and able to attend events is to have them vaccinated.

“This is a research university,” Wheeler said. “We trust the science that shows that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. We also know that students from USU value a face-to-face experience and a university environment that’s vibrant and energetic and that has activities and events.”

Jace Dart, a freshman at USU, said he thinks people should have a choice.

“I don’t think it should be required per se, because I think everyone should have, like, a choice, cause people are kind of worried about it,” Dart said. “Personally, I’m not. I’m not worried about it, and I have the vaccine, but I do think that it’s good to respect others’, you know, worries and concerns right now.”

Jessica Sorensen, a senior, has mixed feelings.

“I definitely think that people should choose whether they get it or not,” Sorensen said. “But I mean, I know they required vaccines to go to elementary school, and I thought that was pretty safe, so if that’s something that they feel they need to do, then I assume that they’ve researched it and there’s backing.”

The mandate comes after a letter from the Utah Board of Higher Education urging college and university presidents to consider requiring COVID-19 vaccines.

“Expanding COVID-19 vaccinations among college populations will allow us to keep campuses open for in-person instruction, provide a safer environment for the campus community, and help ensure that our state’s economy remains open and vibrant in the months ahead,” the letter read.

According to this letter, higher education systems in Utah are authorized to require vaccinations as a condition of enrollment due to H.B. 233, passed by the Legislature earlier this year. According to this law, students must be provided the option to opt-out of the requirement for medical, religious or personal reasons.

The University of Utah also announced a vaccination mandate on Friday. Similarly, Brigham Young University announced last week masks will be required in classrooms and other indoor spaces.