• Penn State to require employees taking university-funded trips to get vaccinated,

Penn State University announced late Tuesday that it will begin requiring its employees who do university-affiliated, university-funded travel to affirm by their departure that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The new requirement, covering thousands of employees, takes effect June 1 across the state’s flagship public university. Travel “presents additional risks for being exposed to and spreading COVID-19,” university officials explained in a statement posted to the school’s website.

“For all domestic and international travel that begins on June 1 or later, all Penn State employees requesting University-affiliated travel that involves University funding must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by their date of departure,” the statement added.

The move comes as employers nationally, including colleges and universities, weigh similar considerations given widening availability of vaccines and their efficacy thus far.

Penn State officials said employees can seek exemptions for medical or religious reasons.

The university noted instances in which the requirement will not apply. Those include:

• Travel funded by non-university funds, such as sponsored research utilizing federal or state grants.

• Employees with a departure date before June 1.

• Employees whose travel on or after June 1 was approved prior to May 25.

Officials also said “unit executives may choose to exempt from the vaccination requirement those employees for whom the requested travel is part of their regular job responsibilities.”

Students at Penn State are encouraged to get vaccinated, but the university thus far has not imposed a mandate for the fall term. Neither has the University of Pittsburgh, although officials there, including Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, say they are weighing the matter, including a vote Thursday by Pitt’s elected body of faculty, staff and students that urged such a requirement.

Carnegie Mellon earlier last week announced a vaccination requirement that includes exemptions for medical and religious reasons.

Nationally, the number of colleges and universities that have announced vaccination

requirements for students has climbed to 419, up from 389 on Thursday, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Penn State officials say employees must continue to secure permission for university-affiliated domestic travel.

At present, university-affiliated international travel is still suspended. However, if international travel is essential, requests “should be screened by and submitted through unit executives to Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones at provost@psu.edu and include a description of why the travel is mission critical,” the university said.

Additional details are available from Penn State’s coronavirus webpage.

Penn State says while workers must affirm they have been vaccinated, documentation “is not required at this time.” The university continues to encourage consideration of virtual substitutions for travel.

“Employees who are not vaccinated because of a medical condition, documented disability or religious belief may request an exemption by contacting the Affirmative Action Office at aao@psu.edu,” says the university’s statement.

University officials said students, faculty and staff on personal travel are encouraged to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

“Unvaccinated travelers are encouraged to delay travel until they are vaccinated,” the university said. “In addition to the risk to their personal health, travelers should be aware of the elevated risk to other members of the community if they become infected.”