HSU TALKS STUDENT VACCINATION RULES
No final decisions about which groups would be required
Humboldt State officials are currently in talks to determine whether there will be a vaccine requirement for students who live on campus or who participate in athletics, but no decisions have been made yet, the university confirmed Tuesday.
“At this time, no final decisions have been made about criteria around vaccination and participation in activities on campus,” HSU spokesman Grant Scott-Goforth wrote in an email to the Times-Standard. “The university is working with multiple groups including local public health, the Chancellor’s
Office and campus leadership to determine the best path forward for fall semester.”
It’s a discussion that is ongoing across all 23 California State University campuses, a CSU spokesman said Tuesday.
“There could be some specific populations of students who
might be required to have received a COVID-19 vaccination (for example, students residing in on-campus housing), but as those populations of students differ from campus to campus, that determination would be made at the campus,” CSU spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp told the TimesStandard.
Earlier this week, Chico State confirmed its students who live on campus and who participate in athletics would be required to be vaccinated, Butte County’s Action News Now reported.
Humboldt State’s spokesman did stress that vaccinations are “currently strongly encouraged.”
“We know that vaccination is the best protection available at this time to mitigate the risk of COVID-19,” Scott-Goforth said.
Last week, Humboldt County opened up vaccination eligibility to all residents age 16 and older, clearing the way for widespread vaccinations.
There could be some people who are exempted from vaccination requirements, should the CSU or specific campuses implement them, Uhlenkamp said.
“Exemptions based on disability or religious belief would be accommodated,” he said.
He also noted that it’s unlikely all students will be required to be vaccinated; discussions are focused on specific groups such as campus residents and student athletes.
“The current guidance from the Chancellor’s Office to the campuses has been that the university will not be able to require all students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of maintaining enrollment,” Uhlenkamp said.
Humboldt State is expected to have about 53% of its classes in the 202122 school year will “have a face-to-face component” with the remaining 47% virtual, Scott-Goforth said.
“It’s also worth noting that while the face-to-face offerings are still limited, we’re hopeful that the governor’s directions will allow us to safely expand campus events, activities and student life,” he said. “Of course, all of that is still in the planning stage as well and depends on the continuing mitigation of the pandemic.”