According to a draft version of Miami University’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate that was obtained by The Miami Student, students who are not vaccinated by the end of the semester will be prohibited from attending classes or accessing on-campus buildings after the first of the year.
The draft policy was approved by the University Senate Executive Cabinet and will be discussed by the entire Senate at its meeting on Monday afternoon. The draft still must await approval from University President Greg Crawford before it comes to fruition.
If Crawford approves a vaccine mandate, the draft policy states that Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and other World Health Organization approved vaccines will be accepted by the university.
The draft states that students and staff must be vaccinated through Miami, provide documentation of vaccination, via MedProctor or Proof of Vaccination, or request an exemption.
Exemptions to the policy would be granted due to medical reasons, religious beliefs, a deferral for pregnancy or nursing, or “reasons of conscience,” which are further defined as moral or ethical reasons.
Both undergraduate and graduate students present on campus or university property during the 2021-2022 academic year would be required to comply, unless granted an exemption.
Similarly, all faculty and staff with “any on-campus presence on any Miami University owned or controlled property” would be subject to the mandate.
Employees could face disciplinary action, up to and including termination, for not complying with the potential mandate, according to the draft policy. The policy would not extend to employees on the Luxembourg campus.
The University Senate Executive Committee wrote in a statement that it supported the proposed mandate.
“We recognize that full FDA approval reflects the safety and efficacy of the vaccine,” the letter reads.
This draft policy comes after Ohio State University’s vaccine mandate, announced on Aug. 24, requiring students and employees to have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 15.
According to the draft, Miami’s proposed policy is in line with those of the Inter-University Council of Ohio, an organization representing 14 of Ohio’s major universities.
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