COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Fall
A Message from President Deanne H. D'Emilio, JD
Hello everyone,
We are so excited about our plans to welcome students back to campus in the fall. We also are excited to see that the COVID-19 vaccine has become much more widely available, and that many members of our GMercyU community have already received the vaccine or have scheduled appointments to receive it in the coming weeks.
Our first priority continues to be the health and safety of our campus community. And our Mercy values call on all of us to consider the Common Good when making decisions. Since the vaccine is now available to everyone aged 16 or older, and because it has been proven effective in protecting people from contracting the virus, we will require all students who will be on campus (including students participating in short-term, on-campus residencies) to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to coming to campus in the fall. Students who will take courses in a fully online format are not required to show proof of the vaccine; although we encourage everyone in our community to be vaccinated.
All students planning to be on campus in the fall will need to show proof of their completed vaccination (e.g. both doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or the single dose of Johnson and Johnson) no later than August 12, 2021 or two weeks prior to their first day on campus, whichever comes first. We will share more information on how you can show proof of vaccination in the coming weeks. We also will continue to share information on vaccine availability in our local area via the University portal. Please be sure to check your GMercyU email and the COVID-19 website for updates. As is true with all other vaccination requirements, students who cannot get the vaccine for medical or religious reasons may apply for an exemption. Exemption forms will be made available in the coming weeks, and this process also must be completed no later than August 12.
I so look forward to returning to campus this fall and resuming the traditions that we have all been missing, provided it is safe to do so.
I want to thank you in advance for your commitment to doing what's necessary to keep your classmates and the rest of our GMercyU community safe. Please continue to check the COVID-19 website for updates on our plans for the fall, and for details on how to show proof of vaccination.
On behalf of the entire GMercyU community, I wish you a safe, healthy and happy summer.
Stay safe and soar like a Griffin,
Deanne H. D'Emilio, JD
President of Gwynedd Mercy University