A Message from the President: Updates on NSU Vaccination Policies

As always, my main goal and concern is the health, safety, and welfare of NSU students, faculty, and staff. NSU was hoping for the ability to require vaccinations where possible to further protect the NSU community. However, due to a new Florida law, NSU is unable to maintain such a policy. NSU always follows the letter and spirit of the law and we must do that as the law goes into effect on July 1, 2021.

Therefore, we are NOT requiring vaccinations for NSU students, faculty, and staff, as was announced back on April 1, before the legislation was passed. Nonetheless, with additional safeguards in place, NSU has its best opportunity to return to normalcy this fall.

The Florida law permits purely voluntary vaccine programs. In fact, it is the policy of the state to encourage voluntary vaccinations as the governor and the Florida Department of Health (DOH) made millions of doses of all three vaccines available throughout the state so far this year. The governor and DOH made voluntary vaccine dispensing locations very convenient for anyone over 16 years of age to receive the inoculations. More than nine million Floridians (and more than 147 million Americans) have already received at least one dose.

NSU applauds the governor and the state for this mammoth effort to protect so many of our fellow citizens. Additionally, NSU has sites not only on our Fort Lauderdale/Davie campus but also at select regional campuses where you can receive the vaccine easily and conveniently. If you would like to make an appointment to get vaccinated, click here.

Like the state of Florida, we are striving for a high voluntary vaccination rate for the NSU community to enable NSU’s campuses to return to normalcy this fall, which is everyone’s wish. According to recent reports, the higher the vaccination rate, the lower the mitigation measures that are required.

We have developed a voluntary program called NSU Vax Max to encourage the whole NSU community to voluntarily receive the vaccine on or before August 1. The NSU Vax Max program is designed to help us reach a voluntary, aspirational goal of 100% of those who can receive the vaccine. We will set a minimum threshold—based on our best assessments of public health guidelines—of 80% of our on-campus students who have reported that they were voluntarily vaccinated in order to return to normalcy this fall on each of NSU’s campuses. The vaccination rate will be measured for each campus separately.

The NSU Vax Max program will call for purely voluntary disclosure with supporting documentation that the student has been fully vaccinated, so NSU may calculate the percentage of the on-campus NSU student community reaching this goal. Upon achieving this threshold for voluntary vaccination status on or before August 1, we can then return to campus this fall with that feeling of normalcy that everyone wants so desperately.

If we achieve this 80% threshold, a “return to normalcy” means:

  • Safety screening protocols to protect public health require everyone in the NSU community to either wear a mask in class, social gatherings, and at any University event, or provide voluntary admission that they have been vaccinated.
  • In-person classes will return in greater numbers with less need for masks and distancing;
  • Social gatherings and university events can occur much more freely;
  • We can eat together on campus as it was pre-COVID-19;
  • The Taft University Center, our regional campuses, and other NSU facilities and programs will be able to host in-person cultural and educational events and other activities;
  • Your favorite NSU clubs, organizations, and social events will be vibrant and active again; and
  • Intercollegiate, intramural, and club sports will be able to operate more fully.

I believe our NSU Vax Max voluntary program goal is achievable. We can meet this threshold if NSU on-campus students and others in the NSU community—who are able and willing to receive the vaccine—will do so and voluntarily let us know so we can reach the vaccination goal.

Click here to voluntarily report your vaccination status. It is quick and easy.

  • This link will be open to all NSU students, faculty, and staff, but it is the on-campus student community whose voluntary vaccination rate will help us meet the threshold for returning to normalcy this fall. The threshold will be measured at each of our campus locations individually.
  • You can choose to report your voluntary vaccination status. It is your choice if you wish to keep that private, for NSU information only, or to share it more publicly.
  • Once you voluntarily report your vaccination status, it will allow NSU to authorize your N-number for a designation on your SharkCard this fall. It will be that designation (among on-campus students) that will count towards the threshold target of 80% and, once met, allow normalcy to return to greet a new academic year.
  • The NSU Vax Max program does not require you to participate in any way—it is strictly your choice—and no adverse action of any kind will be taken against you if you choose not to participate in this voluntary program to achieve on-campus normalcy through voluntary vaccination.
  • Any NSU student, faculty or staff member choosing on a voluntary basis not to disclose their vaccination status will be assumed by NSU to be unvaccinated.

If NSU does not reach the voluntary threshold goal of 80% through the NSU Vax Max program by August 1, the campus will maintain its current mitigation measures to best protect the health, safety, and welfare of our students, faculty, and staff.

I believe we can do it. We can get to, and even exceed, that 80% threshold of voluntarily vaccinated on-campus students by August 1 and return to the in-person learning environment and on-campus lifestyle we all treasure and miss so much. I will keep you posted should circumstances or regulations change.

 

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