BALTIMORE – The University System of Maryland will require students, faculty and staff on campuses at its 12 universities this fall to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
System Chancellor Jay A. Perman announced the mandate Friday, stating the universities will comply with federal and state laws in granting exemptions for medical or religious reasons.
“This mandate was not undertaken lightly,” Perman said in a statement.
Perman issued the mandate following a recommendation from the system’s workgroup including university experts in public health, infectious disease and emergency management. The system’s 12 university presidents and their cabinets also weighed in on the decision.
Perman said the system’s universities have about 15,000 students living on campuses this semester and expect more than double that number in the fall. Thousands more often live in neighborhoods around campuses.
“We want students to have these bonding opportunities,” Perman said the statement. “We want them to have a college experience that breeds a sense of belonging. And if that’s our goal — to have students (a lot of students) safely back on campus this fall, then we have to do everything we can to protect that safety.”
Prior to the announcement, Johns Hopkins University was the only other Maryland university to require students provide proof of a vaccine before returning to campus for classes in the fall, according to tracking by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
