SIU System Fall 2021 Semester Student Vaccination Policy
June 24, 2021
Dear Faculty, Staff and Students:
Thanks to the diligence of many across the state and nation, Illinois is moving into the next stage of the Coronavirus Pandemic recovery. This positive step provides the ability for those who have been vaccinated to generally resume activities without wearing a mask, as well as a number of other changes. Overall, the upcoming semester will be very different from one year ago. We all look forward to that.
As you prepare to come to campus, we want to share with you our expectation of what to anticipate when you arrive. For the Fall 2021 semester, on-campus students (i.e., students who are participating in on-campus classes or activities) will need to either obtain a vaccination before they come to campus or plan to wear a mask and participate in periodic testing until it is determined by health experts that this asymptomatic testing is no longer necessary.
In some circumstances, such as student athletes and students in health career fields of study, vaccinations may be required. These students will be informed of such requirements by directors, program leaders or others in their specific area.
To be clear, we strongly encourage as many students, and SIU faculty and staff, as possible to be vaccinated before classes begin this fall. The data on the efficacy of the vaccination is overwhelming, including as it relates to the new and more contagious variants of the coronavirus.
Our goal is to attempt to respect individual circumstances as we open our campuses to the greatest degree possible, while still providing fellow students as well as faculty and staff with a healthy and safe environment.
You’ll be receiving updates on this policy as circumstances change. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Thank you.
Dan Mahony, President
