With the fall semester in full swing, colleges and universities are following health precautions and safety plans to maintain in-person learning environments, though many leaders continue to watch the increase of COVID-19 cases as the Delta variant spreads rapidly across the country.
Given that COVID-19 vaccines are readily available, some institutions made the decision to mandate vaccines for students and, in some cases, even faculty members.
Masks are strongly advised for both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals. Not only do vaccinations mitigate serious COVID-19 side effects, they also provide “peace of mind,” says Dr. Xavier Cole, vice president for student affairs at Marquette.
“Once our community knows that we are highly vaccinated, it lowers the temperature around those mental health concerns as well,” says Cole. “I really am pleased that we will be able to be much more of a community. “It cuts down on the issues of isolation and cuts down on some things we dealt with, like Zoom fatigue, last year. So, it really does elevate the entire campus.”
Political pushback
