IU requiring vaccinations for staff, students

Beginning with the fall 2021 semester, the COVID-19 vaccine will be required for all Indiana University students, faculty and staff, including those attending IUPUC.

“This requirement is part of IU’s ongoing successful response to and management of the COVID-19 pandemic on its campuses and will allow the university to lift most restrictions on masking and physical distancing,” an announcement by the university system said Friday.

A spokesperson for IU confirmed that IUPUC — as well as all other IU satellite campuses — will be following the same guidelines.

IU will require that all individuals on its campuses have their first dose of the vaccine no later than July 1, and must be fully vaccinated by Aug. 15 or when returning to campus after Aug. 1 (whichever is earlier).

A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after having all doses of a vaccine (two doses for Pfizer, Moderna; one dose for Johnson & Johnson).

All current students, faculty and staff will use IU’s COVID-19 vaccine report form to report all doses of the vaccine. Those receiving a two-dose vaccine will complete the form after each dose.

Incoming students will complete the self-report form once they’re enrolled in classes for the fall semester.

IU has outlined "strong consequences" for those who choose not to meet the COVID-19 vaccine requirement and do not receive an exemption. 

For students, they will see their class registration canceled, CrimsonCard access terminated, access to IU systems (Canvas, email, etc.) terminated, and will not be allowed to participate in any on-campus activity.

Faculty and staff who choose not to meet the requirement will no longer be employed by Indiana University, officials said. The university also said that working remotely and not meeting the COVID-19 vaccine requirement is not an option.

Approved exemptions will be extremely limited, with full details on the process to be shared by June 15.

Exemptions will be limited to a very narrow set of criteria, including medical exemptions with physician documentation, and documented religious exemptions, IU said.

Those wishing to schedule a vaccine should visit ourshot.in.gov.

For more information on the requirements for this upcoming school year, visit https://www.iu.edu/covid/prevention/covid-19-vaccine.html.