June 9, 2021 – Faculty: Additional guidance for university COVID-19 vaccination requirement
Dear colleagues,
As announced last month, COVID-19 vaccinations will be required for all members of the Vanderbilt University community for the fall 2021 semester. Today I am sharing additional guidance on the university’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
As a reminder, all full-time and part-time Vanderbilt University-employed faculty are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the 2021–22 academic school year. We will be returning fully to in-person instruction for all residential educational programs.
You can request accommodations for medical or religious exemptions through the Equal Opportunity and Access office. Accommodation requests should be submitted by June 15.
You must submit your vaccination record through the university’s vaccine tracker submission form by July 31, even if you received your vaccine from Occupational Health, VUMC or a VUMC clinic. If you do not submit your vaccination record or have an approved (or in-process) accommodation request on file by July 31, you will be subject to appropriate Faculty Manual processes, including disciplinary actions.
If you are currently living abroad, and a World Health Organization approved COVID-19 vaccination is not available to you before returning to campus, we will work with you to receive a COVID-19 vaccination once you get back to Nashville.
Consistent with CDC guidance, you should only perform essential activities for seven days after travel. Under this scenario, faculty will need to return to campus well ahead of the start of the semester to make sure to be fully vaccinated before the first class.
We still are finalizing details surrounding protocols for the fall semester, and I will share them with you as they are completed.
Thank you.
Tracey George