All students, staff, faculty at all Pitt campuses required to be vaccinated by Dec. 6

PITTSBURGH — Starting Dec. 6, all University of Pittsburgh students, faculty and staff members across all campuses will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved exemption. If they fail to comply, students won’t be allowed to enroll in classes for the spring semester and/or live on campus and faculty members will face discipline.

According to a notice issued Monday, more than 93% of students, faculty and staff members disclosed they were fully vaccinated during the course of the fall semester. University officials said not requiring the vaccine “is not sustainable in the long term.”

Officials said in the release that this approach will allow them to “maintain a high immunization rate on our campuses,” protect employees and will have “minimal disruptions” to programs and activities.

This vaccine requirement will affect about 250 students, 740 faculty members and 2,250 staff members who have not yet disclosed their vaccination status. Anyone who fails to meet the Dec. 6 deadline will endure several consequences:

• Currently enrolled students will not be eligible to enroll in Spring 2022 term classes or live in the residence halls as of January 1, 2022. Students who enroll for Spring class prior to December 1 but fail to provide proof or obtain an exemption by this deadline will be unenrolled.
• Current faculty and staff will be subject to disciplinary action, which will include loss of access to electronic resources and other disciplinary actions up to and including termination of employment.

Exemptions can be requested for medical, religious or a “strong moral or ethical” reason.

Other universities in the Pittsburgh area, for example Carnegie Mellon, have required everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

UPMC, Pitt release results of largest clinical trial of monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19

©2021 Cox Media Group