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SUNY begins de-registering unvaccinated students after mandate deadline passes

SUNY

New York’s public colleges and universities began de-registering students this week who’ve decided against getting vaccinated after the SUNY system’s 35-day grace period for that requirement expired on Monday.

About 97% of students enrolled at SUNY schools across New York have complied with the mandate, according to a SUNY spokesperson.

But the small number of students who’ve chosen against the vaccine will now face de-registration until they’ve received the jab, the spokesperson said. The share of unvaccinated students varies by campus, but it’s up to 2% depending on the school.

Most students who haven’t received at least one dose of the vaccine are non-residential, community college students, the spokesperson said.

“Of those unvaccinated, campuses are working with students on an individual basis who have shown a best effort to get vaccinated,” said Jackie Orchard, a spokesperson for SUNY. “The process of de-registering students began Monday for those who have not made any effort to get vaccinated. Our hope is that any de-registration would be a temporary leave of absence.”

That follows a directive from the state adopted by SUNY that requires all students who intend to learn or study in-person on campus to be vaccinated, pending final approval of the vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The requirement was formally triggered when the FDA gave final approval to the Pfizer vaccine in late August.

While the COVID-19 vaccine is the newest on the scene, it’s not the only inoculation required to attend a public or college university in New York. Students are also required to be vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella before their first semester.

SUNY is also far from alone in its COVID-19 vaccine requirement; New York is requiring health care workers to be vaccinated against the virus, while state government employees either have to be vaccinated or be tested weekly for COVID-19.

Those mandates are also the subject of litigation making its way through the state and federal court systems, meaning they could change over time at the court's discretion.

Dan Clark is the host and producer of New York NOW, a weekly television show focusing on state government produced by WMHT in Albany. Clark has been reporting on New York state government and politics for the last six years, during which time he's worked out of the state Capitol in Albany. Clark reported for the national political fact-checking publication PolitiFact, the Buffalo News, the statewide political television show Capital Tonight, and most recently the New York Law Journal. At the New York Law Journal, Clark has focused on state legal challenges to President Donald Trump, as well as litigation concerning laws enacted by the New York State Legislature. Clark covered the Legislature in each role he's held and is a familiar face to state lawmakers and staff. Clark is a native of Afton, NY in Chenango County. He's lived in Albany with his husband since 2011.