SUNY, CUNY schools join colleges requring student vaccinations this fall

Students attending the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) will need proof they’ve had a COVID-19 vaccination for in-person instruction this fall. 

“You’re a young person. You go to a SUNY school, CUNY school you must have a vaccine to come back in September. If you must have a vaccine, get it now, if you have to get it anyway,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at his COVID-19 briefing in New York City on May 10.

Cuomo also encouraged all private universities and colleges to adopt the same guidelines. 

“Let’s make a global statement. You cannot go back to school in person in September unless you have a vaccine. That will be a major motivation for people to get the vaccine,” the governor said. “And if you have to get it by September, you may as well get it now. Why wouldn’t you get it now? OK?”

Many private colleges and universities across the state already have mandated vaccinations for students wanting to return to campus in the fall, including Cornell University, Ithaca College, Le Moyne College, and Syracuse University. 

The same day as the SUNY/CUNY announcement, Cazenovia College announced that it is requiring both students and employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 if they plan to be on campus in the fall.

Other state schools across the U.S. are also requiring student vaccinations in order to return to campus in the fall, including the state-university systems of California and Maryland.

The SUNY/CUNY mandate is contingent on the COVID vaccines now in use receiving full approval from the FDA, as opposed to the current emergency authorization. 

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras reacted to the governor’s announcement in a statement. “Over the past several weeks we have been working with our SUNY community to develop the best plan to make sure we can return to full reopening in the fall and turn the page on COVID … The State’s new vaccination requirement — contingent on full FDA approval — will be another step in restoring normal campus activity this fall,” he said.

Separately, Malatras announced that 1.5 million vaccine doses have gone into arms at the vaccination centers located on SUNY campuses across the state. The SUNY vaccine sites average about 15,000 shots a day.