News
Brandman implements mandatory vaccination policy for faculty and staff as university plans for the eventual reopening of military and campus locations
The following content first appeared on the news page while UMass Global operated under its former name of Brandman University.
Chancellor Gary Brahm sent this message to faculty and staff on July 29 to explain the importance of Brandman’s mandatory vaccination policy, as well as to provide an update on plans to resume face-to-face instruction and services.
The rapidly increasing numbers of coronavirus infections and subsequent hospitalizations, especially among the unvaccinated, have prompted us to change our vaccination and return-to-office and campus policies. We hope you can appreciate that our concerns are heightened by the highly contagious nature of the COVID-19 Delta variant and how it could affect Brandman’s vulnerable populations.As such, Brandman has determined that vaccines available through emergency use authorizations are necessary to protect the health and wellbeing of the Brandman community. The university can no longer wait for a vaccine to receive full FDA approval for a vaccination requirement to go into effect. Accordingly, senior leadership on Wednesday, July 28 adopted a more stringent vaccination policy to protect every member of the Brandman community.
Faculty, staff, and students will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated before entering a Brandman facility beginning September 7. We advise all employees who are not yet fully vaccinated to complete the process of becoming fully vaccinated as soon as possible. Brandman’s mandatory vaccination policy applies to all employees and students who will be returning to offices, campuses, and on-base sites. Faculty and students who are fully online are exempt from the mandatory vaccination policy. Individuals who obtain an approved medical or religious declination from Human Resources will also be exempt.
Today’s action aligns with newly adopted policies for the University of California, the California State University, and many private institutions. Google, Netflix and Facebook have also adopted mandatory vaccination policies, and we anticipate that more U.S. businesses will do so in the coming weeks. To allow time for individuals to become fully vaccinated, and for Human Resources to process vaccination verifications, senior leadership has shifted the return-to-office timeline.
The new return-to-office timeline is outlined below:
- On Tuesday, September 7, campuses will reopen to provide services to prospective and current students.
- On Tuesday, September 7, all central office-based employees in chancellor level positions will return to their offices.
- Beginning on Tuesday, September 7, departments will return to the central office in stages.
- By Monday, October 18, all departments and campuses must have completed their transitions back to their offices.
- On Monday, October 25, face-to-face classes are available for students beginning the Fall II Session.
- By the end of February 2022, the Enrollment Coaching Center will return to the office and must have shown proof of full vaccination status unless an individual has an approved medical or religious declination from Human Resources.
Thank you for your understanding why this new policy is necessary to protect the health and wellbeing of our community. These changes require that Human Resources modify the Vaccination and Exception request communication. It will now be distributed sometime next week.
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