SUNY Oswego Follows SUNY Policy In Mandating COVID-19 Vaccine

OSWEGO – One day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, President Deborah Stanley yesterday announced that all SUNY Oswego students must complete a full vaccine series by Monday, September 27.

The requirement aligns with the SUNY system’s COVID-19 vaccination policy from August 21. The policy reads that all in-person students must take the COVID-19 vaccination once it is approved by the FDA.

“This policy requires all students accessing SUNY facilities in-person to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, with limited exception,” the SUNY policy said. “This requirement will take effect upon at least one COVID-19 vaccination receiving full FDA approval.”

The exceptions include medical or religious ones but must meet very specific criteria, according to Stanley. Students may submit a request for the exemptions by Friday, August 27 via the Medicat Patient Portal. Any request after Friday will not be considered.

The medical exceptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis according to SUNY policy and will be approved if a health care provider provides a written document that says the vaccine may be “detrimental to the student’s health.”

Religious exemptions are considered after a student submits a written statement regarding his or her religious beliefs and how they are contrary to the vaccine.

“Such statement should explain how receiving the COVID-19 vaccination conflicts with the student’s sincere religious belief or practice and how not receiving the COVID-19 vaccination will not otherwise prevent the student’s completion of their programmatic or curricular requirements of the academic program,” the SUNY policy reads. “General philosophical or moral objections to such vaccine shall not suffice as the basis for a religious exemption.”

Students must be fully vaccinated by September 27 or else they will be unenrolled in SUNY Oswego.

The SUNY policy does not apply to faculty and staff of SUNY Oswego or other SUNY institutions, although they are “strongly encouraged” to do so.

SUNY Oswego will provide students and faculty an opportunity to get vaccinated in the Swetman Gymnasium. In order to be in compliance with the new policy, students must receive their first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine by Monday, September 6.

Stanley ended her message to the student body by thanking them for protecting those around them.

“Thank you for doing the right thing to protect yourselves, your friends and families, and the SUNY Oswego campus community,” Stanley wrote.

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