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St. Edward's University Will Require Students And Staff To Be Vaccinated Against COVID By Fall

The St. Edward's University campus.
Gabriel C. Pérez
/
KUT
St. Edward's University will require students and staff to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine, or get an exemption, in the fall.

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St. Edward’s University is one of a handful of universities in the U.S. to say all students and staff who return to campus in the fall must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The St. Edward's policy says students and staff have to submit documentation of their vaccination, but there are some exceptions to the rule.

People can get an exemption if they cite religious beliefs or have a medical condition that would get worse because of the vaccine. They can also get an exemption if they are refusing to get an FDA Emergency Use Authorized vaccine. All of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in use in the U.S. were approved under this type of authorization.

Students who do not provide proof of vaccination or an exemption might not be allowed to live in campus housing, could be banned from certain campus facilities and might not have access to all classes.

On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order saying state agencies cannot require "vaccine passports" or any sort of proof of vaccination.

"Government should not require any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives," Abbott said in a statement. "That is why I have issued an Executive Order that prohibits government-mandated vaccine passports in Texas. We will continue to vaccinate more Texans and protect public health — and we will do so without treading on Texans' personal freedoms."

St. Edward's, a private university, can still require this documentation.

"In compliance with the Governor of Texas' Executive Order GA-35 ... the university's policy will not deny services to those submitting documentation or a qualifying exemption," the university said in a statement.

The St. Edward's policy goes into effect Sept. 1. Starting then, students and staff have 60 days to upload their vaccine documentation.

Claire McInerny is a former education reporter for KUT.
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