MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Members of the West Virginia University Faculty Assembly will have until noon Thursday to vote on a resolution asking institution leaders to mandate coronavirus vaccines for students and faculty.
The body met for three hours on Wednesday to discuss the related resolution, which would only be a recommendation for officials to consider. Most members said during Wednesday’s meeting that such requirement would make them feel safer about being on campus amid a nationwide rise in coronavirus cases.
According to the university, 131 people — including 126 students — have been placed in isolation because of a positive coronavirus test result and 270 others are in quarantine. More than 75% of Morgantown campus students and 73% of employees are vaccinated compared to the university’s goal of an 80% vaccination rate to begin the fall semester.
University President Gordon Gee, Vice President Rob Alsop and Dr. Jefrey Cobun, the dean of WVU’s School of Public Health, gave presentations opposing a coronavirus vaccination requirement.
“Making a mandate after the start of the semester right now would lead to accusations of a bait and switch, and would cause angst for many of our students who may want to seek education elsewhere as opposed to getting the vaccine,” Alsop said.
“If we mandate a vaccine right now there will be a significant amount of parents who are against the vaccine who will rise and likely get very active in opposition,” he added. “We believe we need to let the positive trends continue.”
Gee told the assembly he opposes the mandate and instead wants community members to make the best decisions by evaluating coronavirus data.
“Rarely — and this has been proven time and time again — do mandates work, and in the current time I believe mandates will only create more division,” he said.
Members will have to submit a vote online, and results will be released publicly by the end of the week.