MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The WVU Board of Governors has a full board meeting set for Friday in Morgantown and vaccination mandates, though not on the agenda, could come up for discussion.
The WVU Faculty Assembly passed a resolution on Sept. 3 calling for a campus-wide mandate. The WVU administration responded saying it appreciated the input.
“Ultimately it is an administrative decision made in consultation with our Board of Governors,” the statement said. “We took a proactive stance by announcing additional measures on Aug. 17, anticipating an 80% vaccination verification rate would likely not be achieved by Sept. 1.”
Since then WVU has instituted an mask mandate for all of its indoor facilities regardless of the vaccination status of its students, faculty and staff.
WVU’s Classified Staff Council issued a statement Thursday saying a large majority of its members do not support a vaccination mandate on campus.
WVU’s coronavirus dashboard reported that as of Sept. 14, nearly 78% of students and 75% faculty reported to be fully vaccinated.
The WVU Board of Governors meeting begins at 10:45 a.m. Friday at the Erickson Alumni Center.
Full statement from the WVU Classified Staff Council :
As seen by our recent poll, a mandate is popular within a small majority of the staff population. However, based on comments there is also support for the vaccine in those who do not wish to see a mandate. Given this information, Classified Staff Council strongly encourages all Staff members to get a vaccine to both protect their own health and the health of our community. As the situation in our state becomes more dire, it is important to protect yourself now. If you have fears regarding the vaccine, please contact your Doctor as they can help you make the best choice for your own medical situation. Classified Staff Council will continue to support all Staff and help them navigate any new challenges that may arise as the pandemic continues.
Reporter Mike Nolting contributed to this story.