FAQs – COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Students
Related to the Massachusetts Community Colleges COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
Are COVID-19 vaccines required at the community colleges?
Effective January 2022, Massachusetts Community College students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit verification of their fully vaccinated status to the College absent an approved reasonable accommodation.
The Colleges will be providing information to employees about the verification process following impact bargaining with applicable unions. If they have not already done so, the colleges will be providing information to students as to how to submit verification in the upcoming weeks.
Students must log in with their MyMassasoit credentials to submit the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form.
Do I have to be vaccinated to take classes in the summer and fall 2022 semesters?
If you register for courses with any on-campus component or if you plan on coming to campus in the summer or fall – including to access the library, computer lab, athletic facilities, or other in-person student services – you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit written proof of an official record of full vaccination status.
If you do not expect to be on campus for any reason, you are not required to be fully vaccinated or to provide written proof of an official record of full vaccination status unless it is required by your program or activity (ex. athletics, healthcare program, clinical placement).
If, after the start of the semester, you would like to come to campus to access college services and facilities, you will be required to provide written proof of your official record of vaccination status before coming to campus.
Why are vaccines being required at the community colleges?
With the number of new cases of COVID-19 across the Commonwealth in unvaccinated populations, the increased access and availability of vaccines in the Commonwealth, the Food & Drug Administration’s full and pending approval of available vaccines, and consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to be extremely safe and highly effective at preventing infection, severe disease, hospitalization, and death, the Massachusetts Community College Presidents determined that COVID-19 vaccines should be required.
What are the vaccine requirements for students?
Students who are only taking online courses, whether full or part-time, credit or non-credit, and who will not access campus for any reason, such as instruction, advising, and/or other purposes are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. All other students whether full or part-time, credit or non-credit, are required to be fully vaccinated, including:
- Students with any on-campus component to their schedule;
- Students who seek to access any on-campus services; and
- Students who are required by program or activity to be vaccinated as a condition of participation (e.g. athletics, clinical placements).
What’s the deadline for providing proof of my vaccination status?
For students registering for classes that begin September 7, 2022, the deadline to submit proof of Full Vaccination Status is September 2, 2022. This means that the final dose was received no later than August 24, 2022.
For students registering for classes that begin October 12, 2022, the deadline to submit proof of Full Vaccination Status is October 7, 2022. This means that the final dose was received no later than September 28, 2022.
Full Vaccination Status is achieved:
- 2 weeks after the second dose in a 2-dose series is taken, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine is taken, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.” [1]
[1] This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently approved or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson [J&J]/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines) and some vaccines used for U.S. participants in COVID-19 vaccine trials (such as Novavax). This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (such as AstraZeneca/Oxford). More information is available at Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC
Where can vaccines be obtained?
Many of the community colleges are hosting vaccine clinics on their campuses so check their websites for dates and times. Additional resources for accessing a COVID-19 vaccine include:
What alternatives are available to students who are unable to be fully vaccinated?
Students who are unable to be fully vaccinated may take online courses and utilize services remotely. Students may also request a reasonable accommodation and the College will engage in an interactive process consistent with applicable laws and college policy to determine if eligible for a reasonable accommodation, and if so, whether the requested accommodation is reasonable and does not create an undue burden or direct threat to health or safety. In the event a reasonable accommodation is approved, Students may be subject to additional health and safety protocols and/or be excluded from campus and/or college activities including but not limited to travel for the protection of health or safety, as determined by the College in consideration of local, state, and/or or federal laws and public health guidance and/or mandates.
Reasonable Accommodation Request Form
If I received an exemption and/or reasonable accommodation related to certain COVID-19 vaccination requirements in the Spring of 2022 do I now need to request a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Student Vaccination Policy?
Yes, any vaccine requirements and or exclusions for Spring 2022 were based on specific sub-groups of students in certain programs or activities.
If I am unable to be fully vaccinated, how do I apply for a reasonable accommodation?
Requests for reasonable accommodation, including requests for a medical or religious exemption, will be considered consistent with applicable laws, legal guidance, and College policy.
Reasonable accommodation requests should be submitted to our Health & Wellness Office through the Immunization page and filling out the request for Reasonable Accommodation Form electronically.
If you want to submit your request by mail, please complete the attached Reasonable Accommodation Request document (PDF) and mail it to:
Health & Wellness Coordinator
Massasoit Community College
1 Massasoit Blvd
Brockton, MA 02302
Please note that the individualized interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations is estimated to take a minimum of ten (10) business days following the receipt of satisfactory documentation supporting the student’s eligibility for reasonable accommodation. If you are seeking a reasonable accommodation, please submit your request and necessary documentation as soon as possible and without delay but no later than January 5, 2022 if you want your request to be considered in time for the start of the Spring 2022 semester and sooner if you want to register now.
Is the vaccine required for those who have already recovered from COVID-19?
Yes. According to the CDC, full vaccination is recommended for those who have had COVID-19 because research has not yet shown how long COVID-19 protects those from getting COVID-19 again and vaccination helps protect those who have already had COVID-19.
How do I provide my written proof of an official record of full vaccination?
To submit your written proof electronically, visit the Immunization page and upload your documentation.
To submit your written documentation in person, please go to the Student Central Office in the Student Center. Make sure you bring the original copy of the card.
Please note that the attestation of vaccination status will not be accepted as written proof of an official record of full vaccination status.
Will my vaccination record be treated confidentially?
Vaccination records will be treated in the same confidential manner as other student records.
If I am a high school student who is taking a College course on the College’s Campus either face to face or hybrid, am I required to be fully vaccinated?
Yes, the Student Vaccination Policy applies to you.
If I am a high school student taking a College course taught to my class at my high school am I required to be fully vaccinated?
If you are a high school student taking college classes at your high school and do not come to campus for class, you must follow any vaccine policies set by your school and are not subject to the college’s vaccination policy. If however you are accessing the college campus for any reason, including meeting with college staff or accessing the college’s library, you must show proof of full vaccination status.