AUSTIN, Texas — Huston-Tillotson University is requiring all students to be at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a notarized exemption form by early 2022, according to KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
The new rule shared on the university's website said that students who do not provide proof of vaccination or exemption by Jan. 6 would not be allowed to attended classes next semester. However, that policy was updated on Friday, removing the consequence, according to the Statesman.
A spokesperson for the university told the Statesman the initial posting of the new rule was inaccurate and that students would have a "hold" placed on their student accounts and would still be allowed to attend classes even if they do not submit proof.
Karen Magid, the university's director of sustainability and STEM, told the Statesman the new requirement will give the university a better picture of student vaccination rates.
“What we've learned over this semester is that not having that piece of information is a gap that is not allowing us to do the most complete analysis on our predictions for risk,” Magid told the Statesman. “Knowing our vaccination rate on campus … [is] a really important criteria for other considerations, as we follow the local situation.”
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or an exemption was required for all students living on campus, student-athletes and employees during the fall semester.
Read the full report from the Austin American-Statesman here.
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