SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KERO) — Thousands of Sacramento State University students are banned from the California campus for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The deadline for students to certify that they've received a COVID-19 vaccination was on Monday.
"Eighty-seven percent of our students met that deadline," said Ed Mills, vice president of student affairs.
Mills, sent an email to the remaining 4,606 students "letting them know that, since they had failed to meet that deadline, they were not allowed on campus until they completed that certification." Between Monday, when that email was sent out, and Wednesday afternoon, about 2,100, or nearly half of those not certified, are now in compliance.
"Just having that protection, knowing everyone else around here has to have that level of protection, makes you, like, feel, like, a bit more safer," said student Mia Barbour.
But not every student is happy about it.
"I feel kids should've at least had a choice whether we should get it or whether we shouldn't get it, but, at the end of the day, we have to listen to the higher-ups if we really want to pass and get that degree," said Sayed Ahmad.
Students have to provide which vaccine they received and the dates. The university has the ability to verify that information. Students are also asked to upload a copy of their vaccination card through the student portal. Students who are not vaccinated or choose not to share their proof of vaccination, have a choice.
"To declare a medical or religious exemption or let us know that they were taking fully online classes and would not by physically accessing the campus," added Mills.
Kairo Torres has one of those exemptions.
"We have to get tested twice a week. That's a lot of strain for some people."
If students don't submit their certification or have not been participating in the "on-campus testing program" set up for those with approved exemptions, this administrator says.
"We will drop the in-person classes that they have. They can retain online classes, but any in-person classes will be administratively dropped from their schedule," said Mills.
