Campus & Community

COVID-19 Update: Vaccination Requirement Ending | Continuing Resources

Monday, May 15, 2023, By News Staff

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families:

I am writing today to share an important update to the University’s public health guidelines.

On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the federal government’s COVID-19 public health emergency expired. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicates that the health emergency declaration will not be renewed, citing a dramatic decline in new COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations since January of 2022.

Given the end of the federal health emergency, and in consultation with Barnes Center medical staff and local health officials, effective today, May 15, 2023, Syracuse University students, faculty and staff are no longer required to be vaccinated for the virus that causes COVID-19. This includes new students, faculty and staff, who will not be required to demonstrate proof of vaccination as a condition of attendance or employment.

This amended policy is consistent with similar actions recently announced by most of our peer institutions in New York state, including the State University of New York (SUNY) system and Cornell University, and others across the United States. Although the University will no longer require a COVID-19 vaccination, we strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others from illness. Vaccination is a proven, effective method to help reduce or mitigate the adverse health effects of COVID-19. For that reason, the University will sponsor free, on-campus vaccination clinics for residential students, faculty and staff in late summer and early fall.

Continuing Resources and Protocols

While the University will no longer mandate vaccination as a condition of residential attendance or employment, we remain committed to monitoring and mitigating the impact of COVID-19 among our community. To that end, we will continue past practices related to several important COVID-19 resources and protocols proven to support health and well-being on campus and in the community. These include:

  • Providing broad access to at-home COVID test kits for residential students, faculty and staff.
  • Hosting free COVID-19 vaccination clinics for residential students, faculty and staff.
  • Continuing enhanced cleaning and ventilation of campus facilities.
  • Extending COVID-19 vaccination coverage for faculty and staff with health insurance through the University. For further information on how certain COVID-related services are covered by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield/Optum Rx, visit the SU News story.
  • A commitment to ongoing monitoring and communication with students, faculty and staff.

For further information about the University’s COVID-19 response and guidelines, please visit Syracuse.edu/staysafe.

Thank you once again for your commitment to each other and to our Syracuse community. My best wishes for a healthy, restful and productive summer.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation