Resolution for CMU Academic Senate to Vote on ASAP:

August 5, 2021

WHEREAS, We, the members of the Academic Senate, call on President Davies to implement a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for students, staff and faculty effective immediately. The highly contagious Delta variant of COVID is surging nationwide. As reported today on Click On Detroit, Michigan coronavirus cases are up to 910,500 (https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173---,00.html There have been 3962 new cases reported over the past 3 days. The state’s 7-day moving average of COVID cases was 694 on Tuesday, more than triple the July 1 moving average. These are alarming statistics. They become more alarming in light of recent data collected by the CMU administration about vaccination rates in the CMU community. President Davies reported last week (see email from the president, dated August 2, 2021) that in his vaccination survey of CMU students that only about 34% of students who responded to the survey reported being vaccinated. Only about 71% of faculty and 60% percent of staff reported being vaccinated. Conditions are ripe for rapid transmission of Covid-19 as classes begin later this month.

WHEREAS, nine other Michigan colleges and universities have vaccine mandates: University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Oakland University, Lawrence Technical University, University of Detroit Mercy, Albion College, Kalamazoo College, and Grand Valley State University: https://nbc25news.com/features/school/list-several-michigan-universities-colleges-to-require-covid-19-vaccination . The GVSU Academic Senate passed a resolution for a vaccination mandate on Friday 6 August 2021. We believe CMU should join these institutions in requiring vaccines (https://www.woodtv.com/health/coronavirus/gvsu-to-announce-fall-covid-19-requirements-friday/ .

WHEREAS, We, the Academic Senate, care about the health and safety of the entire CMU community and of the Mt. Pleasant community of which CMU is a part. A vaccine mandate is the right thing to do to keep us all safe.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that we, the Academic Senate, call for mandatory vaccination of students, staff, and faculty -- effective immediately.