Over the last year-and-a-half, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the deaths of over ten thousand Missourians. Yet, the development of the COVID-19 vaccine is a beacon of hope. Despite misinformation being spread online, the vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective. This is underscored by the full FDA approval recently given to the Pfizer vaccine. The best and quickest way out of this pandemic is through the use of vaccines. Unfortunately, many have not yet been vaccinated, prolonging the pandemic. While incentive programs are wonderful, there are many who will not be persuaded to get vaccinated by them. That is why we support a COVID-19 vaccine requirement (with exemptions as needed) at all University of Missouri (UM) System schools, similar to what Indiana University and the University of Minnesota have implemented.

Unfortunately, on Thursday, September 2nd the UM System Board of Curators voted to prohibit new vaccine requirements for students as well as faculty and staff. Board Chair Darryl Chapman (who along with fellow board members Todd Graves, Jeffrey Layman, Robin Wenneker, and Michael Williams voted for the mandate prohibitions) celebrated the decision by proclaiming that they “took a vote... for individual liberty and freedom.” Yet, the University of Missouri - Columbia requires students to receive the MMR vaccine and (if they live on campus) the meningitis vaccine. The University of Missouri - Kansas City, the University of Missouri - St. Louis, and Missouri University of Science & Technology have similar policies. The incoherence of prohibiting vaccine mandates while at the same time mandating vaccines is presumably explained by political expediency rather than concern for public health.

Board members Greg Hoberock, Maurice Graham, and Keith Holloway are to be commended for voting against these dangerous resolutions. The others failed in their responsibilities to keep our campuses safe. Abdicating responsibility does not make one a leader; voting for common-sense public health measures in the face of political pressure does.

The UM System’s mission statement says that “the University educates students to become leaders, promotes lifelong learning by Missouri’s citizens, fosters meaningful research and creative works, and serves as a catalyst for innovation, thereby advancing the educational, health, cultural, social and economic interests to benefit the people of Missouri, the nation, and the world.” The Board of Curators has jeopardized all of this.

We call on the UM System Board of Curators to reverse its decision, and on President Mun Choi and each chancellor to require that faculty, staff, and students be fully vaccinated. It is not too late to do the right thing. A vaccine requirement will advance the UM System’s educational mission, protect our communities, and help end the pandemic which has already taken so much from us all. We look forward to your swift action.