Vanderbilt students have the right to make decisions about their health and safety without compromising their academic progress. With the sharp rise in cases and increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, we call on Vanderbilt to create a remote/hybrid option that will allow students to study from home until case numbers stabilize and it is safe to return to campus.

While we commend Vanderbilt’s policy regarding required vaccination, which will certainly help curb severe illness amongst students, it is important to remember that there are vulnerable students among the population who could still get seriously ill. Vanderbilt’s current policy of requiring students to study in person is ableist in that it forces vulnerable students to decide between their health and their education. This is a decision no one should have to make, and it is easily avoided by creating a remote/ hybrid option.