6460 COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements

Original Date: 12/21/2021 (expires 6/21/2022) * Last Revision Effective:
Policy Contact: Vice President of Administrative Services

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish the COVID-19 vaccination requirements needed for college compliance with the state of Washington Higher Education Vaccinated Campus rules, the Labor & Industries workplace safety, and public health requirements, and to protect the health and safety of the public and the campus community. In developing this policy, the college works in accordance with federal, state, and local guidance and rules related to COVID-19, and proclamations issued by the Washington State Governor.

Policy

The college requires all faculty, staff, volunteers, and students, including students under the age of 18, and continuing education and tombolo students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 using an authorized vaccine (see definition below), or to ask and be approved for an authorized exemption (see authorized exemptions below).

Verification and Documentation

All faculty, staff, volunteers, and students must complete a Vaccination Attestation form and provide documentation as indicated within the form, including subsequent documentation asked for by Human Resources or Student Affairs, or additional information needed to resolve missing, unclear, inconsistent, or incongruent information.

Exemptions approved due to a temporary condition or circumstance are also reviewed and reevaluated based on a stated timeframe connected to the original approval.

The college randomly collects documentation verifying the vaccination status of individual students.

Authorized Exemptions

Faculty, staff, volunteers, and students are exempt from the vaccination requirement if they ask for and are approved for at least one of the following authorized exemptions:

Medical Exemption

  • Requires documentation from a healthcare provider who determines that a medical reason or condition exists in which the vaccination should not be given for health and safety reasons.

Religious Exemption

  • Requires that there be a conflict between receiving the vaccine and sincerely held religious beliefs or practices.

College in the High School, and Pacific NW College Credit Exemption (students only)

  • For high school students in these programs only who are exclusively taking classes in their home high school.

Enforcement

The college may take any of the following steps related to enforcement of this policy:

  • Restrict class enrollment to fully vaccinated students for some classes in which close contact cannot be avoided and wearing a mask is not practical.
  • Employees are subject to state requirements related to conditions of employment.
  • Students who do not comply with this policy are blocked from enrolling for an upcoming quarter, and are subject to policy 2050 Student Conduct Code, which may result in suspension or permanent dismissal from the college.

Responsibilities

Human Resources

  • Handles tracking, collection of documentation, exemptions, verification, confidentiality, and enforcement of this policy and the related procedures for all faculty, staff, student employees, and volunteers.

Student Affairs

  • Handles tracking, collection of documentation, exemptions, verification, confidentiality, and enforcement of this policy and the related procedures for all students who are not employees or volunteers.

Authorized Vaccines

Fully Vaccinated

  • A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series, or
  • A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine.
  • Includes a COVID-19 booster if deemed necessary to be compliant with ‘Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) Fully Vaccinated Campuses’ requirements as set forth by the state, or if the college determines that federal, state, and local requirements or recommendations are needed to help keep the campus community safe from COVID-19.

Volunteer

  • A person who is regularly scheduled to come to campus to perform work related tasks or work connected to a college project but receives no pay or stipend.

Enrollment/Enrolled

  • A student who has applied for admission or has registered or signed up to take classes.

Relevant Laws and Other Resources

Revision History

Original: 12/21/2021 (temporary approval)

Approved By

Temporary approval granted by President’s Cabinet on 12/21/2021. Temporary approval expires 06/21/22.

Last Updated December 22, 2021