This policy applies to all students and employees of Grand Valley State University as a condition of attendance and employment. Employees and students may apply for a medical or non-medical exemption (encompassing religious or philosophical objections).

All students and employees covered by this policy are required to be fully vaccinated. Employees are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing primary vaccination with a COVID-19 vaccine. All students and employees are required to provide truthful and accurate information about their COVID-19 vaccination status, and, if applicable, their testing results. Students and employees not in compliance with this policy will be subject to discipline, including separation from the university.

Employees and students may apply for an exemption or postponement from this mandatory vaccination policy if the vaccine is medically contraindicated for them or medical necessity requires a delay in vaccination. Employees and students may also apply for a non-medical exemption. Requests for these exemptions or postponements must be initiated by completing the Exemption Form.

Vaccination is a vital tool to reduce the presence and severity of COVID-19 cases in the workplace, on campus, in classrooms, in communities and across the nation as a whole. Grand Valley State University has adopted this policy on mandatory vaccination to safeguard the health of our students and employees from the hazard of COVID-19.

Confidentiality and Privacy:

All medical information collected from individuals, including vaccination information, test results, and any other information obtained as a result of testing, will be treated in accordance with applicable laws and policies on confidentiality and privacy.                                                                                                                           

Overview and General Information

All Grand Valley State University students and employees must be fully vaccinated or have received an approved exemption or temporary postponement upon employment for faculty and staff or prior to the first payment deadline of a given semester for students.

To be fully vaccinated one must:

• • Obtain the first dose of a two-dose vaccine according to the timeline listed above and the second dose no later than what is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), or
  • Obtain one dose of a single dose vaccine according to the timeline listed above.

You will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the requisite number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. You will be considered partially vaccinated if you have received only one dose of a two-dose vaccine. 

Vaccines are available now from health care providers, pharmacies, and local health departments. 

Vaccination Status and Acceptable Forms of Proof of Vaccination

All vaccinated individuals are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of where they received vaccination. Proof of vaccination status can be submitted via Med+Proctor.

Acceptable proof of vaccination status:  

1. The record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy;
2. A copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card;
3. A copy of medical records documenting the vaccination;
4. A copy of immunization records from a public health, state, or tribal immunization information system; or
5. A copy of any other official documentation that contains the type of vaccine administered, date(s) of administration, and the name of the healthcare professional(s) or clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s).

Proof of vaccination generally should include the individual’s name, the type of vaccine administered, the date(s) of administration, and the name of the health care professional(s) or clinic site(s) that administered the vaccine. In some cases, state immunization records may not include one or more of these data fields, such as clinic site; in those circumstances Grand Valley State University will still accept the state immunization record as acceptable proof of vaccination.

If you lost your COVID-19 vaccination record, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched the Michigan Immunization Portal. Michiganders ages 18 and older with immunization records posted in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) will be able to locate their own record online and download, save or print this information. Users must create a MILogin account at Michigan.gov/MiImmsportal and upload a valid government issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, state ID or passport. There is no cost to access the portal.

All students and employees are required to inform Grand Valley State University of their vaccination status. The following table outlines the requirements for submitting vaccination status documentation.

See Table Below:

Paid Time Off to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccination

Employees may take up to four hours of paid time per dose for travel to the vaccination site, receipt of a vaccination, and return to work for a maximum of eight hours of paid time for employees receiving two doses. Employees who take longer than four hours to get one dose of the vaccine must send their supervisor an email documenting the reason for the additional time. Additional time requested will be granted, if reasonable, but will be unpaid; employees can elect to use accrued leave, e.g., sick leave, to cover the additional time. If an employee is vaccinated outside of their approved duty time they will not be compensated.

Employee Notification of COVID-19 and Removal from the Workplace

Grand Valley State University will require employees to promptly notify their supervisor when they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 by a licensed health care provider.

New Hires:

All new employees are required to comply with the vaccination requirements outlined in this policy as soon as practicable and as a condition of employment. Potential candidates for employment will be notified of the requirements of this policy prior to the start of employment.

New Students/Learners:

All new students/learners are required to comply with the vaccination requirements outlined in this policy prior to the first payment deadline for a given semester. All prospective students/learners will be notified of the requirements of this policy prior to the first payment deadline.

For additional information please see the Lakers Together website.

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