What to Know
- A Rutgers University football player announced that he is leaving the school citing its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
- In a tweet, defensive back Peyton Powell wrote the school has "made the COVID vaccine mandatory to attend school and play football, therefore I have no other choice but to enter my name into the transfer portal."
- Rutgers was among the first institution of higher education to announce in March that it will require all 71,000 students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend classes this fall.
A Rutgers University football player announced that he is leaving the school citing its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
In a tweet, defensive back Peyton Powell wrote the school has "made the COVID vaccine mandatory to attend school and play football, therefore I have no other choice but to enter my name into the transfer portal."
The Texas native transferred to Rutgers in December 2019. He did not see any playing time while with the program.
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Rutgers was among the first institution of higher education to announce in March that it will require all 71,000 students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend classes this fall.
"In support of Rutgers’ commitment to health and safety for all members of its community, the University will be updating its Immunization Requirements for Students to include the COVID-19 vaccine. This health policy update means that, with limited exceptions, all students planning to attend in the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated," Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway said in an open letter.
Holloway said students will be allowed to apply for medical or religious exemptions. Online-only students will not be required to be vaccinated.
News
A spokesperson for the university said anyone who refuses to be vaccinated, and does not provide an exemption request, can either move to an online-only program or withdraw.
As for questions about the legal standing to require people to get a vaccine that's not yet fully approved by the FDA, Rutgers said it was on solid ground.
"The university is comfortable with the legal authority supporting this policy, which has been thoroughly reviewed by our Office of General Counsel," the spokesperson added.
Since then, a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court by a non-profit activist group and 18 students seeks to fight Rutgers University’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to NJ.com.
