Savannah-area colleges are preparing to welcome students back to on-campus living and classes later this month. Vaccinations will not be mandatory for returning Georgia Southern-Armstrong nor Savannah State University students, as both campuses adhered to state guidelines.
The University System of Georgia is stopping short of requiring students returning to classes during the next couple of weeks to wear masks or get vaccinated against COVID-19.
With confirmed cases of the virus, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise in Georgia, the university system issued guidelines this week urging but not mandating masking and vaccinations.
“The University System of Georgia recognizes COVID-19 vaccines offer safe, effective protection and urges all students, faculty, staff and visitors to get vaccinated either on campus or with a local provider,” the guidelines stated.
“Additionally, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask or face covering while inside campus facilities. The system continues to work closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health to prioritize the health and safety of our campus communities.”
With the particularly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreading, about 600 of the nation’s 4,000 colleges and universities have ordered students to get fully vaccinated in time for the fall semester, while hundreds also have imposed mask mandates.
The schools have cited new guidelines from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that even fully vaccinated Americans mask up indoors.
The University System of Georgia policy is in keeping with Gov. Brian Kemp’s position on virus mandates. Like other Republican governors, Kemp has resisted calls to require Georgians to mask up or get vaccinated throughout the course of the pandemic.
At Savannah State, student-athletes will be required to be vaccinated to participate in sports in the upcoming school year after the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its mandate for those programs competing in the league.
For the general SSU student body, social distancing and masks are urged, but not mandatory, for unvaccinated students.
At the GSU Armstrong and Statesboro campuses, residential students can begin moving in this weekend. Fall 2021 classes begin at both campuses on Aug. 11.
Savannah Morning News reached out to Georgia Southern University via email asking about COVID protocols on campus and received responses from John Lester, GSU vice president of communications and marketing.
SMN: Do students have to have proof of the COVID vaccine to live in the dorms and attend in-person class? Are faculty members required to get the COVID vaccine?
Lester: No. All faculty, staff and students are strongly encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and we continue to offer opportunities on campus for everyone to get the vaccine. Proof will not be required.
SMN: What other safety measures have been implemented?
Lester: For this fall, we will continue the cleaning protocols and some of the signage about "protecting your nest" that we implemented last year. We also have significantly increased the number of hand-sanitizing stations around campus. Like all USG institutions, Georgia Southern will return to campus in the fall with no social distancing measures. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue social distancing whenever possible.
SMN: Did Georgia Southern receive CARES Act funding to pay for upgraded safety measures?
Lester: The federal Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided financial resources to colleges and universities through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund ("HEERF") for a variety of prescribed uses, including grants to students in need to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.
SMN: How does enrollment compare to last year or 2019?
Lester: Final enrollment figures will not be available until October, but indications point to continuing last year's trend of a slight enrollment increase on all our campuses.
Barbara Augsdorfer is the education and nonprofits reporter for the Savannah Morning News. Reach her at BAugsdorfer@gannett.com or on Twitter @Babs7983.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Southern students to return to Armstrong campus with COVID protocols for dorms, classes
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