Dear Concordia Students,

I write to provide important information about the requirement that students be fully vaccinated by the beginning of the Spring 2022 semester, unless they have a college approved exemption.  Today’s message serves to remind you of that requirement and to provide new information regarding the exemption request due date and the obligations of students who receive an exemption.

Please attend to each of these obligations:

  1. Students must be fully vaccinated by January 6, 2022, the start of the spring semester.
  2. Students who seek an exemption from the vaccination requirement may do so based on medical condition or on conscience (religious or other).  Exemption requests must be submitted no later than Monday, November 1, 2021.  Concordia’s medical and non-medical exemption request forms may be found here.
  3. Any student who receives an exemption must complete weekly COVID testing and weekly reporting of the test results throughout the Spring 2022 semester.  This weekly testing and reporting obligation for students aligns with the newly announced federal vaccination mandate for private employers, which would require weekly testing for faculty and staff who are not vaccinated.  
  4. For non-vaccinated students, there will be an administrative fee assessed to address the costs of monitoring testing compliance.* 
  5. The vaccination requirement for students who represent the college in touring music ensembles, varsity or junior varsity athletics, and other travelling Concordia student groups is unchanged.

Vaccination remains by far the most important action each of us can take to limit the COVID risks to the Concordia community.  Vaccinations are free.  Thorough research indicates that they are safe and effective in preventing severe complications and hospitalization from COVID.  Vaccines are available close to campus and throughout the Moorhead and Fargo area. To find a vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov. If you have questions, contact the Student Helpline at 701.730.8304 or COVID19Helpline@cord.edu

Sincerely,

William Craft

President

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*Students with a medical exemption from vaccination will not be assessed an administrative fee.