Supporting Our Students: Vaccination Compliance

Dear Baruch Students,

As the deadline for Covid-19 vaccination compliance is upon us, we are pleased to report that the overwhelming majority of Baruch students (over 95%) enrolled in hybrid and in-person classes are now in compliance—on track to maintain their academic standing and momentum.

Since May 10 this year, when Chancellor Matos Rodríguez informed all CUNY students of the vaccination mandate issued by the governor’s office, the Baruch College administration has followed up with consistent and frequent communications to update our students on the CUNY policy. As a result, the number of Baruch students who may be adversely affected by the CUNY vaccination policy is relatively small—among the smallest in the system. We, nonetheless, want to help all students stay in their classes. Thus, Baruch College developed a set of implementation strategies that has been put in place since September 27, the vaccine compliance upload deadline. These strategies include developing a way for students who have found it challenging to get vaccinated to do so in a timely fashion and remain in their hybrid and in-person classes.

These students have been personally contacted and given an opportunity to discuss their path forward with the Office of the Dean of Students. To exercise a culture of care, these cases are being assessed and addressed on an individual basis, student-by-student.

Other College strategies include a detailed assessment of every hybrid class section so that no student will be withdrawn from hybrid classes that have already held all in-person class meetings. And students who will not be meeting in-person until later in the semester will be able to upload their vaccination documentation up to 10 days prior to the first on-campus meeting. Similarly, no students will be withdrawn from HyFlex pilot courses (as indicated in CUNYfirst) for lack of compliance with the vaccination policy.

Please note that for the Spring 2022 semester, proof of vaccination policy compliance will need to be uploaded prior to the start of classes. We therefore urge everyone to become campus ready by getting vaccinated now. It is important to note that the vaccination mandate is ultimately designed to ensure the health and safety of all of our students and their communities and is an important public health measure at higher education institutions nationwide.

Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this important public health policy. The safety and well-being of the Baruch community—students, faculty, and staff—is of paramount concern to the Baruch leadership.

Sincerely,

S. David Wu
President, Baruch College

Linda Essig
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Mary Gorman
Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Academic Initiatives

Art King
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students