The University of St. Thomas will offer incentives for getting coronavirus vaccines but will not require people to get the shots before the fall semester.
The school announced Wednesday that students, faculty and staff must report and document their vaccination status by Aug. 1. Those who have been vaccinated will be eligible for incentives that could include gift cards, tuition discounts and extra time off for staff.
“We are not ruling out a possible future university-wide mandate, and certain activities such as study abroad, university-sponsored travel and field and clinical placements may require participants to be vaccinated,” the announcement read.
“At this time, however, we believe incentivizing our community, increasing access and implementing required reporting will ultimately lead to a higher number of vaccinated individuals on campus as opposed to a mandate with exemptions.”
The University Minnesota also has made the vaccines optional, while five Minnesota private colleges are requiring the shots.