To ACPHS Community,

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among our community and provide a safe educational and work environment, the College is requiring all students and employees to provide documentation that demonstrates they are fully vaccinated with an authorized COVID-19 vaccine prior to the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, unless they have been approved by ACPHS for a medical or religious accommodation. The College's COVID-19 vaccine policy will be provided soon and will include information on how to document that you are fully vaccinated or how to request a medical or religious exemption.

An authorized COVID-19 vaccine is an FDA-authorized vaccine or a vaccine authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization. Here is the status of COVID-19 vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process. 

Students and employees are considered fully vaccinated:

• Two weeks after second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or

• Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

The Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Human Resources will coordinate the medical and religious accommodation review process for students and employees, respectively. In accordance with applicable state and federal law, ACPHS shall provide reasonable accommodations to students and employees with qualifying medical or religious exemptions, provided the requested accommodation does not create an undue hardship for the College and/or pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other members of the ACPHS community.

Subject to any restrictions imposed as part of the accommodation process, students and employees who receive an approved medical or religious accommodation may participate fully in campus activities (i.e., classes, events, athletics, residence life), but must sign an assumption of risk acknowledgement. They also must abide by additional health and safety precautions that include, but are not limited to, getting tested twice a week for the duration of their time on campus and leaving campus in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak as defined by the College.

Students and employees whose requests for medical or religious accommodations are denied, and those who refuse to comply with the College's COVID-19 vaccine policy, will not be permitted to come to campus. In addition, refusal to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine policy may impact an employee’s employment status or a student’s ability to complete their degree requirements on time. The College will review each individual's accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

We must all do our part to protect the ACPHS community. Thank you for your cooperation.

Greg Dewey

ACPHS President