Dear faculty colleagues,
With vaccine eligibility in Texas now open to everyone over the age of 16, our students will begin to receive their shots. I write to ask all faculty to be flexible and provide your students accommodation to receive the vaccine.
It will help all of us to get as many individuals as possible vaccinated as soon as possible. Students will be encouraged to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their families, and our faculty and staff. Those of you who have been vaccinated know that scheduling is not something we can always control. Sometimes it requires waiting in lines or leaving on short notice. After students receive the vaccine, some may have flu-like symptoms and need time to recover.
Please be flexible and make accommodations for your students. You can treat the absence as you would an illness. If a student misses a class, you can allow make-up tests and adjust assignment deadlines. It is important to note that due to health privacy, students are not required to provide documentation of their vaccination.
Getting as many people vaccinated as possible is critical as we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for working with your students to ensure that they can do their part to protect themselves and our campus community.
Sincerely,
Dan Jaffe