This New England College Will Require COVID Vaccine for Students This Fall

Roger Williams University in Rhode Island will require all students to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus next fall if they want to step on campus.

The private college is also urging faculty and staff to get their shots, WJAR-TV reported Thursday.

The school with campuses in Bristol and Providence in a statement to the station said it was among the first universities in the area to move to remote learning last spring at the outset of the pandemic and therefore “It is right to be among the first to require the vaccine for our students.”

There will be medical and religious exceptions, the school said.

The school plans a return to full in-person learning in the fall semester with face coverings, social distancing, and testing programs remaining in place.

Roger Williams junior Adam Zerman said he was on board with the requirement and many students anticipated it.

“Most of my classmates don’t have a huge opinion on it. Most people I know want to get the vaccine when they can,” the junior said.

The school has about 6,500 students.