Staring down a deadline, the Mississippi College Board 9 to 3 to follow the Biden Administration’s federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The mandate requires most full and part-time employees at universities with federal contracts be fully vaccinated by December 8. The deadline to receive the second shot is November 24. Vann Gillespie is with the board’s legal staff and explains some of the exemptions.
“Unless they meet one of the criteria it is also in the guidelines related to, if you have medical reasons you should not get the vaccine, some disability, because of sincerely held religious beliefs,” Gillespie said.
The board met virtually in an emergency session yesterday. The state’s eight universities have 120 federal contracts worth $271 million dollars. Board Member Dr. Alfred McNair said what they're discussing is not a new issue and they've taken it up before. He says the difference is now the federal government is saying approve a vaccination mandate or lose federal dollars.
“If you want federal money, get federal grants you’ve got to comply. If you don’t want federal grants that’s fine. If you all want to come up with $27 million I guess it’s okay. We don’t have to worry about it,” McNair said.
Some members of the board said they hadn’t read the document including Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankin. He said they're meeting now because universities need time to plan. Member Teresa Hubbard supported approving Biden’s executive order. But she didn’t understand why the motion makes provisions that vaccination exemptions are the same at every university when they don’t have to be.
“We actually received this motion to review I believe at 11:30 last night (Sunday). It’s very difficult for me to determine what we’re trying to accomplish with this,” Hubbard said.
Member Gee Ogletree says having vaccination exemptions the same across campuses reduces possible administrative errors and prevents inconsistencies in policies.
If the federal mandate is revoked the college board's decision will end as well. Previously members voted not to allow universities to impose vaccination mandates.
