Towson University: More Than 90 Percent Of TU Campus Community Is Vaccinated

Press release from Towson University:

Following USM mandate, TU students, faculty and staff rolled up their sleeves to help
show that Tigers Care

More than 90 percent of the Towson University campus community is vaccinated as of
Monday’s university-imposed deadline to submit verification.

Monday marked the deadline for students, faculty and staff to verify their vaccination
status at Towson.edu/vaxverify. Those who don’t have their status verified or an approved exemption are subject
to full-time mask-wearing, daily symptom monitoring and twice-weekly COVID-19 testing.
TU has established progressive disciplinary action for non-compliance following the
University System of Maryland’s mandate that all on campuses this fall must be vaccinated
and in advance of a return to full on-campus learning, working and living this fall.

As of Monday, 93.4 percent of TU’s campus community is compliant with the USM mandate.
More than 98.1 percent of TU faculty and staff and more than 92.7 percent of registered
TU students are compliant. That compares to a vaccination percentage of 72.9 in Baltimore
County and 78.5 across Maryland.

“We appreciate all of those who have rolled up their sleeves to show that Tigers care
in the midst of the pandemic, and we are proud to be among the highest percentage
nationwide for vaccination rates on public university campuses,” said Melanie Perreault,
provost and executive vice president for academic and student affairs, who serves
as the chair for TU’s COVID Response Leadership Team. “We anticipate that the number
of individuals with verified vaccination information will grow following the review
of the thousands of verification documents submitted as the deadline approached.”

TU’s data is as of Monday, with hundreds of additional vaccination verification submissions
pending review as they were submitted in the hours prior to the midnight deadline.

Until fully vaccinated, students, faculty, and staff who are partially vaccinated
must wear masks indoors, complete daily Tigers Care QuickScan screenings and participate
in twice-weekly sentinel testing on campus as directed. Students will be required
to complete a return test before the semester.

Students, faculty, and staff should not attempt to verify vaccination status until
a final dose is administered. Once verified at towson.edu/vaxverify members of the
campus community will meet the vaccine requirement and will be able to cease daily
screenings, testing and mask wearing (where not otherwise required).

TU currently has a zero percent positivity rate for tested individuals, as well.

“Throughout the pandemic our community response has been imperative to our campus
health and safety," TU President Kim Schatzel says. "I thank all Tigers for doing
their part and rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated.”

For more information on TU’s response to COVID-19, visit Towson.edu/coronavirus

This press release was produced by Towson University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.