Update on employee vaccination requirement

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, Wheaton is requiring all students, except for those with limited medical and religious exemptions, to be vaccinated before returning to campus for the fall semester. We have continued to carefully consider the evolving local and state public health guidance and monitor the changing conditions of the pandemic. We have also had ongoing conversations with health experts and colleagues at other colleges and universities in our region. Based on this and since our top priority continues to be ensuring the health and safety of all members of the Wheaton community, we have decided to extend this vaccination requirement to all employees.

By Tuesday, August 31, all Wheaton College faculty, staff, and volunteers who access campus must be vaccinated and must provide their COVID-19 vaccination documentation by that date, unless they receive a medical or religious exemption. Additional information regarding how to submit vaccination documentation and how to apply for medical or religious exemptions will be forthcoming prior to the anticipated staff return date of August 9, 2021. At this time, fully vaccinated individuals are defined as those who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines or a single dose of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine more than 14 days ago. 

The health and safety of our community has been the top priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and this decision is intended to align directly with this priority and our institutional objective for an on-campus experience that more closely resembles that of before the pandemic. Your dedication to this community has always been what helps set Wheaton apart and I look forward to, more than ever, seeing the campus come back to life over the next several weeks.

Thank you for all that you do for Wheaton,

Dennis

Dennis Hanno
President
Wheaton College