DATE: April 24, 2023
TO: The SUNY Old Westbury Campus Community
FROM: Timothy E. Sams, President
RE: Change in Student COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
I write today with an important change to our campus’ COVID-19 policy.
In alignment with changes announced recently by the State University of New York, SUNY Old Westbury will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend. This change will go into effect beginning with courses offered by the campus in summer 2023.
Even in making this change, all in campus leadership continue to strongly recommend that all students, faculty and staff follow CDC guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination which recommend that everyone be up to date with COVID-19 vaccines including booster doses.
Further, SUNY Old Westbury reserves the authority to change this policy at any time because of changes in local conditions or due to requirements imposed by Federal, State or local authorities. To ensure we have the best information on hand should that situation arise, we will continue to ask for proof of such vaccination from students upon entry to ensure our records are up to date.
Additionally, students enrolled in any program or course or who are participating in a clinical, internship or field experience opportunity held at a third-party location must continue to comply with all health and safety guidelines, including any vaccination or testing protocols that are in place at the third-party location.
For all settings, the College continues to strongly recommend that any member of its community stay home if they feel unwell and isolate according to CDC guidelines if they test positive for COVID-19.
As it has since spring 2020, the campus will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and to provide guidance accordingly, thanks to the continuing efforts of the Old Westbury Health and Safety Committee and the professionals in our Student Health Center. We have all benefited from their vigilance and expertise since the earliest days of the pandemic.
As always, we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation carefully and adjust our measures as needed.
Thank you for your past and current commitment to the safety of our community.
Sincerely,
Tim