Yesterday, the City University of New York (CUNY) announced that, in the wake of significant advances in the three-year battle against COVID-19, it is ending the emergency vaccination mandate for students, faculty, and staff. The University worked closely with State and City health officials to make a determination about this major milestone in CUNY’s fight against the pandemic, a decision aligned with the federal government’s plan to end the Public Health Emergency.
Subject to the CUNY Board of Trustees' ratification at their next meeting, the change will become effective on the last day of the Spring semester, which for most colleges, including Hostos Community College, is May 23. Students will be able to enroll in classes, regardless of their vaccination status, starting with Summer sessions.
In alignment with lifting the vaccine mandate, CUNY will also end its testing program and close its
testing sites on campuses and the Central Office by the end of June. At the same time, the University will end the use of the Cleared4's health verification platform. Colleges will be able to return to their standard procedures for granting campus access to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
“We will inform the College community widely about the specific date when our testing site located in the A-building will close. We will follow all of CUNY’s stipulations,” said Hostos Director of Health and Safety Marya Shuksta.
Read the full release about the end of the vaccine mandate
here.