Vice President of Administrative Services Dr. Amanda Preston Nelson and Interim Vice President of Human Resources Dr. Vicki Nicholson revealed new recommendations that arose out of the governance process to safely implement the board-approved mandatory vaccination process on campus.
The first recommendation allowed for an accommodation exemption for Middle College High School students.
Nelson said the exemption would“allow our Middle College students to follow the Delta College Covid-19 testing protocol in lieu of vaccination. This recommendation comes to you to provide an alternative method for ensuring the health and safety of our faculty staff and students.”
The second recommendation was to remove the vaccination requirement for non-student visitors on campus.
“Currently, we do not have one, public access point, we have multiple access points, and we do not have a way right now to easily validate or verify a person’s vaccination status, on campus so we are asking that in lieu of our capacity to do that right now that we table checking the vaccination status of those non-student visitors unless they are really here to attend a course,” said Nelson.
Adjustments could be made to this recommendation. “Possibly with the option to revisit this recommendation once the server the security perimeter fence is in place, and knowing that that fence has gone through the DSA approval process and should be up within the next couple of months,” said Nelson.
Next on the mandatory recommendation update was an implementation plan update, where employees of the district could submit their vaccination status or request for exemption for review.
The main update is the explaining of the vaccine exemption lists and how it will be processed.
“The district will collect and review exemption documentation, medical or religious and provide reasonable combinations as needed. The exemption forms are available online (Delta’s website). You will have the option to upload your vaccine record or request an exemption, if you request an exemption, you will be emailed the appropriate form” said Nicholson.
The mandate was also subject to public comment, with several speaking against it.
“I want to appeal to your common sense, your decency, and your logic,” said Professor Leslie Asfour of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Delta.
Asfour said, “Delta can without a mandate simultaneously address the pandemic and workplace safety while respecting the rights of those who do not want a vaccine injection.”
Asfour offered points about why she doesn’t understand the logic for students and staff to be obliged to receive the vaccine.“The mandate makes absolutely no sense for those who are working online, it is discriminatory and it is not rooted in protecting the physical or academic health of its campus community … Delta owes it to its employees to find a way to protect the college campus community while making logical, rational and reasonable accommodations beyond the restriction exemptions in the mandate.”
Staff members at Delta were required to either be fully vaccinated or have applied for an exemption by Oct 15. Students wishing to register for on-campus classes for the Spring 2022 semester had to be vaccinated by the same day to register for classes beginning Oct. 18.