A look at colleges requiring students get vaccinated to return to campuses

Rutgers University in New Jersey is one of the first colleges to require its more than 70,000 students to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Other big-named universities could soon follow its lead. We looked at whether this will bring more students back to campus or keep them away.

There are 15,000 students when FGCU is open and all students are on campus. During the pandemic, the university does not have as busy of a presence with so many students studying online.

By April 5, college students will be eligible to get the vaccine in Florida. By May, President Joe Biden hopes that will be the case nationwide.

Rutgers will demand all students get the vaccine, or they can’t return to campus.

We asked FGCU students if that’s a deal breaker for them in case the university imposes the same requirement.

“Honestly, shouldn’t reflect whether I can come back to the school,” Brandon Liguori said.

“I think that getting vaccinated would be helpful,” Alley Duffany said.

FGCU told us the administration has no plans to require students to get the vaccine, but students agree they prefer in-person learning.

“I want to keep going with my career and my degree, and in order to do that, I may have to get the vaccine,” Horacio Pereira said.

“I think it could be idea, even if it’s just to keep peace of mind and stuff like that,” Jason Street said. “It’ll help other students feel safe.”

UCF told us the school will not require its students to get a shot before returning in the fall.

UF, FSU and UM didn’t answer the question.