High-risk students at The University of Alabama meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria who have not yet been offered a COVID-19 vaccination can request temporary adjustments for the summer semester. The form will be accessible starting April 5.  

All forms must be submitted by May 3. Those who cannot meet the deadline should contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS).

Students requesting special accommodations are required to show documentation of risk from a medical provider. In addition to CDC criteria, a representative from ODS said students aged 65 and older will also be eligible for accommodations. 

This accommodation form was announced following the University’s decision on March 1 to return to full operations in Fall 2021. The University continues to see a decreased number of positive cases in both faculty and students under current mask mandates and social distancing policies. Last week, there were five reported cases among faculty and staff and 16 students who tested positive, marking a third consecutive week of record-low cases across the UA System.       

While plans for the fall semester are being finalized, the University has not updated its policies for the summer. Faculty Senate President Rona Donahoe said in a steering committee meeting on March 9 that summer classes are being scheduled in rooms that allow social distancing, but the University has not adjusted its current mask policy at this time.  

The statewide mask mandate is set to expire on April 9. After that, Governor Kay Ivey said mask use will be a personal responsibility, which means the University could determine its own policy. 

The special accommodations form is available for students who have not received or been offered a vaccine. In Alabama, only students aged 65 or older would be eligible based on CDC and Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) requirements. 

The University’s vaccine distribution plan currently prioritizes faculty, staff, third-party contract workers and others as authorized by ADPH. All employees are expected to be vaccinated by the end of March or the first week of April. 

“While we all would like for the vaccines to be widely available right now, unfortunately they are not,” said Richard Friend, dean of the UA College of Community Health Sciences. “And following ADPH guidelines seeks to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected first from COVID-19.”

Vaccines were offered to students with clinical healthcare responsibilities, but other students will not be offered vaccines until all employees have been invited. According to Donahoe’s report, priority groups within the student population are still being determined, with consideration being given to student employees. 

“When those populations become eligible and vaccines are available through the University Medical Center, the campus community will be notified,” ODS Director Vanessa Goepel said.