Rowan University announces vaccine requirement and incentives

Rowan University students are getting a mandate and an incentive to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by July 31.

The school announced Thursday it is requiring vaccinations for all students who live on campus or attend classes in person. Rowan, located in Glassboro, enrolls about 19,678 students.

”Our message today is simple. We believe the path to normalcy is through widespread vaccination and we want our entire community to commit to reaching the goal of widespread vaccination,” Rowan president Ali A. Houshmand said in a letter to the university. “If we work together, we can reach this goal and offer the Rowan University experience that our students and employees deserve.”

With proof of vaccination by the deadline, full-time students will get a $500 credit for their fall course registration, the university said. Residential students will get a $500 housing credit. Part-time students will get a prorated amount based on the number of credits they take.

Students who have already been fully vaccinated are eligible for the incentive program, Rowan said. Students with a medical exemption can opt out.

Any students who live on campus and are not vaccinated must undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, the university said. Testing may be required for some students, such as athletes and those in close contact with others, even if they are vaccinated.

Rowan said it was working to develop similar incentives for employees in compliance with union regulations. A growing number of colleges and universities are telling students that they must get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to campus for in-person classes.