Howard

LA GRANDE — With the vaccine deadline approaching, Eastern Oregon University’s vaccination rate among on-campus students stands at just over 75%, while the staff vaccination rate is above 80%.

As of the university’s latest update to its COVID-19 dashboard, on Friday, Oct. 15, 75.2% of the on-campus students had received a COVID-19 vaccine, while 23.8% of students filed exemptions. The statistic measures all students attending classes or engaging with the university in an on-campus setting.

This number reflects against a 56.3% vaccination rate in Union County as of Oct. 16. Across all employees at Eastern Oregon University, 80.1% have received the COVID-19 vaccine and 17.7% have filed exemptions.

Following the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, the university’s vaccine requirement went into effect with a 60-day window for getting the vaccine or filing an exemption. The requirement states that all students and employees who plan to work or engage with the university in person and on campus must have proof of vaccination or an exemption on file by Oct. 22.

Since the university’s dashboard began tracking data in July, there have been 60 positive cases among on-campus and off-campus students and employees. Twenty-four of the cases were off-campus students, while 18 employees and 13 on-campus students have tested positive with the virus.

Throughout the 2020-21 academic year, the university experienced 157 positive cases, 93 of which were reported to be off-campus students. The 55 positive cases so far this year come from a batch of 157 total tests.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have tracked our trends and effectiveness through data. These statistics have been hugely helpful in helping us make key decisions and in keeping the EOU community informed,” said Tim Seydel, Eastern’s vice president of university advancement.

The dashboard previously reported the vaccination rate from all on- and off-campus students residing in Union County, which showed a significantly lower number. The data showed that 64.6% of that student population was vaccinated, while 18.9% of students had filed exemptions.

The exemption rate among students has drawn discontent from some, including La Grande City Councilor Nicole Howard. The professor of history at the university voiced her concerns during a La Grande City Council meeting earlier this month, noting that the vaccination rate from the initial dashboard is lower than expected.

“You would think at an institute of higher education that the number would be higher,” she said. “I think the university could be firmer in their requirement for the vaccine.”

In her opinion, Howard said, the vaccine exemption process at the university could be more strictly enforced, stating concern over the high percentage of exemptions.

“I think you could fairly say that it is not a vaccine mandate at the university, it’s a vaccine suggestion,” Howard said during the Oct. 6 city council meeting.

Howard also said there’s a need for more testing options for students and staff who filed exemptions. She noted that roughly five to seven of her students are out of class due to quarantine on any given day.

Seydel emphasized that the original graphics from earlier in the month did not paint an accurate picture of the vaccination rate on campus, noting that it included both on-campus and off-campus students.

“It is important to understand, though, that the dashboard posted online includes all EOU students with a residential address in Union County,” he said. “Many of them are fully online, but we wanted to be especially cautious as we enter the school year and include all possible individuals.”

While the update to the vaccination rate raised the total by about 10%, exemption rates still increased as well.

Seydel also noted that student affairs is currently reaching out to these off-campus individuals to see if the students plan to engage on campus in any way.

“All students receiving in-person instruction are either vaccinated or have been tested prior to starting classes,” he said.