Under Executive Policy 43, WSU expanded vaccination requirements for students to include Hepatitis B, Measles, Pertussis, Tuberculosis, Varicella, COVID-19 and Meningitis, which is applicable on physical campuses only.

This policy will go into effect in fall 2023 for first-year students, according to a WSU press release. 

After Joel Schwartzkopf, assistant vice chancellor for student health and wellbeing, audited the university’s vaccination requirements in 2020, he determined that WSU needed additional requirements to keep up with other universities and the high-risk of meningitis in college settings, according to the press release. This need was also apparent during the pandemic. 

In 2023, Cougar Health Services will continue to handle exemption requests. Vaccination requirements and exemptions will vary depending on whether or not students live on campus, are involved in a clinical learning course for health sciences and the type of vaccine, according to the press release. 

WSU faculty and volunteers will also be affected by the expanded policy. If local, state or federal authorities implement vaccination requirements, WSU employees and volunteers must get the vaccinations or screenings to remain employed, according to the Office of Procedures, Records and Forms website. 

This policy is a formalized version of the stance WSU took during the pandemic, in which WSU required proof of vaccination from employees, volunteers and visitors, according to the press release. 

WSU will also require visitors and contractors to show proof of vaccination if public health guidelines deem any vaccines necessary in the future, according to the press release.