ALBANY — A COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be mandated for students to attend SUNY’s 64 campuses, effective for summer courses, which coincides with the official end of the national public health emergency by President Joe Biden.

Moving forward, COVID-19 vaccinations will be encouraged for students, which is consistent with other viruses including influenza and mpox. Faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations.

“The safety of SUNY’s students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us,” said SUNY Chancellor John King. “Across SUNY we will continue to monitor cases and make adjustments as needed, but even more importantly, we will look to increase the overall health and wellness support we provide our students.”

The decision came at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, which is comprised of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health, and neuroscience. The group was convened earlier this year to collect and review data on vaccinations, as well as trends in infection rates from newer variants. SUNY also worked with state health officials in making this decision.