June 3, 2021
To the Pace Community:
We hope your summer is off to a great start. We’re working diligently to ensure that the Pace Community can confidently return to in-person classes, attend more in-person events, and have a more typical college experience. We’re looking forward to a fall that looks and feels closer to normal, and vaccinations are key to making this happen. 
 
As we have previously announced, all students who plan to come to campus during the Fall 2021 semester must be vaccinated (with allowances for religious and medical exemptions). Faculty and staff are strongly urged to be vaccinated. 
 
Getting vaccinated, and uploading your vaccine record, will help us return to more normal behaviors. As we learn more about vaccination rates among our students, faculty, and staff, we hope to be able to relax some safety restrictions on our campuses. 
 
Here’s what you need to know about submitting proof of your COVID-19 vaccination or requesting an exemption to the requirement. Please read this information carefully.

Submitting Proof of Vaccination:
Vaccine records must be uploaded to the University’s Confidential Patient Portal. The deadline for submitting your COVID-19 vaccination record is August 1, 2021. Full instructions on uploading an image or scan of your vaccination record are available here (PDF). Your CDC vaccination card serves as an official COVID-19 vaccination record, as does any other document (including an official email received after vaccination, or an electronic medical record) that includes your name, date(s) of vaccination, vaccine manufacturer, and lot numbers. All submitted vaccination records must be in English. On-campus students are required to upload a vaccine record; faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to do so.
 
Please note:
  • All students who plan to come to campus for the Fall 2021 semester, both residential and commuter, must upload proof of vaccination by August 1, 2021. To ensure that you are fully vaccinated, we recommend you schedule a vaccine appointment as soon as possible—not only to protect your own health, but the health of those around you.
  • If you are a commuter or residential student who does not submit proof of vaccination or does not receive exemption from this requirement, you will not be able to access campus or participate in on-campus events.
  • It can take up to seven business days for your vaccination record to be reviewed and approved by health professionals. You must receive confirmation from Medicat, the Patient Portal administrators, before you’ll be able to enter campus. Continue to check your Pace email for updates regarding your vaccination record. 
  • If you are an international student, you will be able to upload your record of receiving any World Health Organization-approved vaccine. If you have not been vaccinated in your home country, we will help you to get the vaccine upon your arrival in the United States.
  • If you have previously uploaded proof of vaccination to the University’s confidential Patient Portal, you do not need to re-submit your documentation.
 
Requesting a Medical or Religious Exemption from Vaccination:
  • Students requesting an exemption for religious reasons will be required to submit a completed Religious Exemption form (PDF).  
  • Students requesting an exemption for medical reasons will be required to submit a completed Medical Exemption form (PDF). Students with temporary medical exemptions will be reviewed periodically to see if contraindications still exist.
  • These forms must be uploaded to the confidential Patient Portal. Emailed requests for exemption will not be considered. All requests for exemption to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement must be formally submitted using one of the two forms listed above. It can take up to seven business days for your exemption form to be reviewed and approved or denied. 
 
Get the Facts About the COVID-19 Vaccine:
On Thursday, June 3, at 2:00 p.m., join NewYork-Presbyterian experts Julia Iyasere, MD, and Daryle Blackstock, PA-C, MPH, for a conversation with the Pace Community on COVID-19 vaccine science, safety, and efficacy. Register today at www.pace.edu/vaxquestions
 
Community Health for Fall 2021:
While we continue to plan for an in-person Fall 2021 semester and expect that we’ll return to mostly normal operations, we will also continue to follow public health guidance on managing and mitigating the pandemic on our campus. Our community health policies for Fall 2021 are in development, and we’ll provide updates when we have clear guidance. We are considering the following changes:
  • Depending on vaccination rates for our community, we will likely be able to expand our residence hall guest policy, reduce restrictions around in-person events, and increase classroom capacities. 
  • Vaccinated individuals will likely not need to participate in community testing as frequently—if at all—this fall. 
  • We will likely continue to require face coverings while inside Pace buildings (with some exceptions).
  • We anticipate that we will continue requiring daily health self-screenings when accessing campus.

We’ll continue to share information about our health and safety guidelines for the Fall 2021 semester over the summer via your Pace email and on the Return to Campus website. For more information about Pace’s Fall 2021 vaccine requirement, please see our FAQs on vaccine requirements. For additional guidance regarding uploading proof of vaccination or requesting a medical or religious exemption, please contact immunization@pace.edu or the Student Accounts call center at (877) 672-1830 (select option 2 for Student Accounts). The call center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sincerely,
Brian Anderson, MPH, CSP
Director, Emergency Management and Environmental Health and Safety 
See our Return to Campus website for additional communications from Pace University. For the most current information for the Haub Law School community, click here.