Colorado Colleges Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine: See The List

ACROSS COLORADO — Hundreds of colleges nationwide, including several in Colorado, are having students return to class this fall with more than a computer and textbooks in tow.

Nearly 600 colleges and universities are now requiring students, faculty, staff or a combination of the three to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before coming back to campus, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Of those, 17 are in Colorado. Back in April, the University of Colorado system, Colorado State University system, University of Northern Colorado, Metropolitan State University of Denver and Fort Lewis College all issued a joint statement requiring that students and faculty be fully vaccinated for the 2021 fall semester classes.

"The science around COVID-19 and vaccines is clear and compelling. Vaccines are good for public health, not only lowering rates of infection on our campuses, but also in the communities they call home. Vaccines will also allow on-campus students and faculty to resume their in-person experience that is critical to academic success and personal growth," read a portion of the statement.

Here’s the full list of colleges in Colorado now requiring the vaccine and who is required to get it:

Colorado College, Colorado Springs

• Announced: April 26
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Colorado School of Mines, Golden

• Announced: June 7
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Fort Collins

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Colorado State University at Pueblo, Pueblo

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

University of Colorado at Denver, Denver

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

University of Northern Colorado, Greeley

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Western Colorado University, Gunnison

• Announced: —
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Fort Lewis College, Durango

• Announced: April 15
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: All students

Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver

• Announced: April 28
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Johnson & Wales University-Denver, Denver

• Announced: May 11
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: All students

Naropa University, Boulder

• Announced: April 30
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Regis University, Denver

• Announced: May 13
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

Rocky Vista University, Parker

• Announced: —
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

University of Denver, Denver

• Announced: April 20
• Who Must Be Vaccinated: Employees and all students

As of July 20, 586 colleges were mandating the vaccine in some capacity. The list compiled by the publication is updated regularly.

As the delta variant continues to spread across the country, the number of colleges requiring the vaccine will likely climb. Daily average coronavirus cases in the United States are hovering near 35,000, a 200 percent increase from 14 days ago, according to a database compiled by The New York Times. Deaths are also up 75 percent.

Colleges will also be battling a decline in the number of people seeking vaccines. Demand has slowed considerably in recent weeks and, currently, just under 60 percent of all adults in the United States are considered fully vaccinated.

In 2020, the pandemic emptied dormitories, lecture halls and other facilities as colleges shifted to remote instruction.

This year, college officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year in hopes of offering students a more traditional experience, which means in-person lectures, study groups in the library, and social gatherings.

So far, colleges have typically taken four different approaches, according to a report by U.S. News & World Report. While some are fully requiring vaccines, others are offering students incentives to voluntarily get immunized. Some are waiting to see if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approves a vaccine. Others are simply opting not to require it.

Currently, all COVID-19 vaccines in use in the United States have received emergency use authorization by the FDA, a status that some experts say makes mandating the vaccine a “legal gray area,” U.S. News reported.

Once the FDA fully approves a vaccine, colleges should have no difficulty requiring it, especially considering most already require students to provide proof of other vaccinations.