The five-week gap between the start of August classes at Chico State and the Sept. 30 CSU cutoff for COVID-19 vaccine certification allowed hundreds of unvaccinated students to access campus facilities alongside vaccinated students.

However, Chico State announced Friday that 314 students have been removed from in-person classes for failure to comply with the vaccine mandate. Despite those removals, some unvaccinated students will remain on campus through a religious or medical exemption. 

“There’s always going to be unvaccinated people on this campus,” said Andrew Staples, Chico State public relations manager. “That’s part of the policy. There were probably a few more [now] than there will be after the 30th, but there’s always going to be a small percentage, of course, just like anywhere else you go.”

As of Oct. 1, 6%–7% of the Chico State population that self-certified has received an exemption or applied for an exemption, Staples added.

If students without an exemption ignore the extension and refuse to become fully vaccinated, Chico State will withdraw them from in-person classes and they will receive an allotted refund that follows the university’s refund schedule. If they remain in online classes, then there is no credit for reduced units, Staples said.

“I wasn’t planning on getting the vaccine but I received an email that the COVID-19 vaccine was mandatory before accessing campus which is what led me to get it,” said Jovanna Jimenez-Flores, a student at Chico State. “I still think the vaccine won’t guarantee a student from getting COVID although those who are unvaccinated have a higher chance.”

Staples confirmed that the university has not penalized any students for remaining unvaccinated until now. 

“I wasn’t happy with the university mandating the vaccine — I thought that making everyone wear masks while on campus was enough. But I think the university thought it would make a much safer environment for both their staff and students,” Jimenez-Flores said.

Jimenez-Flores received her final dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during the final vaccination clinic held at Chico State on Sept. 14.

“It’s possible the students may have been taking either online or in-person classes with students who are not fully vaccinated.”

Andrew Staples, Chico State public relations manager.

“It’s possible the students may have been taking either online or in-person classes with students who are not fully vaccinated,” Staples said.

Since Fall 2021 began, students and employees of the university have been responsible for self-certifying their vaccination status in compliance with the mandate implemented by the CSU system.

The mandate was announced on July 27, stating that all CSU students and employees intent on returning to campus be vaccinated by Sept. 30. However, details were left to each respective university due to differences in academic calendars.

On Aug. 11, Chico State’s Emergency of Operations Center announced that students were required to have their first dose by the start of classes on Aug. 23.

“When we said we’re requiring shots by Aug. 23, we use ‘required’ as, ‘There’s going to be no penalty.’ We wanted to give students enough time just looking at the calendar to make sure they got their second shot, so they can be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.”

Andrew Staples, Chico State public relations manager.

“When we said we’re requiring shots by Aug. 23, we use ‘required’ as, ‘There’s going to be no penalty,’” Staples said. “We wanted to give students enough time just looking at the calendar to make sure they got their second shot, so they can be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.”

Kimberly Morales can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kimberlymnews.