Vaccine ‘requirement’ or ‘mandate’? To some at USU, administrative semantics are causing confusion and resistance

A lack of clarity about how a COVID-19 vaccine policy will be defined and enforced is leading some Utah State University students to question the purpose of having a rule at all.

Some of the confusion — and resistance — may originate with the way Utah State administrators are describing the rule. While many students refer to the policy as a "mandate," university spokeswoman Emilie Wheeler said the school hasn’t used that word.

“USU has not used the word ‘mandate’ regarding this situation,” Wheeler said. “I don’t believe the Utah Board of Higher Education has either.”

Instead, Wheeler said, Utah State’s policy is a “requirement.”

“It’s not as strong and less authoritative,” she said. “‘Requirement’ also leaves room for the exemptions.”

Some students have expressed frustration with the semantics.

“‘Requirement’ and ‘mandate’ are the same thing in my book,” said USU senior Seth Newman, who said he will use the broadly worded exemption criteria and easy-to-declare remonstration process to opt out. “I’m going to take advantage of the exemptions.”

Given the copious opportunities students have to decline vaccination, student Leah Rollins doesn’t think Utah State’s preferred terminology makes much sense.

“I feel like it’s not required if there are exemptions,” she said. “It’s not fair to require it for some and not others.”

Some faculty and staff members have also voiced confusion about the university’s wording.

“The messaging is confusing, and it would help to clarify and more clearly define what they mean by ‘requirement,’” said Emily Perry, the director of the school’s yoga studies program. “I do feel a little confused about what the requirement is, exactly.”

Perry said the university’s loopholes are so substantial that the rule may be rendered moot.

“I understand that vaccines will be 'required,’ yet students may opt out due to religious, medical or personal reasons,” she said. “This leaves me to believe that students may opt out for any reason.”

Wheeler said the university is still in the process of determining how the exemptions will be defined and enforced. “Those are all things we’re still working on right now,” she said.

Ultimately, she said, the school is beholden to state law. “USU will follow state code to allow for those exemptions,” Wheeler said.