Turning Point USA

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMASS) is threatening to strip the scholarships from students who return to campus unvaccinated during the Fall 2021 semester.

In April of the same year, UMASS joined 8 other state colleges in mandating that students receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Students will be required to upload proof of their vaccination before returning to campus. 

Unlike other states that have banned the issuing of “Vaccine Passports,” Massachusetts has failed to do so. The state’s website explicitly allows businesses to require vaccinations for employees, and no action has been taken to prevent universities from implementing mandates for students.  

According to a “FAQ” page on the university’s website, all students are expected to be fully immunized before starting Fall classes on September 1st; university professors and staff are encouraged but NOT required to be vaccinated. 

The University does allow students to register for classes before receiving both shots. However, students who are not fully vaccinated may not attend in-person classes. The University further states that a fully remote/virtual option will NOT be offered as an alternative to in-person classes. This effectively bars students who elect to not receive the vaccine from graduating.

University housing likewise mandates residents be vaccinated. Students who are forced to opt-out because of the requirements may still be forced to pay the non-refundable housing cancellation fee. 

Despite the requirements, vaccinated individuals will still be required to wear masks in crowded areas like campus transportation; unvaccinated visitors must wear masks at all times on university grounds. 

While UMASS does allow medical and religious exemptions, unvaccinated students risk having their scholarships revoked. According to University emails obtained by Turning Point USA’s Professor Watchlist Team, administrators have begun contacting students and threatening to cancel their athletic scholarships if they do not meet the immunization deadline. 

The document listed below was sent to unvaccinated student athletes. In the letter, a university administrator explicitly threatens to revoke their athletic scholarships if the students return to campus unvaccinated. 

Students and parents—who wish to remain anonymous—that have spoken to Professor Watchlist are alarmed by the emails because UMASS has backed them into a corner by forcing families to choose between their private healthcare decisions and losing tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships. Those who receive vaccine exemptions still fear being bullied and targeted by the stigma created by the university mandates surrounding vaccines and once private healthcare decisions. 

The school has previously made headlines for its draconian enforcement of COVID-19 protocols. In March of 2020, administrators suspended 3 female students for attending an off-campus party without masks. UMASS then proceeded to bar the girls from completing their online courses, evicted them from university housing, and refused to refund $16,000 of that semester’s tuition. 

It is incredibly troubling to see students being pressured by colleges across the country to get this vaccine and even more troubling to see students lose scholarships and opportunities to attend great universities because of this.