[Plsgs] Graduate Student Employee Vaccine Requirement

[Armendariz, Amanda - (amandao)]

Hello SPLS Grads,

Below is an email from Dr. Maggie Pitts, Associate Dean of the Graduate College, providing information regarding the vaccine requirement for all graduate student employees. I have also attached a helpful Q n A guide that you may find helpful. As always, I am happy to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.

Thank you,

Amanda Armendariz, MSW
Student Support/Graduate Coordinator
School of Plant Sciences<https://cals.arizona.edu/spls/graduate>
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
University of Arizona
Forbes Bldg Room 319
520-621-1219

November 2, 2021

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

I am writing to provide you a timely reminder regarding the University of Arizona Vaccine Requirement<https://hr.arizona.edu/content/employee-covid-19-vaccine-requirement>. Graduate student employees who do not comply with the vaccine requirement may experience disruption in pay, benefits, and tuition. Regardless of your physical location or the campus on which you are enrolled/employed (main campus, distance, online, global), if you are (or will be) employed by the University of Arizona, then the COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement applies to you. You are required to upload your vaccine documentation by December 8, 2021 demonstrating that you are fully vaccinated (i.e., have completed the vaccine series). You can upload your vaccine documentation here: https://vaccine.wellcheck.arizona.edu/. If you would like to know which vaccines are accepted, you can find the list here: https://extranet.who.int/pqweb/sites/default/files/documents/Status_COVID_VAX_29Sept2021_0.pdf. If you want to know more about the timelines to meet the vaccine deadline, look here: https://hr.arizona.edu/content/employee-covid-19-vaccine-requirement#Timelines (please note that Nov 3rd is the last day to start the Pfizer vaccine to be fully vaccinated by Dec 8th and Nov 24th is the last day to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine).

Alternatively, you may request an accommodation based on disability or medical condition<https://drc.arizona.edu/covid/employees-vaccine-accommodation> or request an accommodation based on sincerely held religious, spiritual, or cultural beliefs. To find out more about the process for requesting accommodations, please review this page: https://hr.arizona.edu/content/employee-covid-19-vaccine-requirement#Accommodations. You must request an accommodation before December 8, 2021.

The University of Arizona Division of Human Resources will begin reviewing employee records to ensure they are compliant with the vaccine mandate shortly after the deadline. Your hiring unit will be notified if you are out of compliance. I wish to emphasize the importance of compliance especially for graduate assistants/associates. If a GA is out of compliance, the GA benefits may not be released for spring semester, including tuition, and the pay may be disrupted.  Please speak to your supervisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, or your faculty advisor if you have questions. You may also email Human Resources<mailto:HR-COVID19-Questions at email.arizona.edu> with questions.

The implications for graduate student employees (including teaching assistants/associates, research assistants/associates, outreach assistants/associates, and hourly employees) who are out of compliance could be quite serious. Please take action immediately.

Thank you,
Maggie


Margaret "Maggie" Pitts, PhD
Associate Dean of the Graduate College
Associate Professor of Communication
Department of Communication
University of Arizona
mjpitts at email.arizona.edu<mailto:mjpitts at email.arizona.edu>




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