Victorian universities desperate for detailed plans for vax mandates

Victorian universities were following government advice when they introduced vaccination mandates but have been left to work out the detail.

Victorian universities who have introduced vaccination mandates to thousands of staff and students are now scrambling to work out how they will enforce it.

Last month the Victorian Government announced authorised workers must be fully vaccinated by November 26.

The government says it will be up to universities to determine if they require all staff to be vaccinated until the states reaches its 80 per cent double-vax threshold at which point it will be mandatory.

But universities have been confused by the messages from the state government and in many cases have already introduced the mandate.

With campuses in Geelong and Warrnambool, Deakin University will require all staff, students and visitors to be fully vaccinated to attend from November 5.

Vice-chancellor Professor Iain Martin said the university was awaiting further information from the government how vaccination status will be recorded.

“This decision is based on public health advice and is aligned to the Victorian Government’s road map, which currently states that onsite learning and work can recommence for people who are fully vaccinated from November 5. From this date, all students, staff, contractors and visitors attending our campuses will be required to be fully vaccinated,” he said.

“(We) will share this with the university community as it becomes available.

Professor Martin said some areas of the campus — cafes, and other public spaces — would be inaccessible to those who are not fully vaccinated an don’t hold a valid medical exemption.

“From the outset of the pandemic, we have worked within the framework set out by the state and federal governments, and it is now clear that public spaces will increasingly be open only to people who are fully vaccinated,” he said.

Professor Duncan Maskell, Vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne said exemptions would apply for those with a valid reason.

University of Melbourne Vice Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell said they were committed to making Covid-vaccinations a requirement but were yet to work out the details.

Professor Maskell said exemptions would apply for those with a valid reason for being unable to be vaccinated, including medical reasons or not yet being eligible to be vaccinated in Victoria.

“We are currently developing the implementation plans to support this vaccination requirement, and we will not have all the answers available to share today,” he said.

Australian Catholic University chief operating officer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Stephen Weller said ACU was also still finalising its plans.

“In line with Premier Andrews’ announcement on Friday October 1 and the expected Victorian Government public health order, ACU staff and students attending our Melbourne and Ballarat campuses will be required to have received a single vaccination before October 15 and double vaccination by November 26 unless they have an authorised exemption,” he said.

In anticipation, ACU is finalising the details of how this information will be collected and stored in a confidential manner, Dr Weller said.

“We will advise staff and students about the new requirements later this week,” he said.

Australian Catholic University acting Vice Chancellor Stephen Weller said in anticipation of these changes, ACU is finalising the details of how this information will be collected and stored

It’s a similar situation at Federation University, with campuses in Gippsland and Ballarat.

“We support government requirements for mandatory Covid vaccinations and are currently working through what the university’s proof of vaccination requirements will be,” a university spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Charles Sturt University said it had strongly encouraged vaccination but had not been able to introduce a plan as yet.

“Charles Sturt University wants its students to have the opportunity to return to campus and face-to-face learning when permitted and safe and will set and announce policies accordingly,” a university spokesperson said.

La Trobe University Associate Professor Public Health Deborah Gleeson agreed vaccinations were the way forward.

“La Trobe’s road map to reopening will support staff and students by first making it easy to get a vaccine, and then, once everyone has had a chance to be vaccinated, making it essential for those on campus to be fully vaccinated unless they have a valid exemption,” she said.

“This is a sensible and ethical plan that will help protect our La Trobe community.”

Education Shadow Minister Matthew Bach said the Victorian Government urgently needed to give universities a detailed plan to reopening.

“Our universities need certainty, hope and a clear plan from the Victorian Government about how face-to-face learning will safely recommence,” he said.

“Unfortunately, they have neither.”