Covid Vaccine Mandate For Higher Education Employees To Remain In Place

While the Nevada System of Higher Education's Board of Regents was deadlocked — 6-6 with one missing — on a decision to retain the COVID vaccination requirement in place, it also failed to adopt a motion to postpone firings connected to the mandate. Just hours before noncompliance terminations were effective, the two votes essentially kept the policy in place.

The meeting on Thursday was the latest step in policymakers' months-long attempt to create immunization requirements for over 22,000 staff and 100,000 students before the start of the spring semester next year.

The deferral or reversal of terminations the day before they were scheduled would cause "operational turmoil" throughout all eight NSHE schools, according to the statement.
"From an operational standpoint, going back and revisiting this on January 15 becomes very challenging," Nevada State College President DeRionne Pollard told regents. "And I believe it sends a confusing message about the policy's goal as well as our dedication to public health."

Despite this, a growing number of regents are opposed to the staff requirement, citing a variety of reasons ranging from individual liberty to a lack of a student counterpart. Regents Byron Brooks, Patrick Boylan, Laura Perkins, Patrick Carter, and Cathy McAdoo were among those present on Thursday.