Maine community college students no longer need to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The system announced on Wednesday that its board of trustees unanimously voted to remove a vaccination mandate, and instead will "strongly encourage" students to get the vaccine.
In a statement, Chairwoman Joyce Maker said that it's "the right time" to adopt new ways of fighting the virus, and the system plans to expand other wellness initiatives, such as vaccination clinics on campus and health messaging to students.
Many other colleges in the state, including the University of Maine System, continue to require on-campus students to receive COVID shots.
University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy said that while the system "will be watching our partners at the Community College system" as they change their policies, the body is not planning any of its own changes.
“We made a promise to our students, faculty and staff that we would keep them safe through vaccination protocols and they have, in turn, made tremendous efforts to follow those protocols. I am extremely proud of them. Their commitment has helped us reach an outstanding compliance level," Malloy said.
He added, "Until the FDA and CDC change their guidelines, walking back on our promise is something we are not" willing to do.
