William & Mary board authorizes presidents to enforce COVID-19 vaccine policy for 2021–22

The College of William & Mary Board of Visitors at its July 27–29 retreat authorized each institution’s president to implement and enforce institution-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies for the 2021–22 academic year.

The resolution (HC-1) was introduced during Session III after the university’s July 28 briefing on FY21 finances and updated vaccination data. Chief Operating Officer Amy S. Sebring reported that as of July 28, 2021, William & Mary recorded roughly 67% of students and 74% of employees as fully vaccinated. President Katherine A. Rowe said, given the Delta variant and the available data, “it makes sense to accelerate the vaccine mandate.”

Board members debated wording and an amendment before moving the resolution. The motion to adopt HC-1 was made by Ms. Sue H. Gerdelman, seconded by Ms. Lisa E. Roday, and approved unanimously by voice vote. The Board also recorded earlier May 11 authorization that had given presidents authority to require vaccines as a condition of in-person attendance.

HC-1 clarifies statutory and management-authority bases for presidential action, cites Va. Code §23.1-1301 and provisions of the university’s management agreement, and authorizes presidents to promulgate enforcement procedures during AY2021–22. The resolution expressly permits enforcement measures that may include leave without pay and, where warranted, termination, but requires that employees receive notice and an opportunity to respond before employment actions are taken. It also states that enforcement procedures shall comply with non-academic student code requirements in Va. Code §23.1-412 if applicable. The text further notes that procedures for vaccine-policy violations may be treated differently from existing personnel or student disciplinary procedures to expedite institutional responses under pandemic conditions.

The resolution was appended in full to the retreat minutes and includes an expiration clause: the vaccine policy authority granted by the Board under HC-1 lapses on June 30, 2022 unless the Board extends it.

Why it matters: HC-1 gives institutional leaders explicit Board authorization to implement and enforce vaccine requirements and related sanctions for the 2021–22 academic year, while specifying procedural safeguards and a sunset date. The vote followed the Board’s review of vaccination rates and public-health modeling used by university leadership.

Next steps: The presidents and their administrations were authorized to issue procedures for enforcing any vaccine requirement; the Board may revisit the authority before the June 30, 2022 sunset.