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West Virginia Wesleyan College told students that if they are not vaccinated against COVID-19, they will be charged an additional $750 fee. The school said that the money will be used to cover expenses related to health and safety programs relating to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The fee is going to be used to cover the expenses that will come with increased testing and other resources that the college will have to utilize and deploy to keep every student safe," Dean James Moore told WDTV.
Students will have until September 7 to inform the school of their vaccination status. Students who fail to notify the school they are vaccinated will be charged the non-refundable fee. Those students will also have to undergo weekly coronavirus testing.
The school also told students that if they test positive for COVID-19, they will have to quarantine off-campus. Students who are unable to do so will be charged $250 to quarantine on campus.
Students, faculty, and staff members who are fully vaccinated will not have to wear a mask or adhere to other restrictions. Those who have not been vaccinated will be required to practice social distancing and wear a mask at all times while inside campus buildings, including classrooms and the dining hall.
The college said that 90% of their faculty and staff have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as have a "large percentage" of students. Officials suggested that they will consider making the vaccine mandatory when the Food and Drug Administration fully approves the vaccine.
Students began moving back onto campus on August 2, and classes for the fall semester will start on August 23.
"The safety of each and every member of the campus community is the College's highest priority. We continue to urge all members of the Wesleyan campus community to follow all safety and public health protocols outlined by the Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control," the school wrote on its website.