With vaccine mandate, Nevada’s higher ed leaders make safety their priority

Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021 | 2 a.m.

For the most part, the overseers of Nevada’s higher education system are on the right page when it comes to protecting campuses from COVID-19.

On Thursday, the system took a big step forward when the Nevada Board of Regents voted 10-3 to approve a vaccine mandate for employees of the state’s universities and colleges. With that vote, employees will be required to show proof of vaccination on or before Dec. 1, with the exception of those who are granted religious and medical exemptions.

The measure, which beefs up a current requirement for employees to either be vaccinated or undergo weekly tests for COVID-19, strengthens the safety net on campus communities and will help protect public health at large by compelling more individuals to get vaccinated.

We commend the 10 regents who supported the mandate — board chair Cathy McAdoo, vice chair Patrick Carter, Joseph C. Arrascada, Amy Carvalho, Carol Del Carlo, Mark Doubrava, Jason Geddes, Donald Sylvantee McMichael Sr., John Moran and Laura Perkins.

By contrast, it’s disconcerting that three regents voted against protecting the health and well-being of campuses and surrounding communities — Lois Tarkanian, Byron Brooks and Patrick Boylan, all of whom represent districts in Clark County. The three offered different justifications for their votes, but none of them outweighed the need for individuals to take collective responsibility for protecting each other from the disease. Voters should remember those three “no” votes if and when those regents seek reelection.

The employee mandate comes on the heels of the State Board of Health approving a vaccine mandate last month for students. Under that mandate, students must be vaccinated by Nov. 1 in order to enroll for the spring 2022 semester.

With both the student and employee mandates in place, all seven of Nevada’s degree-granting institutions will be fully covered by next spring.

For this, Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Melody Rose also deserves credit. Rose was well out in front on this issue, initially informing the regents in May 2021 that NSHE was pursuing a vaccination mandate. Rose and her team then worked to promote the State Board of Health’s vote while also laying the groundwork for the employee mandate.

In Nevada’s higher ed structure, the chancellor serves in a role similar to that of a superintendent in a public school district, with the regents serving as school board members. Rose, who became chancellor in September 2020, was ahead of the curve in her advocacy for stronger pandemic protections.

Unfortunately, NSHE couldn’t get the requirement in place for the fall 2021 semester, due to circumstances beyond Rose’s control, but this is definitely a case of better late than never.

Meanwhile, Rose told the regents Thursday that about 80% of NSHE’s employees had been vaccinated, meaning about 5,000 have not received their shots. She said NSHE wasn’t expecting significant numbers of those employees to leave the system.

We hope she’s right. But if not, so be it. Employees who aren’t willing to protect themselves, their students, their families and their communities can find other places to work. And if they do, we’re confident that NSHE can attract plenty of vaccinated job candidates for their positions.

NSHE staff will be given plenty of time to comply under the mandate, beginning with an initial notice to unvaccinated employees Oct. 15. Those who don’t heed that notice will receive a warning Nov. 1, followed by a notice of termination Dec. 1 that includes a 30-day window before it becomes effective.

Rose, in a recent interview with the Sun editorial board and members of the newsgathering staff, said NSHE’s work on COVID-19 would go beyond the vaccine mandates. With experts predicting that the disease will grow into an endemic — meaning it will circulate in perpetuity, similar to the common flu but far more potent — Rose said her administration was holding regular discussions on COVID-19 safety.

But Rose said Nevada’s colleges were off to a good start.

“What I see on our campuses is far better compliance than I see in other places,” she said, referring to mask requirements, testing and so forth. ‘I have been just so proud of our students who really, I think, love their faculty, love their in-person experience and know that if we can’t get this thing under control, we won’t be able to maintain high-quality in-person learning. They are excited to be back on their campuses, and I think that’s all the motivation they need.”

The vaccination mandates will help ensure that campuses remain open, vibrant and safe environments for students, faculty and staff. That’s important, because while remote learning has its advantages, campuses that are busy with human interactions create energy, innovation and a thirst for learning that make them very special places.

Thanks to the leadership of Rose and the majority of regents, members of campus communities will be able to return to classes next semester with a greater sense of security. That’s a win for campuses, for residents beyond their boundaries for the entire state.