UNM stands by COVID vaccination requirement

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Hundreds of students at the University of New Mexico have been disenrolled after they failed to provide proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption. Now, this weekend is their last chance to provide their proof before they are withdrawn from all their classes.

If a student received a disenrollment notification, they need to reach out to the university immediately with their proof of vaccination to stay in their classes.

Sep. 30 was UNM’s official deadline for students. This past Friday, those who didn’t provide proof got an email from the university as a final warning.

“We have been communicating with students through emails, through texts reaching out through our resource centers, reaching out through our enrollment management. So we’re really trying to hit them in every way possible with a communication that, they just need to work with us to get to a place where they are compliant,” said UNM Communications Director Cinnamon Blair.

Overall, 256 students will be disenrolled Monday – 164 on the main campus, and 92 at branch campuses.

So far no faculty has been let go over COVID vaccination status, but 4 staff members have been “involuntary separated.”

"Meaning they have been separated from the university but they are welcome to reapply for positions if they become compliant with our vaccine mandate,” Blair said.

If the university does not hear from those students by Monday, they will receive a “withdrawal” instead of a grade for all of their classes. That could impact their financial aid in the future.

“They will have to wait until the next semester, their financial aid will not be effected for this semester, but it might be effected for next semester because some forms of financial aid do require a grade and good standing,” Blair said. “They are welcome to re-enroll in the spring and just like any new students they will have to provide proof of vaccination or go through the exemption process to receive an exemption.”

But UNM reps said it would be best if they hear from these students right away.

“The goal is to keep our students enrolled, keep them on their educational path,” Blair said.

Blair also added that 100% of the students living on campus are in compliance with the COVID vaccine mandate, and no students will have to leave the dorms.