Updated: 4/18/2022
Because COVID-19 is a communicable disease that spreads primarily from person to person, all employees, students and visitors must take personal responsibility for their own health, protect the health of others, and keep the Aggie community safe from the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Every member of the NMSU community should exercise common courtesy and patience when interacting with others. Vaccination status and use of face coverings should never be used to discriminate or stigmatize.
To minimize the public health risk of COVID-19 at NMSU and comply with new federal vaccine requirements, NMSU employees, including student employees, are required to become fully vaccinated with the primary series by Jan. 4, 2022.
Following an announcement April 18, 2022, students who are not employees are also required to become vaccinated. Current students must submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or obtain an exemption by July 1, 2022; new or transfer students enrolling this fall must submit proof of vaccination or exemption by Aug. 1. The NMSU system will no longer require weekly testing after May 5 for those students and employees who have elected not to receive a booster or have received an exemption from vaccination. Documentation of booster shots will no longer be required once the weekly testing requirement has ended.
All NMSU officials, affiliates, visitors, and employees are expected to comply with the following COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols, in accordance with ARP 16.32:
- If I am an employee of the NMSU system, I will become vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than Jan. 4, 2022, as a condition of my employment.
- If I am a student, I will provide proof of vaccination obtain an approved exemption by July 1, 2022, for continuing students, or Aug. 1, 2022 for new and transfer students.
- I will follow state and federal guidance and any additional or different guidance required by NMSU relating to mask-wearing and other health safety measures based on my vaccine status.
- I will stay home if I have any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
- If I have a positive test for COVID-19, I will:
- immediately notify my supervisor and report my positive test online.
- fully participate in contact tracing.
Employees failing to meet any of the above conditions of employment will be subject to corrective action, commensurate with the seriousness of the health and safety risks posed, which may involve warnings or more serious consequences, such as suspension without pay, demotion, or termination of employment. For the protection of the public’s health, safety and welfare, violations by other members of the NMSU community will similarly be addressed with appropriate administrative or criminal sanctions. Recommendations relating to COVID-safe practices will be updated in alignment with guidance from the New Mexico Department of Health. Changes will be communicated to the university community through our NMSU Now newsletter, campus-wide memos, and other communications as appropriate.
NMSU continually reassesses and adjusts its operational plans based on guidance from both the New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Higher Education Department. Our campuses will follow this guidance, and may implement more-restrictive measures if data received or collected by NMSU indicates it is in the best interest of our students and employees.
