ResidenceLifeImmunization

Immunization Requirements for On-Campus Housing & Athletics

Colorado law and Trinidad State College policy require specific immunizations for students living in the residence halls or participating on College athletic teams. Here’s what’s required, how to submit your records, and how to request an exemption if you need one.

Requirements

The Legal Basis

Colorado law requires all students attending certain college or university programs in the state of Colorado to be vaccinated against specified vaccine-preventable diseases (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), as established by Colorado Board of Health rule 6 CCR 1009-2, unless an exemption is filed.

While the Colorado Board of Health does not currently require vaccination against COVID-19 for students, Trinidad State College requires that all students living in on-campus housing, and/or participating in College athletics, receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that causes COVID-19. Serious symptoms and effects include difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, body aches, and death. The risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 can far outweigh any benefits of natural immunity. The COVID-19 vaccination helps protect individuals from contracting and spreading the virus.

---

What TSC Requires

Trinidad State College requires that students, as a condition of living in on-campus housing, participating on College athletic teams, and/or participating in designated health sciences programs, be vaccinated against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination is not required as a condition of enrollment at the College.

Students must submit a COVID-19 immunization record or receive an exemption as of the date they apply for campus housing, as a condition of participating on College athletic teams, or as a condition of participating in a designated health sciences program. The record must reflect any second dose necessary for full immunization. The College will provide students with a list of local providers offering the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost.

If a student does not submit a COVID-19 immunization record or receive an exemption, they will not be permitted to live on-campus in the residence halls, participate on College athletic teams, or participate in designated health sciences programs.

Requesting an Exemption

Students have the right to request an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination for a medical or non-medical (religious or personal belief) reason. This procedure adopts the same terms and definitions the State of Colorado uses for other vaccinations.

Please allow 7–10 business days for an exemption request to be processed. After your request has been reviewed, you’ll be notified in writing whether the exemption has been granted. Appeals follow the College’s standard appeal process found in the Student Handbook.

Outbreaks & Accommodations

Students with a recorded immunization exemption may be kept out of College residence halls and kept from participation on student athletic teams or designated health sciences programs during a disease outbreak; the length of time will vary depending on the type of disease and the circumstances of the outbreak, and alternative options will be utilized when available.

Where the exemption from vaccination necessitates an accommodation for a disability or medical condition, or an accommodation based on a religious or personal belief or practice, Trinidad State College will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine which reasonable accommodations may be available for students to live in the residence halls or participate on student athletic teams.

Trinidad State College reserves the right to change any provisions of these requirements at any time, and changes shall become effective immediately.