New Covid Requirements Hit Western Illinois University Today, How Do They Impact You?
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed an Executive Order that requires all Illinois higher education employees and students, as well as K-12 employees, receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
For employees and students who cannot, or will not, get vaccinated, the governor has also mandated weekly COVID testing, which is already in place at WIU. Those individuals who are unvaccinated and who attend classes and/or work on either of our WIU campuses (Macomb and Quad Cities) must comply with the required weekly testing to avoid disciplinary action.
Test clinics (saliva-based tests) are held on both the Macomb and Quad Cities campus. Individuals may opt out of testing if proof of vaccination is provided. See QR code to upload your vaccination card.
WIU-Macomb: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Student Recreation Center MAC Gym (south gym). Individuals on the Macomb campus who must comply with the weekly test requirement MUST register in advance at the following site: https://www.wiu.edu/covidtest/.
WIU-Quad Cities: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday; and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Riverfront Hall front desk.
Vaccine Clinics
Vaccine clinics will be held on the Macomb campus for WIU students and employees. Visit wiu.edu/coronavirus and click “Return to Campus.”
Information can also be found at the McDonough County and Rock Island County health department at https://getyourcovidshot.com (McDonough) and https://richd.org (Rock Island).
Statewide vaccine clinics can be found at bit.ly/WIUCOVID19VaxInfo.
Disciplinary Action for Testing Non-compliance
WIU Students:
Students who do not upload/present a vaccination card and who do not participate in the required weekly testing will be subject to disciplinary action consistent with WIU’s Student Conduct procedures.
First missed test clinic:
Letter of reprimand
Second & third missed test clinic:
Referred to Student Rights & Responsibilities for disciplinary action
Fourth & beyond missed test clinic:
Further progressive discipline up to, and including, dismissal from WIU
WIU Employees (faculty and staff):
Employees who do not upload/present a vaccination card and who do not participate in the required weekly testing will be subject to disciplinary action consistent with WIU’s Human Resources procedures.
First missed test clinic:
Letter of reprimand
Second & third missed test clinic:
Referred to HR for disciplinary suspension
Fourth & beyond missed test clinic:
Further progressive discipline up to, and including discharge, from WIU
Vaccine & Testing Incentives
Vaccination incentive drawings will be held the week of Oct. 11 for $150 in Rocky Dollars (awarded to 100 students and 50 employees) and the week of Dec. 20 for $25 in Rocky Dollars (awarded to 25 students and 25 employees).
A testing program incentive drawing will be held the week of Dec. 20 for $100 in Rocky Dollars (awarded to 100 students and 75 employees).
Click the QR code or visit bit.ly/WIUVaxCardPortal to upload your card to opt out of mandated testing. Students (undergraduate and graduate students, including graduate assistants and teaching assistants) should upload to the “Student” portal, while WIU employees should upload to the “Employee” portal.
Information
COVID-19-related information and protocols can be found at wiu.edu/coronavirus and click “Return to Campus.”
