BUCKHANNON, W. Va. (WBTW) – West Virginia’s Wesleyan College will still admit students who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, but they will have to pay a sizable fee, according to the university’s COVID-19 plan.
If a student fails to upload proof of vaccination by Sept. 7, he or she will have to pay $750. Having the first shot toward vaccination satisfies the requirement.
According to the university, students who do not submit proof of vaccination or who are not vaccinated will also be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test within seven days of arriving on campus. Those students will have to get tested weekly.
The cost for testing will be covered by the fee charged to unvaccinated students.
The school will require masks indoors for unvaccinated students, as well as social distancing, according to the university.
Students who are exposed to COVID-19 during the fall semester will be given contained housing for 48 hours. After the time period, students will be responsible for their own housing arrangements off campus until medically cleared to return to campus. Students who need to stay on campus can complete the rest of the semester in quarantine for a $250 fee.
Wesleyan College isn’t the only school imposing a fee on students who won’t get vaccinated to offset the cost of testing for COVID-19.
Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama announced a $500 fee for all students to cover the cost of regular testing, but said that vaccinated students would be able to skip the test and get their money back.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the school’s plan likely runs against a new state law that bans the institution of vaccine passports.