UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa (WJAC) — Its move-in weekend at Penn State which means thousands are coming to State College and other university campuses for the start of the fall semester.
But the return to on-campus classes has sparked controversy over Penn State's decision NOT to require vaccinations.
In a recent message to the university community on the vaccination issue, Penn State President Eric Barron alluded to possible political fallout, specifically that the state legislature may cut the university funding if vaccinations were mandated.
One area lawmaker now says, in terms of projecting what the legislature might do, that the Penn State president may be right.
In State College, traffic is picking up and people are on the streets with students returning to town.
A week ago, a large group of Penn State faculty, staffers and students holding a campus demonstration, demanding that the university change its stance against requiring COVID vaccinations.
“Essentially what we want the university to do is enact a mandate that all students, staff and faculty are vaccinated. To not only protect us, but to also protect the community.”
Also last week, this message from Penn State President Eric Barron saying vaccine mandates at public universities have been met with challenges.
Then mentioning what he refers to as political realities, that state funding of Penn State relies on strong bipartisan support in the state legislature.
A Democratic state representative from Centre County says there may very well be a negative reaction in Harrisburg to a university vaccine requirement.
“We have many different views, but at this time many of the folks who run the agenda have shown willingness to cut funding when it comes to the virus. So, the university is absolutely correct about worrying what my colleagues would do.”
The current state allocation for Penn State is just over four percent of the university's total operating budget.
Classes for the fall semester at Penn State begin on Monday.
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