Colleges weigh mandating vaccines -- but some may not have a choice India at global epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic Replay Video UP NEXT As more colleges and universities announce plans to require all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to return to campus, they've placed themselves at the forefront of a politically charged debate over whether institutions should be able to mandate vaccines. Public health experts say that by requiring vaccinations against the virus that has so far resulted in more than 570,000 U.S. deaths, colleges and universities could play a significant role in helping vaccinate tens of millions of college-age Americans -- especially important after some college populations sparked waves of COVID-19 infections in their surrounding communities last year.