Marshall University and West Virginia University just strongly encourage the vaccine. âOur goal is 70%,â said Tracy Smith, director of environmental health and safety at Marshall. Smith said that in talks with the health department and others, it was determined it would require a state mandate to require the vaccine. Marshall requires the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is also required of West Virginia public K-12 students. But on Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice said the universities were free to require the vaccine, but he would prefer the state reach herd immunity without mandates. Universities throughout the country are weighing the legality of requiring the vaccine while trying to protect and reopen campuses.