US colleges divided over requiring student COVID-19 vaccinations By AP Staff article Olivier Tchimou, a student pharmacist administers the vaccine to a student in Riggleman Hall. The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department led a vaccination effort on the campus of the University of Charleston. (Photo by Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightR Expand U.S. colleges hoping for a return to normalcy next fall are weighing how far they should go in urging students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including whether they should — or legally can — require it. Universities including Rutgers, Brown, Cornell and Northeastern recently told students they must get vaccinated before returning to campus next fall. They hope to achieve herd immunity on campus, which they say would allow them to loosen spacing restrictions in classrooms and dorms.