ROCHESTER, N.Y. — SUNY students are reacting to the mandate announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday that they’ll need a COVID-19 vaccine if they want to return to classes in the fall.

While the students on the SUNY Brockport Campus have their opinions, most that Spectrum News spoke with say they can see both the importance of a COVID-19 vaccination mandate and the concerns.

What You Need To Know

  • Governor Andrew Cuomo said SUNY and CUNY schools will require vaccinations for students who come back to school in the fall

  • The vaccinations would only be mandated for students attending in-person classes if the vaccine receives full FDA approval before the beginning of the fall semester

  • Some SUNY students say they see both the importance of a COVID-19 vaccination mandate and the possible concerns

  • MCC's new president, Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, received the news on her first day on the job

“I don’t agree with it, but I will do it,” said SUNY Brockport student AJ Cybulski. “But yeah, I don't agree with forcing people to get a vaccination."

“I mean, I don’t know, I don’t think it should be forced exactly just yet," said student Anastasia Depaola.

“I think it's a good thing, just because it will give us an earlier return to normalcy, I think," said student Shaquay Ely.

“If people are serious about being in small areas such as classrooms and large events around campus, then vaccinations probably should be required," said student Matthew Cisneros.

During his daily briefing, Governor Cuomo said the SUNY and CUNY schools will require vaccinations for students who come back to school in the fall, with a clarification that the vaccinations would only be mandated for students attending in-person classes if the vaccine receives full FDA approval before the beginning of the fall semester.

“Let’s make a global statement – you cannot go back to school in September unless you have a vaccine," said Cuomo.

Community colleges are also included in the mandate. Finger Lakes Community College said it already has a vaccination program in place and it’s just going to add the COVID-19 vaccine to its protocol.

At Monroe Community College, it’s too soon to lay out the logistics.

“I don’t think that we know quite yet all of the ways that this may present some unique challenges for our community colleges," said MCC’s new president, Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna. She learned of the mandate just a few hours into her very first day on the job.

“Well, we've been pivoting in higher education for over a year now,” said Burt-Nanna. “So, although a new president, I'm in a new place, we're all still on standby waiting to know what information is new to us and how we need to respond in a way that always keeps our students, our faculty, and our staff safe.”

Many students may also be on standby, and considering their options.

“I’m already vaccinated so it doesn’t feel like a big deal to me, but for some others, it might feel like he’s forcing them to do something that they might not be ready to do or might not be able to do yet,” said SUNY Brockport student Amber Barnwell. “So I guess we’ll see how that works out. That might affect how many students are actually able to come back, but we’ll see.”

Burt-Nanna said MCC will continue to work with the state and county health departments to address any challenges that may arise moving forward.