Brookdale Community College President David Stout sent the following letter to students on Nov. 4:

Dear students,
As has been our practice since the beginning of the pandemic, Brookdale Community College continues to follow the guidance of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local Health Department. At times, our protocols have been adjusted in order to protect the health of our students and employees, such as the implementation of our mask requirement this fall. While these efforts have helped keep the number of positive cases on campus small, the few positive cases that we have had on campus have caused disruptions to the learning environment. Based on recommendations from the federal and state government, the high rate of transmission of COVID-19 in Monmouth County, our observations this semester, our concern for the health of our students and employees, and the recent full FDA approval of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Brookdale Community College will require COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing for all students who are taking classes on campus, effective January 3, 2022. Likewise, all Brookdale employees must also provide proof of full vaccination or agree to weekly testing.
Students may opt to take classes in “Remote Live” or fully online formats (course sections that end in ORLV or DE), when these options exist, if they do not wish to be vaccinated or tested weekly. However, access to our campus buildings will require submission of a vaccination card or proof of a negative PCR test taken within the previous 7 days.
COVID-19 vaccines are available and free of charge at our Lincroft Campus on Tuesdays, from 2:00-6:00pm in the former Children’s Learning Center Building (CLC) near Parking Lot 4. No appointment is necessary. Vaccines are also readily available at local pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens. Additionally, free COVID-19 testing will be available on the Lincroft campus for all who opt for weekly testing.
During the week of November 15, 2021, students will be asked to upload their vaccination cards, indicate the choice to test weekly, or indicate the intention to take classes remotely. Please keep these options in mind while planning your classes for the Spring 2022 semester as Priority Registration begins next week
Click the following link if you have any questions: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=MdE5f0eySUiS9rlp2uSSBw_MqyUkpC9Evh6PYFxBEqV UMkVTRDU2MTJRV1EyVDdaVTZINzNKQVA3MS4u
These questions will be gathered and used to generate Frequently Asked Questions and answers which will be sent in a follow-up email on or around November 15 when the health portal opens. At that time, you will also be able can begin the upload or selection process. I’ll also continue to send additional information about vaccination availability, weekly testing, and other relevant details as we approach the end of this semester.

David Stout, Ph.D.
President
Brookdale Community College