December 1, 2021

Dear AU Faculty and Staff,

Thank you for helping us come back together safely this fall by complying with AU’s vaccination requirements. As you know, all faculty, staff and students must be vaccinated for COVID-19 or have a university-authorized medical or religious exemption.

Due to new federal requirements, all AU employees will now be required to submit proof of vaccination through the AUForward portal by December 23, 2021. Please review the instructions below to complete this process.

In September 2021, President Biden issued an executive order that requires employees of contractors that do business with the federal government to (1) be fully vaccinated, unless exempt for medical or religious reasons, and (2) provide documented proof of full vaccination. AU regularly contracts with the federal government to provide services and must comply with the executive order and related guidance.

This requirement applies to all AU employees who do not have an approved medical or religious exemption through Human Resources, including those on leave or with no campus presence. While employees on leave or with no campus presence were exempt from the Vaccine Attestation process earlier this year, they are no longer exempt with this new Proof of Vaccination requirement.

Here's what you will need to do to provide proof of vaccination by December 23, 2021:

If You Are Fully Vaccinated
Go to the AUForward portal and click on the “COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination” button. Follow the prompts on the form, attach your proof of vaccination (a photo/scan of a CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Record Card, a COVID immunization record from a health care provider or pharmacy, or a COVID immunization record from a public health or state immunization information system), and hit submit at the bottom of the form. You will receive an email confirming your submission.

Please note that a person is fully vaccinated 14 days after completion of a vaccine series (e.g., two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson).

If You Already Have a Medical or Religious Exemption
AU employees who have already requested and received a university-approved medical or religious exemption do not need to take any additional steps.

AU Employees Who Have Not Completed These Steps
We recognize there will be a small number of employees, such as some new employees, who may not have completed their vaccination series or medical or religious exemption process. If you have not yet been fully vaccinated, you must complete the vaccination series and provide proof of vaccination as soon as possible and no later than January 4, 2022.

If you are seeking a medical or religious exemption, you should go to the AUForward portal and complete the “COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination” form by selecting Medical, Religious, or Medical and Religious exemption. You will be redirected to a new page to complete the exemption form.

Vaccinations/Boosters
Vaccination is free to all. The closest pharmacy to campus that is offering vaccinations is the Walgreens at 3301 New Mexico Avenue. Vaccinations and boosters are available on a walk-in basis from 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Walgreens is currently offering the Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. If you have questions about availability, they can be reached at 202-966-4900. Additional vaccination locations are available in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

If you have questions, please see these FAQs.

Thank you for doing your part to further protect the AU community, particularly those most vulnerable. We appreciate your prompt attention to ensure AU’s compliance with these new federal requirements.

Fanta Aw
Vice President, Undergraduate Enrollment, Campus Life, and Inclusive Excellence

Seth Grossman
Vice President, People and External Affairs, and Counselor to the President

Peter Starr
Provost and Chief Academic Officer