UPM # 19 – Immunization Law Compliance Procedures
Effective Date: January 14, 2005
PURPOSE
This memorandum is intended to outline the procedures to assure University compliance with the North Carolina State law regarding immunization requirements.
General Provisions
Effective July 1, 1986, North Carolina State law requires that no person shall attend a college or university in North Carolina unless a certificate of immunization indicating that the person has received the immunizations required by the law is presented to the college or university on or before the first day of classes.
If a certificate of immunization is not in the possession of the college or university at least ten days prior to the first day of classes, the University shall present a notice of deficiency to the person. The person shall have 30 calendar days from the first day of attendance to obtain the required immunizations.
Those persons who have not complied with the immunization requirements at the end of thirty calendar days will be withdrawn administratively from school by the University Registrar.
Limitations
The law applies to all graduate, professional, and undergraduate students new, transferring from another institution, or readmitted (not attended in 2 years) to a continuing program.
It does not include:
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- Students in Continuing Studies, Off-Campus Studies, Interinstitutional program visiting students, Medical or Dental Residents or Fellows, MED program, Visitor Year Abroad, and Advanced General Dentistry
- Certain types of immunizations for certain age groups as specified by State Health Department regulations, and
- Those students continuously enrolled since on or before July 1, 1986, at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Exemptions
Exemptions can be granted for medical or religious reasons after appropriate documentation is presented to Student Health Services.
New students who will not be attending courses on campus their first semester or who will be living off campus and taking a course load of four hours or less can request a temporary exemption if compliance during the first term will cause a hardship. These students will be required to come into compliance the first semester they are attending classes on campus and taking a course load of more than four hours.
Medical History Form
A Medical History Form containing the certificate of immunization will be sent by the admitting offices with the acceptance letter.
Students admitted for initial enrollment subsequent to July 1, 1986, will be requested to return all Medical History Forms by May 1 or within 10 days of notification of admission, whichever is sooner. Upon review of each form by Student Health Service staff, new admits will be coded in Student Information System database.
Notice of Deficiency
The law states that students not in compliance should receive a “notice of deficiency.” The notice will contain a reference to the requirements of the law and an indication of the consequence of non-compliance: the student may not continue to attend school.
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- Student Health Service notifies students of deficiency on June 1, through the student’s account on Applicant Central.
- Approximately ten (10) days prior to the first day of classes, Student Health Service sends another notice of deficiency to students who are still not in compliance with the law.
Administrative Withdrawal
The student will be given 30 calendar days from the first day of classes to comply.
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- At the end of the 30-calendar day period, the University Registrar will receive an updated list from Student Health Service for those who have still not complied. The list of students is given to the Registration and Student/Faculty Services section to begin preparing the withdrawal forms.
- The Registration and Student/Faculty Services section processes a withdrawal for students on the list and mails the student copy of the withdrawal form to the student.
- Student Health Service can continue to call the Registration and Student/Faculty Services section to remove a student from the withdrawal list until the date the withdrawals are actually processed and recorded on the student’s record.
- Withdrawals must be processed before the printing of verification rolls. The Registration and Student/Faculty Services section marks students off the list as notified by Student Health Service and proceeds to withdraw the students remaining by completing appropriate withdrawal forms and by notifying the appropriate academic and administrative offices. Coding on the forms will reflect that the student has been administratively withdrawn.
- Normal tuition refund policies will apply. Tuition and fees are prorated based on the 30 day withdrawal date. No grades will be given, and the student’s attendance at the University to that point will not count as a term in residence.
Reinstatement
For a student to be reinstated in the current term, he or she must comply with the immunization law, pay a twenty dollar reinstatement charge, and receive the approval of the appropriate Dean.
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- When proof of immunization is provided to the Student Health Service, the student will receive a letter, signed by the Director of Student Health Services, to present to the dean and to the Registration and Student/Faculty Services section.
- The student must submit to Registration and Student/Faculty Services section the appropriate form from his or her Dean signifying the Dean’s approval for reinstatement. A Drop/Add/Registration form signed by the Dean with the words “reinstate registration” written across it will be sufficient.
- In turn, the Registration and Student/Faculty Services section will complete the necessary paperwork for reinstatement and notify the appropriate academic and administrative offices.
- Upon reinstatement, application for financial aid, University housing and the like shall be the responsibility of the student.
Reports
Within 60 calendar days after the commencement of school, the Student Health Service will furnish the required immunization report to the State Health Department and maintain files for its review.