New York State Public Health Law
In accordance with New York State Public Health Law, Section 2165, all matriculated students attending Suffolk County Community College who were born on or after January 1, 1957 must provide acceptable written proof of adequate immunization against measles, mumps, and rubella in accordance with standards approved by the New York State Department of Health.Acceptable proof of immunity consists of a Certificate of Immunization (page 2) signed and stamped by a physician or licensed health care provider which documents measles, mumps, and rubella immunity. Students must submit this certificate or equivalent to the Health Services Office on their home campus and document at least partial compliance with the immunization requirements before they will be permitted to register for classes. Partial compliance shall be defined as one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella immunization.
In addition, proof of an honorable discharge from the armed services within 10 years prior to the date of application to Suffolk County Community College shall also qualify as a certificate enabling a student to attend classes pending actual receipt of immunization records from the armed services.
Students who are in partial compliance will be notified by the Vice President for Student Affairs that they will be suspended from their classes if they do not fully comply with the immunization requirements within the first 30 days of the semester (45 days for students transferring from another state or country). Students who are suspended and who subsequently fail to comply with the immunization requirements will be administratively withdrawn from their classes and prevented from registering for subsequent semesters.
Immunization records shall be maintained on each campus at the Health Services Office, which shall consider such information as confidential and subject to the College Records Policy and New York State Public Health laws. The Vice President for Student Affairs shall be responsible for the completion and timely submission to the Commissioner of Health of the annual survey of immunization levels of students attending Suffolk County Community College.
Students who cannot afford a private physician will be directed to the Suffolk County Health Department for information regarding free immunization clinics. Persons may be exempt from any or all of these requirements if a physician certifies in writing that the immunizations may be detrimental to their health (go to printable Medical Exemption Form). In addition, persons who hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to immunization may be exempt after submitting a statement to that effect to the Dean of Student Services and to the Health Services office on their home campus (see Information Regarding Religious Exemption).
Should a suspected case of measles, mumps, or rubella occur on a campus, the Office of the Dean of Student Services will evaluate the case in conjunction with the County Health Department and the Health Services Office and consulting physician. While awaiting serological confirmation, immunization records will be reviewed and susceptible individuals identified. If the suspected case is confirmed, the Office of the Dean of Student Services will notify all susceptible students and staff to be immunized. Susceptible students who are unable to be immunized may be required to remain off campus until the Health Department deems it safe for such individuals to return.
This mandatory student immunization policy will be included in the college catalog and the campus student handbook.
