U-M Dearborn requires students to be vaccinated or test negative weekly for campus classes in fall

DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - As an incoming freshman at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Khadijat Mashood is balancing the excitement of starting college with the stress of the coronavirus pandemic. 

"It is frustrating to be in a pandemic but my mom is a nurse, so I get people are dying, people have lost their loved ones," she said. "Although it’s frustrating for me as those people that’s frustrating too." 

New rules have been put in place at the U-M Dearborn campus for the fall semester. Students will either have to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test every week. 

"We are going to be interacting with everyone on a daily basis," Mashood said. "I think it’s a good idea but there are also people that won’t take the vaccine, that’s based on the person's belief."

School Chancellor Domenico Grasso says balancing, learning and keeping people safe is an incredible challenge. Next semester he expects more than 60 percent of classes will be in person with the rest online. 

"All of our plans since Covid started I have been predicated on something I learned in the military called, 'Mission first, people always,'" he said. "You could listen to perhaps a lecture class on zoom and then come to class for recitation for a lab for a more intimate interaction around the same topic."

Over in Ann Arbor, U-M says students who live on campus will have to be fully vaccinated unless they have an approved exemption. 

With Mashood's second dose just days away she says she'll continue to be cautious while enjoying her freshman year of college. 

"I think they are trying to do everything they can to get back to that normal lifestyle - but then also be cautious in the same way," she said. 

 Students and staff who are strictly remote do not have to abide by the guidelines.