The SC Legislative budget proviso that keeps the 33 South Carolina State Colleges & Universities from mandating the COVID-19 shots ends July 1, 2022.

Tell SC legislatures to add provisos to the 2022-23 budget to keep South Carolina Colleges from:

1. mandating COVID-19 shots & discriminating from anyone NOT "fully" COVID-19 vaccinated
   
2. mandating masks in the classrooms
3. mandating COVID-19 testing

Nothing will keep the South Carolina Colleges and Universities from requiring the COVID-19 shots, masks, or COVID-19 testing next fall unless the SC Legislatures stop the colleges from doing so.

THE BUDGET IS FINALIZING RIGHT NOW IN THE SENATE AND THE COLLEGES SHOULD NOT RECEIVE FUNDS IF THEY (1) MANDATE COVID-19 SHOTS, (2) MANDATE MASKS IN CLASSROOMS, OR (3) MANDATE COVID-19 TESTING.

College of Charleston stated March 17, 2022, "Effective Monday, March 21, the College of Charleston will adopt a voluntary-only face mask policy." And CofC continued later, "While we remain optimistic that the worst of COVID-19 is behind us, the College is prepared to reimpose guidelines and restrictions as conditions warrant."

CofC does not provide specific metrics when masks might be mandated in the classrooms again. One SC college, USC Beaufort, who did specify criteria for campus masking protocols said that masks REQUIRED in all indoor settings when # of New Cases Reported among students, faculty and staff over 2 weeks > 20 cases.

Interim Provost, Stephen Cutler, and Interim Chief Health Officer, Jason Stacy, M.D., announced mask wearing optional in all campus instructional and research spaces beginning Thursday, March 17 at the University of South Carolina. They went on to say:

     "we continue to encourage mask wearing for people in the following situations: 

• If you are at high risk for illness – those who are elderly, immunocompromised, pregnant or who have certain medical conditions
• If you live or regularly interact with someone at high risk for illness
• If you have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine
• If you have symptoms of COVID-19

     While there is good reason to be optimistic, we will not be complacent. The university will continue to closely
     monitor data, offer SAFE testing and make free KN95 masks available to anyone in our community
     throughout the Spring semester. We also are monitoring the international spread of the omicron
     sub-variant and will react with appropriate public health measures as needed."

At Clemson University, an email went to students, employees, and families March 18, 2022 announcing that beginning April 2, employees and students will no longer be required to test for COVID-19 after mandating COVID-19 testing weekly and then every two weeks since fall 2020. Clemson University previously announced February 21, 2022 that masks would no longer be required in classrooms. However, in both announcements they state "should any significant developments occur, the University will issue updated guidance." Again, no criteria stated for when masks or testing will become mandatory again.

There are 33 SC State Colleges and Universities total.

This week, there are still over 50% of South Carolina State Colleges and Universities mandating that facial coverings be worn in all classrooms by everyone!  See a list here.

There are 4 SC State Colleges/Universities that mandate on-going COVID-19 testing of all employees and students: Clemson University, Univ. of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina State University, and Denmark Technical College.

There are 7 SC State Colleges/Universities that mandate testing of those who do not provide COVID-19 jab records at the beginning of the semester but NOT for the fully jabbed students. 

All 33 SC State Colleges/Universities mandate quarantine of those who do not provide COVID-19 jab records. However, those fully jabbed (3 shots required now in the SC State Colleges to be considered fully jabbed) do not have to quarantine.

Our state legislatures and anyone in the state capital building are not mandated to wear masks, are not mandated to COVID-19 test, nor do they need show proof of COVID-19 jab records and be forced to quarantine.

Does this make sense?  Please sign the petition and tell your state representatives that this is wrong. 

We are students, employees, alumni, parents of students, and concerned SC residents who have united to say, “End COVID-19 Mandates for Good and Make SC Colleges Great Again!” The emergency is over. Background information supporting our petition can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ly-dYD7sK93kEOKXYO_YeIqADid4mpal/view?usp=sharing

To Governor McMaster, SC Legislatures & SC State College Leaders:

The State of South Carolina elected officials continue to allow SC State College Leaders to violate the rights and dehumanize both students and employees of our State Colleges and Universities.

We demand that the SC Legislatures and Governor McMaster:

1. Keep mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations out of the SC state colleges and universities
    (Proviso 117.163 protects right now and ends July 1, 2022, see below)
2. Ban any different policies based on a student's or employee's COVID-19 vaccination
    status in our SC colleges and universities (Proviso 117.163 helps keep the testing from
    being mandated to only the non-vaccinated, but need more protection from COVID-19
    vaccination discrimination)
3. Eliminate all required COVID-19 testing in SC state colleges and universities
4. End all mandatory face coverings permanently in SC state colleges and universities

We petition to the Leaders of the SC State Colleges and Universities:

1. Stop all mandatory COVID-19 testing in the SC State Colleges and Universities
    – Vaccinated or Not
2. End the discriminating mandatory quarantine policies in the SC State Colleges
    and Universities
3. Stop forcing the removal of students from their campus housing for isolation
    and quarantine
4. Remove all COVID-19 testing data, survey data, and genetic material from all research
    data until each individual student and employee clearly acknowledges and approves
    the use of their data and genetic material to be used in research
5. Make the approval of their data being used for research unconditional – ex. NOT based
    on registering for classes, condition for employment, or based using the Clemson
    COVID-19 testing lab services
6. End all mandatory face coverings permanently in the SC State Colleges and Universities

Proviso 117.163 - (which ends July 1, 2022)
117.163.    (GP: COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Restriction - Institutions)  For the current fiscal year, state-supported institutions of higher learning that directly or indirectly receive funds appropriated or authorized through the general appropriations act shall be restricted from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for any student as a condition of enrollment, attendance at on campus instruction, or residence on campus.  In instances of off-campus learning events for which third party program providers require proof of vaccination, the third party requirements shall apply.