MI Senate passes resolution opposing COVID mandates on college campuses

The Michigan Senate passed a resolution opposing COVID-19 mandates at both public and private universities in the state on Wednesday. 

Senate Resolution No. 128, sponsored by Senator Kim LaSata, “oppose[s] mandates related to COVID-19 at all public and private colleges and universities in Michigan.”

The text opposes both vaccines and masking, as well as restrictions including “mandatory” online classes and building closures. 

The resolution passed the Senate in a 22-15 vote.

Michigan Senate just voted 22-15 in favor of a resolution opposing COVID-19 mandates at public and private colleges and universities in Michigan https://t.co/8ynyxlFLEY pic.twitter.com/ZGI9f5J4fH

— Dave Boucher (@Dave_Boucher1) April 20, 2022

“Another year of these policies is not only unnecessary but will continue to cause students to fall behind and take away opportunities from those who have worked hard and are pursuing a career path at one of our state institutions,” LaSata said in a press release following the vote.

Michigan State Senator Douglas Wozniak told Campus Reform in a statement that he believes “the time has come for mask and vaccine mandates to be rescinded.” 

“The Senator feels that we need to do everything we can to ensure students stay on track and complete their degrees, and that we must ensure students are not forced to put their education and futures on hold because of COVID-10 mandates,” the statement continued. 

The resolution refers to declining enrollment as a reason for opposing mandates. According to the text, enrollment at four-year public and private schools have declined by 9.5 percent and 6 percent, respectively, from 2020 to 2021. 

[RELATED: Mask mandates are back on campus. But they go against CDC guidance.]

Further, public two-year colleges saw over a 20 percent decrease from fall 2019 to fall 2020. 

These declines, coupled with the growing number of workforce vacancies, “creates a clear need for an educated workforce to compete with our neighboring states and beyond,” the text argues.

Additionally, the resolution argues that vaccine mandates and building closures “create barriers” for students seeking a higher education degree, while mandatory masks and regular testing create “opportunities for postsecondary institutions to discriminate between vaccinated and unvaccinated students.”

[RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Vaccine policy switch may put doctoral student’s future in jeopardy]

“We should be doing everything we can to encourage, not discourage, students to seek job training and postsecondary degrees, especially when the potential barriers are not essential – 60 percent of the population in this state is already fully vaccinated,” the resolution states. 

“Further unnecessary mandates will result in increased resentment and resistance, not compliance,” the resolution continues. 

Campus Reform reached out to LaSata for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication. This article will be updated accordingly.