As presidents of colleges and universities throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, we see firsthand the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of our students, faculty and staff members. We are grateful for efforts to control the spread of this terrible disease through social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing. As we continue these measures, now is the time to decisively put an end to the pandemic by getting our communities vaccinated.
We unequivocally express our support for each of the approved coronavirus vaccines. As a public health strategy, getting vaccinated is the best way to:
Keep ourselves safe;
Protect our families and those around us; and
Accelerate a return to normal life.
Of course, many members of our community have understandable reservations. In response, we must come together to convince them of the benefits of vaccination.
The Consortium is seeking input across our institutions’ constituencies to develop responsive vaccination plans by:
Developing a cross-institutional working group;
Establishing a website with a wide variety of resources;
Holding regular virtual town halls and discussion events.
Recognizing that no single strategy can suffice for our diverse communities, we must encourage widespread participation in these efforts to foster open discussion, dialogue and understanding.
We have the tools to move past the pandemic. Together, we can get our communities vaccinated and put an end to the devastation of COVID-19.
Sylvia M. Burwell, President, American University
John Garvey, President, Catholic University of America
Roberta J. Cordano, President, Gallaudet University
Gregory Washington, President, George Mason University
John J. DeGioia, President, Georgetown University
Thomas J. LeBlanc, President, George Washington University
Wayne Frederick, President, Howard University
Irma Becerra, President, Marymount University
DeRionne Pollard, President, Montgomery College
Michael T. Plehn, President, National Defense University
J. Scott Cameron, President, National Intelligence University
Anne M. Kress, President, Northern Virginia Community College
Falecia D. Williams, President, Prince George’s Community College
Patricia McGuire, President, Trinity Washington University
Richard W. Thomas, President, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Ronald Mason, Jr., President, University of the District of Columbia
Darryll J. Pines, President, University of Maryland