Jill Smith
Contributing Writer
[email protected]

Murray State students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to submit their vaccination cards as part of a new incentive program announced by the University on Aug. 23. 

Students, faculty and staff can upload their completed vaccination cards through MyGate for a chance to receive one of three prizes. 

Winners will have the choice of a 2021-22 parking pass, a $200 gift certificate to the University Store or $200 in flex and dining dollars. 5 students will have the chance to upgrade their parking pass to a blue zone. 

Student group categories, such as sororities, fraternities, residential colleges, student government organizations, campus ministries and athletic teams, have the chance to win $1,000 for their organization if they have the highest number of members vaccinated. 

Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Don Roberston said there were several reasons behind the incentive, but that the key to getting back to a normal semester is for individuals to get vaccinated. 

“We need to get our numbers up and Calloway [County] is a red zone,” Robertson said.“We wanted to do everything we could to promote the vaccine and to give out information on why the vaccine works and that it is safe.” 

Student Government Association President Ian Puckett said he is confident these incentives will increase vaccination rates across campus and help his administration reach its goal of an 80% vaccination rate by the end of the fall semester. 

Agriculture Science Tech major Alyssa Trombetti said she believes the incentive will increase vaccination rates among the student population. 

“With the pandemic, we each have a choice to contribute to the solution or contribute to the cause,” Trombetti said. “I believe Murray State is positively contributing to the solution by providing this incentive for the student population.”

Robertson said this incentive is coming at a crucial time as younger individuals are being hospitalized with the Delta Variant nationally.  

“The majority of the folks we are finding that are getting the Delta Variant are people your age [college students],” Robertson said. 

“The administration wanted to do everything they could to encourage and promote the vaccine across campus,” Robertson said. “If the chance to win one of these things is what’s causing someone to now get the vaccine, then it’s well worth it.”

Robertson said that the administration worked to make the vaccine clinics as available as possible, but adds that students can always visit Health Services from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to get the vaccine. 

Student groups will have the opportunity to win $1,000 for their organization to be used for programming needs. 

Of the student body, 15.8% are affiliated with Greek life. Puckett is one of those students, and they are all looking toward having social events again. 

“Of course those are permitted this semester, if we’re able to keep that self-responsibility in check,” Puckett said. “I want to make sure that we continue to have that and have no looming possibility of restrictions.”

Puckett said his biggest role in helping with the incentive was providing input to the administration and ensuring that as many student organizations were included as possible. 

“I wanted to make sure that as many student organizations were included because diversity initiatives were a part of my campaign,” Puckett said. 

Puckett said the Residential College Association needed to be a part of this incentive program along with Greek life and student government organizations because they have been working the front lines since the beginning of the pandemic. 

“They are really on the front lines of this,” Puckett said. “RA’s have an incredibly stressful job, and they have to make sure masks are being worn and that people are taking care of themselves.”

The incentive will give administrators more insight over how many people are vaccinated on campus. 

Robertson said a decision hasn’t been made to his knowledge about running reports to show how many students, faculty and staff have submitted vaccination cards, but he could see a report similar to the weekly report of COVID-19 cases. 

“We are just trying to get an idea of what our numbers look like for one thing,” Robertson said. “More importantly we are doing all this to really get more people to get the vaccine, but obviously we’ll feel more comfortable if our data shows that we’re at 70% than it will be if it’s showing 50%.” 

Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Shawn Touney said the cost of this incentive is expected to be approximately $25,000. Touney said this incentive is being funded by a one-time university fund. 

“It is vitally important for our campus community to be vaccinated since this is our best defense against COVID-19,” Touney said. 

Students, faculty and staff will have until Monday, Oct. 4 to submit their vaccination cards.