EXCLUSIVE: Student government pushes for COVID-19 booster mandate

Creighton University's Students Union legislature is calling on the Jesuit university to require 'boosters no later than March 5.'

The president of Creighton's TPUSA chapter told Campus Reform that he found it 'extremely disturbing.'

Creighton University’s Students Union legislature is calling on the Jesuit university to require “boosters no later than March 5.”

Campus Reform obtained a campus-wide Jan. 27 email from Creighton Students Union President Francisco “Frankie” Pastor-Rivera announcing that the student body passed Resolution #22-01H, which “recommends” the booster mandate. 

”Furthermore, we desire to join our fellow Jesuit universities that are already requiring booster shots: Gonzaga, Boston College, Georgetown, Loyola Marymount, Le Moyne, just to name a few,” Pastor-Rivera writes. “However, we will respect whatever decisions the University makes regarding COVID-19 booster requirements.” 

[RELATED: Nevada higher ed officials demand reinstatement of student vaccine mandate]

Though the Nebraska university does not mandate the booster, it does recommend the booster shot on its website. The university has also promoted booster shots on social media. 

Campus Reform spoke with Pete Haas, president of Creighton’s Turning Point USA chapter, about the resolution. 

Haas expressed concern that the resolution had been passed quietly and said that he had difficulty speaking with Pastor-Rivera about the legislation.

“I find it extremely disturbing,” Haas said. “If there was an attempt to keep something such as this quiet from most or all of the student body, it is indicative that this government is not one representing its constituents and has failed in the advocacy of said constituents.”

[RELATED: Prof pushes students at virtual ‘die-in’ to use ‘radical activist tactics’ for stricter COVID policies]

“I could tell [Pastor-Rivera] was dreading talking to me, because of my affiliation with Turning Point,” Haas continued. “Sure enough, as soon as I asked him about setting up a meeting, he directed me to an email and an online request form, despite the fact that we were standing in front of each other.”

Campus Reform covered Creighton University’s vaccine requirements last fall when student Patrice Quadrel was unenrolled for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Creighton denied her a religious exemption.

Campus Reform reached out to Creighton University and Francisco Pastor-Rivera. This article will be updated accordingly.