Monday, October 25, 2021

The Office of University Relations sent the message below to faculty and staff on behalf of Stuart Borrett, Associate Provost for Research and Innovation.

I am sure many of you have heard of President Biden’s recent vaccine mandate associated with federal contracts. General Counsel John Scherer and I are leading a team of campus professionals to review the Executive Order 14042 and guidance issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.

Like our higher education colleagues in North Carolina and across the country, we are assessing the guidance to determine the implications for our employees and the university. We are taking careful steps in light of the substantial federal research support UNCW receives annually. This funding supports cutting-edge research, educational programs, and other initiatives that further our mission. Federal contract funding is an important revenue stream that must be protected.

Our initial findings indicate that we have a minimal number of contracts potentially subject to the Order, and we will continue to diligently review the language to ensure our campus is in full compliance. We will communicate directly with the employees who might be impacted and share updates with campus as more information is available.