The University of Kansas is not mandating that students get COVID-19 vaccines to attend classes this fall, but it has just sweetened the pot for those who do.
KU announced Friday that fully vaccinated students at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses are eligible to receive incentives worth more than $235,000. After uploading their completed COVID-19 vaccination records, students will be entered in weekly drawings for prizes such as free tuition, upgraded parking passes and more.
“In addition, KU will offer $40 gift cards to the KU Bookstores to the first 4,000 students who receive the first dose of a vaccine sequence at on-campus vaccine appointments and clinics as students return for the fall semester,” the announcement says. “These students will also be eligible to receive a $10 KU Dining gift card after setting and returning to receive a second dose of vaccine.”
There are instructions to upload vaccine records at this link. Participation is voluntary.
KU also lists eligibility requirements and some other notes, including upcoming walk-in vaccination clinic times and dates.
Funding for the incentive comes from the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, according to the announcement. “Additional incentives were provided by a number of Jayhawk partners, including adidas, Pepsi, Rally House, the KU Alumni Association and Truity Credit Union.”
Here’s the list of weekly drawing prizes from KU’s announcement:
- Three students will win a cash prize equivalent to one semester’s worth of undergraduate in-state tuition, valued at $5,091.
- Three students will win a cash prize of $5,000.
- Two students will win a gold parking permit that allows them to park in any non-reserved colored or housing lot on campus.
- Four students will win $1,000 in KU Dining Dollars that can be spent at retail locations on campus and in residential halls.
- One student will win an Apple Products Package, including an iPad, AirPods and an Apple Watch.
- Other students will win packages including sets of two football and men’s basketball tickets to a variety of games, including the Kentucky and Missouri basketball games from the Chancellor’s Office.
- Students will also be eligible to receive gift cards from retailers like adidas, Rally House and other local retailers and restaurants.
KU has made masks a requirement for anyone visiting campus buildings, regardless of vaccination status, the university announced last Friday.
See the latest COVID-19 stats for Lawrence and Douglas County on The Lawrence Times’ stat dashboard at this link.
Find out where you can get the free COVID-19 vaccine at this link.
