Mercer University

Federal Disclosure Requirements

Mercer University is required by federal law to provide information at various times of the year to the University community. Please review the following information, and use the links provided to obtain additional details.

Health and Safety Information

Immunization Policies

The “Mercer University Student Health Form” is required and must be signed by a physician or other health care provider, and stamped with the provider’s name and address. No other immunization forms or physician records will be accepted. Students are encouraged to keep a photocopy of this completed form for their personal records. The Student Health Form is a Mercer document and will not be forwarded to other institutions.

All students born after 1956 must provide a statement of immunization against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), giving the month and year of immunization. A statement of “up to date” is not sufficient. Two doses of Measles (Rubeola) vaccine are required. You must have been at least 12 months old when the first Measles dose was received. Previous diagnosis of disease is proof of immunity against Measles and Mumps (a physician’s statement is required) but not proof of Rubella.

If a student is unable to provide dates of immunization to Measles, Mumps and Rubella, he or she may document immunity by blood test at the student’s expense. If this testing shows no immunity to Measles, Mumps, or Rubella, the student may register following documentation of the first dose of MMR, with the second to follow in 30 days, if required.

Tuberculosis screening (within the past year) is required of all new students. Students at risk for TB will be required to have a PPD skin test (Mantoux). The tine tuberculosis test is not acceptable. Students should be tested regardless of prior BCG vaccination. Any student with a positive skin test will be required to provide a report of a normal chest x-ray (done after the positive PPD) to be eligible to register. A physician should evaluate individuals with a positive tuberculosis skin test.

Do not assume that childhood immunizations are adequate; requirements have changed during the past several years. Medical facilities in the U.S. and in other countries are required to keep records of vaccinations. Additional sources of immunization information include doctors’ offices, health departments, and schools. Students should make copies of the completed health form for their own files, and then mail the original forms. Do not rely on health care providers, family members, or other colleges to mail the forms.

Exemptions from compliance with the immunization policy include:

  1. Religious exemption, written on letterhead stationery, signed by a religious official and notarized.
  2. Medical exemption, written on office stationery, and signed by a health care provider. The letter should state the reason for the exemption, and whether the exemption is permanent or temporary.

Immunizations for the following diseases are recommended, but not mandatory: chickenpox (varicella), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, polio, and tetanus. The most recent tetanus booster should have been within the past 10 years. Immunization against meningococcal meningitis is recommended for college students.

Some academic programs have additional immunization requirements. Students are advised to check with their College/School program for any additional requirements.

For more information, refer to the following Web sites:

Meningitis and Hepatitis B Immunization

College students may be at increased risk for meningitis and hepatitis B. Students residing on campus must provide proof of immunization for meningitis and hepatitis B or sign a waiver indicating their informed decision not to be vaccinated. To learn more about these diseases, how they spread, and whether you should be vaccinated, visit the Student Health Center Web site at http://studentaffairs.mercer.edu/studenthealthcenter/immunizations.cfm or the American College Health Association Web site at http://www.acha.org. 

For more information on the immunizations, contact the Campus Health Center at (478) 301-2696 (Macon campus) or (678) 547-6130 (Atlanta campus). For more information on housing waivers, contact Residence Life at (478) 301-2687 (Macon campus) or (678) 547-6104 (Atlanta campus).

Student Health Insurance

Mercer students must maintain primary insurance coverage. Students, except those enrolled in the Regional Academic Centers or distance learning programs, are automatically enrolled in the University sponsored student health plan. There is a charge for this coverage. To have the charge removed from the Mercer account, a student must show evidence of enrollment in a personal insurance plan.

Missing Persons

Reporting:  If a member of the University community (faculty, staff, student, parent, alumni) has reason to believe that a student is missing, that community member will refer the case immediately to the Mercer Police Department.  For Regional Academic Center students (Douglas County, Eastman, and Henry County) the community member may contact Mercer Police directly or the Center Coordinator who, in turn, must report the missing student to Mercer Police and the Regional Academic Center Director of Operations. 

Mercer Police will work collaboratively with others to contact and locate the student. All reasonable efforts will be made to locate the student and determine his or her state of health and well-being. The efforts include, but are not limited to:

  • Phone call to student
  • Email to student through Mercer email account (or other known e-mail addresses)
  • Messages through social networking websites if possible
  • Contact with all professors to determine last day of attendance in each class
  • Contact with Housing staff (Resident Advisor or Residence Life Coordinator) and roommate(s) if student is residential (Housing and/or Mercer Police will be make a welfare entry into the student’s room)

If the student is located through these attempts, a determination will be made regarding his or her health and well-being. If necessary, a referral to the Counseling Center, Health Services and other appropriate offices may be made at that time. The Dean of Students Office or Mercer Police will also encourage the student to contact the community member who initiated the search or follow up with that person directly.

Policy:  If the student is not located through the above measures and has been verified to be missing for more than 24 hours, then the following actions will be taken within the next 24 hours by Mercer Police (or the Director of Operations for RAC):

  1.  Notification will be made (where and when applicable and appropriate) to the appropriate Dean of Students for the particular college /campus in which the student is enrolled, the students’ academic advisor, the counseling staff, and health center staff.
  2.  The Police and/or Dean of Students will make contact with the student’s emergency contact and, for students under 18 years of age, a custodial parent or guardian if not emancipated. Students are asked to register and continually update emergency contact information on Bear Port. 

Students who reside in on-campus housing are also provided an opportunity to identify a confidential emergency contact individual during check-in. This person(s) will also be contacted within 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing unless the student is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, in which case a custodial parent or guardian will be notified as mandated by law.

Once notified, the parent/guardian/emergency contact person may need to work with Mercer Police to submit additional information with outside law enforcement agencies in order to expand the investigation.

updated: September 28, 2010