Arizona’s three state universities will require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to comply with new federal requirements, university officials announced on Friday.

The deadline for the universities’ more than 52,000 employees to submit proof of vaccination or receive accommodation is Dec. 8.

The Arizona Board of Regents, the governing body for the three state universities, said the schools are complying with requirements that institutions that contract with the federal government follow federal guidelines.

“The universities have hundreds of millions of dollars in federal contracts, funding critical research, employment, and educational efforts. We respect individual opinions regarding the vaccine and will include disability (including medical) and religious accommodations consistent with federal rules,” regents spokesperson Julie Newberg said in a statement.https://www.usatodaynetworkservice.com/tangstatic/html/pphx/sf-q1a2z3be0d353f.min.html

The University of Arizona said its approximately 16,000 university employees, including student workers and graduate assistants and associates, have to submit proof of full vaccination unless they have received a religious or disability accommodation.

UA President Dr. Robert Robbins wrote in a letter to employees on Friday that the university has already received amended federal contracts that include the vaccine requirements. 

“We will continue with these mission-critical endeavors and will be complying with this new requirement,” Robbins wrote.