The Minnesota State public college system will require certain students — such as those living in dorms or on sports teams — to either be vaccinated or tested regularly for COVID-19.

Minnesota State Chancellor Devinder Malhotra sent a letter to presidents of the system's 30 community colleges and seven universities Wednesday detailing the updated vaccination guidance. The guidance applies to about 14,000 students who are living in housing owned or managed by a system college or university. It also applies to students participating in intercollegiate athletics or are involved in internships or clinical work.

Colleges and universities may choose to implement additional vaccination-or-test requirements for students involved in extracurricular activities where social distancing is not possible, such as club sports or theater productions, Malhotra said.

Minnesota State institutions will provide weekly tests at no cost.

System colleges and universities are encouraged to implement the new requirements as soon as possible. They must be in place by Oct. 4.

Minnesota State is not requiring all students to be vaccinated for a number of reasons, Malhotra said, one being that "many of our campuses do not have the public health infrastructure to deliver and support an all-student vaccine mandate."

DAVID JOLES • david.joles@startribune.com, Star Tribune

Faculty and staff in the Minnesota State system will be subject to an immunization mandate for state workers.

About a dozen Minnesota private colleges are requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for students. The University of Minnesota System will also require the shots once they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Ryan Faircloth • 612-673-4234

Twitter: @ryanfaircloth