Debate on requiring COVID-19 vaccine for college students spans state, nation Earlier this month, Gov. Bill Lee said he was opposed to public universities in Tennessee requiring students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to attend classes. "I think that private institutions have decisions they make on their own," Lee said. "I think government agencies should not have vaccine requirements." He also said he opposed so-called "vaccine passports," though no Tennessee cities have proposed them. The debate over requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for college students has spread nationwide. Universities like Rutgers, Duke, Cornell and Brown recently announced students would be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine if they plan to study in-person this fall.