Northern Michigan University will offer $100 food credits, to be loaded on campus card accounts, to any students and staff that upload proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. The proof of vaccination will be uploaded to individuals' university accounts via NMU's Bridge App.

According to a report from The Mining Journal, students and faculty who upload their vaccine documentation on or before July 1 will receive the full $100 credit that can be used at any on-campus eatery. Those who upload their vaccine documentation between July 2 and August 1 will receive a $50 food credit.

“This information will give campus leaders a more accurate understanding of the vaccination level on campus heading into the fall,” said Fritz Erickson, NMU President in an email sent to students and staff. “Many of our NMU pandemic protocol decisions will be tied to knowing if we have a high or low vaccination rate. The Bridge app will help us monitor that.”

The dining credit will be loaded onto student and employee accounts and can be used by swiping an NMU ID card at checkout.

The dining credit can be applied at both university-run and franchise locations on campus including the Wildcat Den, Temaki, Smoothie King and Starbucks beginning immediately. The list of participating locations will expand with the start of the fall semester to include Northern Lights Dining, Fieras, Melted, Sundre and the campus convenience store.

Erickson also addressed NMU's intent to follow the state of Michigan’s plan regarding indoor and outdoor gatherings on July 1, stating:

“This move comes as more people get vaccinated, COVID-19 trends improve and federal health regulators say it’s safer to start returning to normal. For Northern, this means most — potentially all — of our pandemic-related room capacity maximums will go away at the start of July. This will allow classes, campus groups and departments to meet as we used to do before COVID-19.”

More information on NMU’s COVID-19 response.