<p>INDIANAPOLIS &mdash; While Indiana University faces political backlash over its plans to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-indiana-university-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-d3f4a9d9cf8285e0377839c67be9bf92">require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations</a> for all students and employees, Purdue University is offering a chance at winning a full year’s tuition for students who get the shots.</p>
<p>Purdue’s “Old Golden Ticket” drawing makes students who submit proof of a COVID-19 vaccination by July 15 eligible for one of 10 prizes paying $9,992. That is the equivalent of a year’s undergraduate tuition.</p>
<p>Purdue has avoided criticism of it plans to require students and employees to either provide proof of vaccination for the fall semester or participate in frequent COVID-19 testing. </p>
<p>IU said Thursday it “ <a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-indiana-university-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-d9b2156c4ea0ae6bbeaa298d7c601c0e">will further consider </a> our process for verifying the requirement” a day after the state attorney general issued a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/in-state-wire-indiana-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-b0df83b59c12689dffe17fc346f00caa"> non-binding opinion that the policy was illegal</a> under a new state law banning the state or local governments from issuing or requiring vaccine passports.</p>
<p>Many Republican legislators have also come out against IU’s plan, with a letter signed by 35 GOP state senators calling it a “heavy-handed mandate.”</p>
<p>IU officials have defended the vaccine requirement as a way to safely resume full in-person classes and events on all its campuses across the state.</p>