SUNY New Paltz is publishing important messages and news updates related to the College’s response to COVID-19 on the campus news website. Use this link to view all these posts in one place.
The update below was shared by Michele Halstead, vice president for administration and finance, on Tuesday, March 24.
Campus community members can view updates at the Coronavirus Information and Coronavirus FAQs webpages, which are being updated regularly as this situation evolves.
Dear Members of the Campus Community:
We understand that campus employment for many of our students is critical to their well-being. For this reason, the College leadership is committed to keeping our students employed and paid through the end of the spring semester to ease the disruption and hardship that leaving campus and moving to remote instruction has created for them both emotionally and financially. This campus decision applies to all student temporary employees, work study students, and TA/GAs.
The NYS Governor’s Office of Employee Relations has issued guidance during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak to enable campuses to support our hourly student employees, including TAs and GAs, in this way, and the federal government will continue to pay work-study students. This guidance is consistent with Chancellor Kristina Johnson’s directive to do no harm to our students during this unprecedented time and is consistent with our campus values about our students’ well-being.
Due to Governor Cuomo’s stay at home order, student temporary employees and work study students will need to complete their work remotely. As we move to distance learning next week, the campus will continue to assess ongoing needs for student employment to help ensure the academic success of our students this semester.
Employees of Sodexo or the Campus Bookstore need to work with those areas to understand work schedules and expectations.
Students: Please be in touch with your supervisors remotely and once per week to learn what tasks you may be able to perform remotely for the remainder of the semester consistent with your average hours. Supervisors may have to get creative and consult other departments that may have more suitable remote work for you to complete. Please be patient with us as we sort out this unusual situation. Timesheets will continue to be submitted online. Per the Office of the NYS Comptroller, paychecks and paystubs will be mailed to you. If you are accustomed to contacting your supervisor in person in the office, please use PeopleFinder on the SUNY New Paltz website at (link here) to connect with your supervisors.
Student Supervisors: You are directed to maximize the opportunity to have your student employees work remotely, as they will continue to be paid through the end of the spring semester. We will leave it up to the individual supervisor to set up remote tasks, but ask that you be in touch with your student employees once per week and use your discretion in each student employee’s case, with the primary goal of not hurting the student financially. If you are having difficulty finding remote tasks within your department for your students, please consider consulting colleagues who may have suitable remote work for your students.
Questions about student employment can be directed to COVID19Questions@newpaltz.edu.
Sincerely,
Michele Halstead
Vice President for Administration and Finance
