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Tips for students to navigate health and safety policies, campus offices and services this fall

Andrew Bruso

The following message was sent to SUNY New Paltz students on Monday, Aug. 17.

Dear Students:

Welcome to SUNY New Paltz for the 2020-21 academic year! We are excited to have new and returning students on campus once again and to feel the energy and creativity of our community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we engage with our work (let’s face it, it has changed the way we engage with life!). Our re-opening plan, which has been approved by the State University of New York, is comprehensive and is centered on the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.  We want to be sure you feel supported and have the resources you need to be successful this year.

Here are some important highlights to keep in mind as you navigate the campus this fall:

Reminder about quarantine

As previously announced, all SUNY New Paltz students must quarantine for seven days AT HOME prior to coming to campus, and for 14 days at home if they have traveled to one of the states on the advisory list designated by New York.

Students who have not yet arrived to campus should be quarantining presently, if they intend to travel to campus in time for the first week of classes.

Health Screening Form

Anytime you plan to be on campus you must complete the Health Screening Form, which can be accessed at my.newpatz.edu. Students will not be admitted to class or offices unless they have completed the Health Screening for that day.

When completing the Health Screening, we ask that students please be honest, as this form is our best defense to keeping our campus safe.

If you report a positive symptom, the app will prompt you to consult with Student Health Service (SHS). SHS will clear you if COVID-19 is not suspected. If COVID-19 is suspected, you will be instructed on next steps which will likely include quarantine and testing.

Expectations for wearing masks or other face coverings

All students, employees and visitors will be expected to wear masks or other acceptable face coverings in the following situations:

  • Indoors in public spaces, including in restrooms and all classrooms, lecture halls, studios, laboratories, other instructional spaces and common areas in residence halls. You may not enter any campus building without wearing a mask or other acceptable face covering.
    • Masks will not be mandatory in private indoor spaces such as individual residence hall rooms or suites
  • When traveling between classrooms and offices in indoor corridors, stairwells, connecting tunnels, hallways and other high-traffic areas
  • Outdoors anytime six feet of social distance cannot be maintained.

Use this link for additional details about what counts as an “acceptable” mask or face covering, and more of the latest guidance related to masks.

There will be a broad public awareness and information campaign with reminders and additional details about these and other community expectations.

Expectations for social distancing

Both on and off campus, everyone must maintain a distance of six feet from others whenever possible. The College has established reduced density in classrooms and designated acceptable seating to ensure sufficient social distance for in-person classes. Offices and hallways are marked to indicate waiting areas and traffic flow.

We will be providing a guide to spaces where you will be welcome to study, socialize or otherwise relax on campus. We encourage you to spend as much time outdoors as possible, as transmission rates outside are much lower than indoors. We have erected a tent for outdoor dining, we are constructing additional picnic tables for outdoor seating, and we have established enhanced WiFi in the Route 32 parking lot.

Opportunity for testing

Because you can be infected with COVID-19 and have mild or even no symptoms, we are encouraging all students to get tested within the first week of arriving on campus. New students will have priority access to testing on Aug. 20 and 21, and returning students will have priority the following week. You must have a prescription before making an appointment.

The College has partnered with Enzo Labs to conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and they will bill insurance for the testing. To schedule a test, go to the Student Health Service COVID-19 Information page and click “COVID-19 On-Campus Testing Registration Link.”

You can get a prescription for testing as often as you like, and you are encouraged to get tested regularly throughout the semester.

Reduced office hours for some campus services

While some employees are observing on-campus work schedules, many employees will continue to observe a telecommuting schedule. As a result:

  • You will find that many offices will be observing staggered schedules or limited office hours, in accordance with recommendations from state and local health officials to maintain low density in buildings and offices where possible.
  • You will find that a majority of offices are engaging in virtual meetings and remote communications to respond to questions or conduct business. Many offices will not be able to welcome drop-in visitors because they lack sufficient space for social distancing. Students may be required to schedule appointments to receive services remotely or, in limited cases where space permits, face-to-face appointments.
  • Campus spaces such as the Bookstore, Sojourner Truth Library, Dining Services and other areas will observe variable hours and may have specific health and safety protocols in place.

You are encouraged to consult our office closures webpage and/or call ahead for information about office hours and scope of services. Find contact information for offices, faculty and staff members at our online campus directory.

Please also note that many buildings will be card-access-only during the fall 2020 semester. Students are strongly encouraged to carry their student ID cards with them anytime they plan to be on campus.

We also recommend taking time to review our list of reopening Frequently Asked Questions, which includes helpful information on a wide variety of topics, and will continue to be updated as the semester progresses.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Blaisdell, Vice President for Student Affairs
Tanhena Pacheco Dunn, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion
L. David Eaton, Vice President for Enrollment Management