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Fast facts for students about Broad-Based Fees in fall 2020

Andrew Bruso

The Office of Student Accounts is responding to questions from students about some of the fees for services this semester, and how they are being applied.

Read on for quick explanations of the Technology Fee, the Athletic Fee and the Health Services Fee, including information about how these funds are normally used, and what new expenditures they are covering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technology Fee

Estimated annual revenue = $3.3 Million during a typical, non-pandemic year

Regular services provided:

  • 170 Smart classrooms
  • 100 iPads, 100 laptops, 1,000 PC’s, 265 iMacs, 90 printers
  • Software packages: SPSS, MS Office, Adobe, BloomBerg, Mathematica, Maple, ArcGIS, MatLab, MiniTab, Rhino, TerrSet, Turntin etc.
  • Services: my.newpaltz.edu, Blackboard, Collaborate, Ensemble, HawkSites, HawkMail, Support.newpaltz.edu, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), etc.
  • Network: Internet, wireless in academic buildings (internet in residence halls is funded through a separate source)
  • Library resources: laptop loaners, printing, informational databases, 150 computers and 8 collaboration spaces

New additions in response to COVID-19:

  • Seven new outdoor Wi-Fi locations
  • Expanded VPN capacity and licensing to include all students
  • Loaner laptops for students
  • Additional software resources for faculty to support better student engagement (including Knowmia, Faronics Insight and Matlab)
  • Microphones and headsets to facilitate faculty members’ ability to teach remotely
  • Webcams for classrooms
  • Extended Virtual Learning technology in 32 Classrooms

Health Services Fee

Estimated Annual Revenue = $1.9 Million during a typical, non-pandemic year

Regular services provided:

  • The Student Health Service is your doctor’s office on campus, fully staffed with health care providers including doctors, nurses and physician’s assistants
  • Partial funding of the Psychological Counseling Center
  • Promoting wellness by delivering presentations to students on relaxation, sleep, diet/nutrition, exercise and stress reduction
  • Medical supplies for the Health Center

COVID additions:

  • COVID-19 testing by Health Service staff, and supporting third-party on-campus testing to mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on the campus. This includes reporting all test results to students.
  • Investigation of each COVID-19 case, including interactions with students, the local health department, contact tracers and faculty.
  • Contact each student who has a positive daily health screen and triage their symptoms to clear them for activity on campus.
  • Daily monitoring of all Isolated students on campus with COVID-19. Periodic monitoring of students at home with COVID-19 and students in quarantine who had contact with a person with COVID-19.
  • Providing Orientation material to students to explain new protocols at the Health Center developed in response to COVID-19. In addition, new Orientation materials created to reinforce how to mitigate the pandemic.
  • Supporting the New Paltz campus community as they cope with the effects of the pandemic.
  • Prepared for 2900 resident students to return to campus (there are now about 1645 students in residence, but the campus prepared this summer to support the higher number).
  • Many students had put off health care during the spring and summer of 2020, so we prepared to be ready to provide catch up care.

Athletic Fee

Estimated annual revenue $2.9 Million during a typical, non-pandemic year

Regular Services Provided:

  • 17 intercollegiate athletic teams: 350 student athletes. While fall athletic competition has been suspended by the SUNY Athletic Conference, our coaches are continuing to provide small group training to our athletes.
  • Intramural activities: 400 teams and 1300 participants annually. Reduced capacity due to COVID-19.
  • Outdoor pursuit trips: 725 participants annually. Cancelled for fall 2020 due to COVID-19.
  • Dozens of group classes per week (yoga, Pilates, spin, etc.). Being held remotely – see below.
  • Provide facility space to 17 competitive club sports teams, three semi-competitive club sports teams and nine recreational/instructional clubs. Most club teams on hold due to COVID-19.
  • Access to the Athletic and Wellness Center and swimming pool for general health and conditioning activities
  • Access to intramural courts for basketball, tennis, etc. Tennis & Pickleball only due to COVID; Access to outdoor track/turf fields available.

New additions in response to COVID-19:

  • Seven E-Sports intramural leagues (In each league, the top two teams advance to SUNY E-Sports Tournament)
  • All group fitness classes are being streamed live via zoom for remote participants. Use this link to access those remote classes.
  • Multiple late-night weekend program offerings: Yoga Under the Stars, Soccer Tennis, Mafia, Martial Arts, Lawn Games and Foot Golf, all with prizes for the winners.
  • Weeklong tournaments for Home Run Derby, Giant Connect Four, Corn Hole
  • Personal Training App for all students (to be implemented by the end of September)
  • Other virtual offerings: Trick Shot Challenge and Virtual Progression Race 1 to 10K