New Paltz students must show proof of vaccination to live on campus in fall 2021
All SUNY New Paltz students who intend to live in on-campus housing during the fall 2021 semester MUST show proof of vaccination before moving in, with limited medical and religious exemptions.
Unlike the SUNY-wide requirement that all students be vaccinated this fall, the residence hall vaccination requirement is not contingent on full FDA approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. SUNY permits individual campuses to enact housing regulations and policies based on vaccination status, as long as they comply with New York’s exemption requirements.
For most students, that means:
1) You must get both shots of a two-shot sequence (Moderna or Pfizer), or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and have two weeks pass after the final dose;
2) AND, you must upload your vaccination info to your New Paltz COVID-19 Profile at newpaltz.edu no later than Aug. 17, 2021 (or, for those scheduled for an early move-in, at least two business days before arrival).
Below, you’ll find more information about how to get vaccinated, upload your info, and set yourself up for a smooth, safe and normal check-in process when you arrive at your New Paltz residence hall.
How to get a vaccine appointment
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and free. They’re now available at most local pharmacies, so it’s easy and convenient to get your shots.
Click here to find a location near you and get started today.
How to submit your vaccine information
Once you’re vaccinated, it’s quick and easy to log into my.newpaltz.edu and upload your information.
Behind schedule? We have a Provisional option for you!
We’ve created a Provisional Approval Process to accommodate students who haven’t started the vaccination process.
This option is only available to students who receive their full vaccination (two shots for Moderna and Pfizer or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson) by the time they move to campus, but are still waiting for two weeks to pass after their final dose to reach “fully vaccinated” status.
Students who are in Provisional Approval status must comply with all policies for unvaccinated students. These include:
A pre-arrival COVID-19 test taken no more than five days before your arrival to campus, OR an attestation of a 10-day quarantine;
Weekly COVID-19 testing;
Wearing masks and maintaining social distance on campus where practicable;
Daily COVID-19 Screening through my.newpaltz.edu;
And exclusion from activities that require full vaccination, such as the first-year and transfer student camping trip.
These requirements for students in Provisional Approval will end two weeks after you get your final vaccine dose, when you attain “fully vaccinated” status and receive regular approval to live on campus.
If you do not upload your vaccination info by Aug. 17 (or, for those scheduled for an early move-in, at least two business days before arrival), you’ll need to provide physical proof of vaccination on the day you come to campus to move in (either an original vaccine card – not a photo – or an Excelsior Pass). You’ll still need to upload the info through the online portal, too.
Info about vaccine exemptions
Students who are approved for a medical or religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement must submit their approval forms through the my.newpaltz.edu portal by Aug. 17 (or, for those scheduled for an early move-in, at least two business days before arrival). The forms to request a medical or religious exemption are available here.
Please note that students with an exemption must comply with all pre-arrival testing and quarantine requirements, and with weekly testing, daily screening and masking policies for unvaccinated individuals. Residence Life may need to change your room assignment based on vaccination status. As is the case with any health emergency, should there be an increase in cases, unvaccinated students may be required to leave campus.
What are the benefits of this policy?
Requiring all resident students to be vaccinated helps us provide a more normal college experience this fall, while also protecting the health and safety of our community.
Students who are fully vaccinated this fall will not be required to wear masks, socially distance, do the Daily COVID-19 Screening or the weekly COVID-19 tests. Unvaccinated students will be required to do all of these things.
Having all our resident students vaccinated also allows the College to return to our standard visitation and guest policies in residence halls for fully vaccinated students.
Read more here about our visitation policies for fall 2021.
If you have questions about these policies, you can contact:
The Office of Residence Life (for campus housing questions): reslife@newpaltz.edu
The Student Health Service (for COVID-19 and vaccine questions): healthservice@newpaltz.edu