SUNY’s vaccine policy is now in effect. Unvaccinated students: Here’s what you need to do now
Following the FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, all SUNY students are now required to show proof of full vaccination by Sept. 27, 2021.
Those who do not comply will be withdrawn from in-person classes at SUNY New Paltz, per SUNY’s policy.
Any of the three vaccines currently available in the U.S. (Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer or Moderna) will meet this requirement.
Unvaccinated students must take action now to comply with SUNY’s policy. If you have not yet received at least the first dose of a vaccine, here’s what you need to do:
Getting vaccinated
The vaccines are safe, free and widely available. The U.S. government, State of New York and Ulster County all offer resources to help you find an appointment:
Vaccines.gov – search by zip code and find an appointment
New York State-run Vaccine Sites – appointments available at venues across the state
Ulster County Vaccine Resource Center – info on local clinics, transportation and in-home options
Vaccine appointments for students may also be available at the Health Center. Please call at (845) 257-3400 to check availability and schedule.
If you choose to receive the Moderna two-dose vaccine:
You must get your first dose no later than Aug. 30, 2021.
Moderna requires four weeks between the first and second dose.
Getting your first dose by Aug. 30 means you will be able to get your second dose by Sept. 27.
You must upload proof of vaccination no later than Sept. 27 to remain enrolled. No exceptions.
If you choose to receive the Pfizer two-dose vaccine:
You must get your first dose no later than Sept. 6, 2021.
Pfizer requires three weeks between the first and second dose.
Getting your first dose by Sept. 6 means you will be able to get your second dose by Sept. 27.
You must upload your proof of vaccination by Sept. 27 to remain enrolled. No exceptions.
*PLEASE NOTE: Sept. 6 is Labor Day. Some vaccine providers may be unavailable on the holiday. We recommend scheduling your first-dose appointment before Sept. 6.
If you choose to receive the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine:
You must get your first dose no later than Sept. 6, 2021, and upload your proof of vaccination no later than Sept. 7.
SUNY New Paltz wants every student to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. We are setting this deadline as a measure to help increase community inoculation and protect our students, faculty and staff.
*PLEASE NOTE: Sept. 6 is Labor Day. Some vaccine providers may be unavailable on the holiday. We recommend scheduling your first-dose appointment before Sept. 6.
Providing Proof of Vaccination
New Paltz students MUST upload proof of their two-shot vaccination series no later than Sept. 27, 2021, to comply with SUNY’s policy. No exceptions.
You can do so using the COVID-19 Profile at my.newpaltz.edu.
The College will accept proof of vaccination after the final dose in a sequence (one dose of Johnson & Johnson, or the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna).
Please do not wait two weeks after your final dose to provide proof of vaccination – you can upload it as soon as you’ve gotten your final shot.
Sept. 1 deadline to request an exemption
New Paltz students who have legitimate and documentable medical or religious reasons why they cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccine have until Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, to submit their exemption request.
This deadline is necessary to allow time to review exemption requests and, if they are denied, allow students enough time to be vaccinated before Sept. 27.
Medical exemption requests must be accompanied by a doctor’s note.
Religious exemption requests require a notarized signature.
Forms and instructions are available at the Student Health Service website.
Students who do not comply will be withdrawn from classes and will have tuition liability
SUNY’s policy is clear that students who do not meet the vaccination requirement or get approved for an exemption will not be allowed on campus.
They will be withdrawn from classes that meet on campus and will have a “W” on their transcript for these classes. Withdrawal will begin after Sept. 27. Unvaccinated students will not be withdrawn from fully online classes.
The SUNY tuition and fee refund policy remains in effect for any student who refuses to receive a vaccine and is not approved for an exemption. Per that policy and our tuition refund schedule, students who are withdrawn after Sept. 27 will have full liability for their tuition and student service fees and will not be refunded. Withdrawal may also impact financial aid.
Students who are withdrawn due to vaccination non-compliance will have a registration hold put on their accounts and will be unable to sign up for future classes until they provide proof of vaccination.
Students may not request a change in course modality to avoid receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, and faculty may not accommodate such requests received.
No new remote learning options will be created for students who do not want to get a COVID-19 vaccine, outside of courses already offered remotely.
If you have no intention to be vaccinated…
Students who do not qualify for an exemption and do not intend to be vaccinated should understand they will be withdrawn from classes after Sept. 27, and will have incurred 100% tuition and fee liability at that point, and should plan accordingly.
You may be able to find options for switching to a fully online course schedule. The deadline to change courses is Sept. 5. Please be advised that seats in online courses are limited, and may not be available in the sections you require for your degree.
Students who wish to remain unvaccinated while taking a fully online course schedule must have no physical presence on campus at all for the entirety of the academic term. Students in this situation must submit an attestation to the College that states they understand they will not be allowed to use any SUNY facility unless they submit proof of vaccination or are granted an exemption.
You may also wish to change your registration before the add/drop deadline for tuition refunds. See our tuition refund schedule here.
Limited medical accommodations for special circumstances
Students with a recent COVID-19 diagnosis may be directed by their physician to wait before getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Students with a doctor’s note to this effect can contact the Student Health Service at 845-257-3400 to request an accommodation. Any such accommodations will be at the discretion of the College.
International students who received a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized or approved by the FDA or the WHO may apply for a temporary medical accommodation to allow them time to become fully vaccinated. Any such accommodations will be at the discretion of the College.
Medical accommodations are only temporary stays of this policy. Any student who receives a medical accommodation for these reasons will need to get a COVID-19 vaccination eventually, per SUNY policy.