All faculty must remain masked while teaching, per new state policy

The New York Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER) has issued updated guidance requiring universal masking in state offices and facilities.

This new guidance from GOER is largely consistent with masking requirements already in place at SUNY New Paltz. However, it requires us to change our stated policy on faculty members being able to unmask in classrooms.

Effective immediately, instructors are no longer permitted to lower or remove their face coverings in classrooms while teaching or at any time when others are present, pursuant to this new GOER guidance.

The relevant excerpt is as follows:

 

Effective immediately for State agencies with workplaces in areas that are subject to indoor masking due to CDC transmission risk or local government order(s), all individuals must wear masks when indoors, regardless of vaccination status, except when:

alone in an office or room
working at their desk or workstation [if alone and not in shared open space]
actively eating or drinking

 

We recognize that this state-wide change may cause difficulty for students who face communication challenges in the classroom, including hearing or language challenges. Additional guidance will be forthcoming on available accommodations for students, and teaching tools for faculty, to mitigate these challenges.

As we adjust to this new state guidance, we also ask faculty to be attentive to needs of students in your classes and to reach out to them proactively to provide support if they need assistance.

Students can contact the Disability Resource Center for information about services available to ensure all members of our community have access to programs and activities that support their educational success.