“One of the most academically prepared groups we’ve seen”: SUNY New Paltz to welcome incoming class of 2022
NEW PALTZ – More than 1,100 first-year students and about 600 transfer students will join the SUNY New Paltz community this fall, as the College prepares to welcome a diverse and academically strong incoming class for the 2022-23 school year.
An additional 800 graduate students will be on campus this fall, with total enrollment at New Paltz exceeding 7,200.
“The incoming class of 2022 is one of the most academically prepared groups we’ve seen,” said Jeff Gant, vice president for enrollment management. “These are students who have already enjoyed meaningful successes as scholars, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and volunteers, and we’re so excited for all that they’ll accomplish during their time at New Paltz.”
New first-year students and their families will begin arriving and settling into their new on-campus homes on Move-In Day, Aug. 25. The Welcome Week festivities will continue on Aug. 26 with the annual Convocation tradition, as current students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrate the newest members of the Orange & Blue community.
SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler will participate in these activities for the first time since he took office in July.
Returning students will continue to arrive through the weekend before classes begin on Aug. 29.
The fall 2022 incoming class at a glance
Some key facts about the newest SUNY New Paltz students:
Our new students are academically accomplished and well-prepared
Average high school GPA for first-year students: 92.5
Average college GPA for transfer students: 3.4
Our new students come from diverse backgrounds
According to Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classifications, about 58% of incoming first-year and transfer students at New Paltz self-identify as white, and 37% self-identify as non-white (Hispanic of any race, Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific, Two or more races or International), with an additional 5% for whom race/ethnicity is unknown.
Our new students are looking at a wide variety of majors
The most popular majors for new first-year students include Psychology, Early Childhood Education, Biology, Art Education and Computer Science.
The most popular majors for new transfer students include Psychology, Early Childhood Education, English and Computer Science.
The College also saw significant enrollment increases this year in the new Bachelor of General Studies program. The degree, which can be earned fully online, is designed to help students with some college credits finish their degrees and expand their professional opportunities.
A new academic year brings a new campus leader
The 2022-23 academic year marks the first in President Darrell P. Wheeler’s tenure at SUNY New Paltz.
Wheeler, who took office on July 18, 2022, served most recently as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Iona College, and also has experience working within the SUNY system from his time as Dean of the School of Social Welfare and Vice President for Public Engagement at the University at Albany.
“As New Paltz’s next President, I will promote the academic opportunities at the University; the prominence and impact of its institutional members (students, faculty and staff); its community and regional relevance; and success in advancing the social mobility of its graduates,” President Wheeler said upon his appointment by the SUNY Board of Trustees.
President Wheeler will formally introduce himself to the campus community at a Welcome Address on Friday, Aug. 26, before participating in our annual Convocation tradition welcoming new students. An Inauguration is being planned for spring 2023.
COVID-19 policies and the SUNY vaccination requirement
SUNY New Paltz has returned to a primarily on-campus living and learning environment, with full occupancy in student residence halls and a majority of courses being delivered in person this fall.
COVID-19 remains a reality, and a number of new and continuing health and safety policies will be in place to protect the campus community.
Chief among these is the SUNY-wide requirement that all public college students in New York State be vaccinated against COVID-19 (or have an approved exemption).
The College will require all students and employees to test for COVID-19 the week before classes begin (Aug. 21-27). Results from both PCR and at-home antigen tests will be accepted.
Many other practices, including mandatory surveillance testing for unvaccinated students and isolation for anyone who tests positive, will be in effect.
More information about fall 2022 COVID-19 policies at SUNY New Paltz can be found here.
New programs prepare students for a green-energy future
The State of New York is working toward an ambitious and comprehensive Clean Energy Standard, and New Paltz is part of the effort to prepare young professionals for rewarding careers in these fields.
A new program for engineering students is training them on all aspects of wind turbine development, from design and manufacture to installation and maintenance, to support the state’s effort to make offshore wind energy a major source of affordable, renewable power.
Sustainability has long been imbued in programs and disciplines across the New Paltz curriculum, and the number of courses and programs with an environmental focus continues to grow. Students can now search for courses with a sustainability focus when making their schedules. Many of these courses can be applied as electives in the College’s new major in Environmental Science.