SUNY New Paltz Welcomes New Students

NEW PALTZ – Nearly 1,000 new first-year and 700 new transfer students will join 5,000 continuing undergraduate students and 950 new and continuing graduate students at SUNY New Paltz this fall, creating a near-normal enrollment picture despite uncertainties caused by the pandemic.

Students in the incoming class are exceptionally well-prepared academically and are also a racially diverse cohort, with 46% of new first-year students and 32% of new transfer students coming from traditionally underrepresented racial groups.

“I’m so impressed by the remarkable level of resilience our new and returning students, and their families, have shown in continuing to pursue their educational goals in the wake of disruption caused by this pandemic,” said L. David Eaton, vice president for enrollment management. “This generation of college students will represent a truly exemplary group of graduates who persevered under conditions of adversity and succeeded.”

With nearly 7,700 students enrolled in business, education, fine and performing arts, liberal arts, science and engineering programs, SUNY New Paltz’s total student population for fall 2020 will be nearly identical to where it has been in previous academic years.

Many of these students will be taking partially or fully online course loads this semester, and fewer students will live in on-campus housing than in previous years. Most resident students will move in between Aug. 16 and Aug. 23 (some international students have already arrived). The College will suspend its annual Moving-In Day tradition this year as part of our effort to maintain safe social distancing during the move-in process.

Students have been required to quarantine at home for seven days prior to their arrival to campus, and 14 days if they have travelled internationally or to one of the U.S. states on Governor Cuomo’s Travel Advisory.

Details about these and other new realities at the College are outlined in the New Paltz Forward Reopening Plan, which was developed in accordance with state, local and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and approved by SUNY and the State of New York, to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and protect our students, faculty, staff and surrounding community.

The reopening plan and accompanying FAQs covers topics including:

* Teaching modalities (approximately 75% of courses this semester will be online or hybrid);

* Testing and screening (COVID-19 tests will be available to students on campus, and all students and employees must complete a health questionnaire for every day they plan to be on campus);

* The modified academic calendar (no in-person classes will be held after Thanksgiving break, to allow students and employees to remain at home following holiday travel);

* And much more.

SUNY New Paltz is prepared with a “Pause and Pivot” plan to return to fully remote operations if so directed by the state’s Regional Control Room, SUNY, the Department of Health or another body.