Under the reopening plan for SUNY New Paltz, on-campus students will be coming to town this week. The number and type of in-person classes has been reduced, as has been the number of people living in the dorms. The semester will end November 25, prior to Thanksgiving, to avoid the risk of an outbreak in the days thereafter. Students are not receiving a break in tuition and fees, but administrators say that they will be receiving all the instruction and services for which they have paid.
Students will be expected to wear masks whenever they are on the campus outside of their private rooms, and no visitors will be allowed in the residence halls this semester.
With classes starting August 25, moving in will be controlled in advance of that date. International students will arrive August 5, new domestic students will move in August 16-18. Other returning students will set up housekeeping August 20-23. Drop-off days, to minimize congestion during those periods, began July 26.
Much of the reopening depends upon self-regulated behavior. Students are expected to quarantine themselves for seven to 14 days — depending on where they were living before — ahead of moving in, and to do the same if they travel. They will be allowed to leave campus freely. Rather than requiring a lab test for the virus, students and staff members will have to submit the results of a self-screening for symptoms daily. Those failing the screening will likely be tested, and on-campus students who test positive will be moved to Awosting Hall, which is being reserved for that purpose. Off-campus students won’t be able to return to campus until they are cleared.