COVID-19
SUNY Ulster Campus Plan - 2022-23 Academic Year
AMENDED 9/15/22:
SUNY recently announced updated Fall 2022 COVID-19 guidance (9.6.22), and SUNY Ulster will move forward with implementation for 22-23.
OVERVIEW OF PLAN AND PURPOSE
SUNY Ulster continues to follow all required public health protocols to reduce, mitigate and control the spread of COVID-19.
This plan adheres to all of SUNY's required health and safety protocols to ensure the safety of all students, staff, and faculty. These measures are subject to change, and updated plans will be circulated in the event that additional guidance is issued or updated.
2022-23 General Guidelines
The Vice President for Administrative Services, Jamie Capuano serves as SUNY Ulster’s Campus Safety Monitor. Vice President Capuano serves as the central reporter for all COVID-19 compliance reports, including daily COVID-19 testing data*, positive case reports, and quarantine status. (*COVID-19 Dashboard: SUNY no longer requires daily reporting of weekly COVID-19 testing data and will no longer maintain the SUNY COVID-19 Dashboard. (9.6.22)
Information requests and questions regarding COVID-19 compliance shall be directed to Vice President Capuano at capuanoj@sunyulster.edu and Health Services at healthservices@sunyulster.edu.
PROOF OF VACCINATION
Student Vaccination Requirement:
All SUNY Ulster students attending in-person classes on the Stone Ridge, or Kingston Center campus of SUNY Ulster are required to provide proof of vaccination, or obtain a medical or religious exemption from such a requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to keep up to date with COVID-19 booster recommendations outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SUNY Ulster students taking coursework offsite must follow the guidelines and requirements of the host site.
Employee Vaccine Mandate:
In November 2021, the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees approved policy 4.20 - SUNY Ulster Coronavirus Vaccination Policy. This policy mandates that all employees are vaccinated by December 23, 2021, or receive a medical or religious exemption from such policy.
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Face Coverings:
- Effective June 2022, face coverings are optional for all students and employees.
- Face coverings are optional for visitors who show proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated visitors are required to wear face coverings while indoors.
- The College will follow the CDC’s guidelines based on the County’s community transmission levels.
- In the event that the County is listed in “high” status, the College will require face coverings in all indoor settings, including classrooms on the Stone Ridge and Kingston Center campus of SUNY Ulster, regardless of vaccination status, unless working alone at one's desk, eating, or drinking.
Quarantine:
Fully Vaccinated Students/Employees: An individual who tests positive who is fully vaccinated, are released from quarantine after day five, if they remain asymptomatic, with day zero counting as the day an individual tests positive. Students/Employees must wear face coverings while indoors on SUNY Ulster Campuses for days 6-10. Health Services will provide employees/students with a well-fitting mask.
Unvaccinated Students/Employees: An individual who tests positive, is required to quarantine for at least five days. Individuals are released from quarantine if they remain asymptomatic after five days.
Daily Health Screening:
Visitors to the Stone Ridge and KCSU Campus are required to complete daily health screenings and check in at the Public Safety Office located in the Hasbrouck building on the Stone Ridge Campus and the lobby of KCSU.
Surveillance COVID Testing:
In partnership with SUNY Upstate Medical and Quadrant Biosciences, SUNY Ulster offers on-campus pooled COVID-19 testing.
Students and employees with approved medical or religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate will no longer be required to participate in weekly surveillance testing. Testing will still be offered for students and employees who would like to participate on a voluntary basis. On-campus testing remains available for all SUNY Ulster students and employees who are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19.
Data Management
If a student, faculty, or staff member obtains a positive COVID-19 test result from an outside testing agency, or they are placed under mandatory or precautionary quarantine, they are required to notify SUNY Ulster Health Services at healthservices@sunyulster.edu.
Contact Tracing:
- In the event an on-site employee or student tests positive for COVID-19, Health Services
will conduct on-campus contact tracing. Individuals may also be contacted by the
Ulster County Department of Health regarding additional quarantine guidelines.
- If an employee or on-site student tests positive for COVID-19, all students who are
determined to have been in contact with the COVID-19 positive individual, such student
or faculty member will be contacted by Health Services through their SUNY Ulster email
regarding the exposure.
- Pursuant to CDC guidelines, asymptomatic, fully vaccinated individuals are not required
to quarantine due to exposure to a COVID-19 positive individual. Fully vaccinated
individuals are required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing for 14 days.
However, if a fully vaccinated individual tests positive, or has symptoms related
to COVID-19, they are required to quarantine pursuant to COVID-19 guidelines.
- If a student is quarantined, they must be cleared by health services prior to returning. Instructions regarding this will be shared in quarantine notifications to students.
Personal Protective Equipment
Facemasks will be available for pickup upon arrival on campus. Replacement cloth face masks will be available for purchase in the SUNY Ulster bookstore online. Replacement disposable face masks are provided by Health Services.
Isolation and Quarantine Rooms
Currently, there are two rooms designated as isolation rooms on the Stone Ridge campus. These rooms are located in our Public Safety office and our Health Services suite. As a non-residential campus, these rooms are designated as isolation rooms in the event that an individual reports to campus with symptoms or develops symptoms related to COVID-19, and they are unable to transport themselves to a medical provider.
Housekeeping Department Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and practices for routine enhanced cleaning and disinfection:
- Hands- Housekeeping employees wear disposable nitrile or latex gloves while removing trash, cleaning restrooms, hand-cleaning any surfaces, and using any chemical products.
- Eyes - Chemical goggles are worn if the splashing of chemicals into the eye is possible. During this period of increased precautions, goggles are disinfected or washed with soap and water after use. Handwashing with soap and water should be performed for at least 20 seconds after handling goggles.
- Face – A face covering or mask is required to be worn when cleaning, when working within six feet of anyone else and when in common areas or shared spaces.
When wearing a face covering, employees are observing the following:
- Make sure that they fit snugly and cover the nose and mouth
- Avoid touching the mask surface. Try to handle by the straps only
- Store in a clean, dry place when not in use
- Wash cloth face masks frequently, especially when soiled or wet. Masks can be washed in warm water and tumbled dry on the high setting
- Replace disposable surgical-style face masks when torn, dirty, or wet. Supplies are limited, and replacements may not be readily available
- Do not become complacent with other protective measures
- Avoid touching the mask or face
- Continue to be vigilant with thorough and frequent hand washing
- Practice respiratory etiquette and cover coughs or sneezes
- Frequently disinfect high touch surfaces and shared equipment
- Practice social distancing – even when wearing masks
ACADEMIC OVERVIEW
As we return to the 2022-23 Academic Year, more classes will be held in a face-to-face format. Approximately 70% of classes will be offered through face-to-face modalities.
On-Site Population
Spring 2022 Semester
As indicated below, approximately 1,017 individuals are projected to be on-site at the Stone Ridge and Kingston Center Campus during the Spring 2022 semester.
ACADEMIC DELIVERY MODALITIES
SUNY Ulster has continued its expanded definitions for delivery modalities in an attempt to provide students with as much information as possible about how courses would be offered. The listing of course modalities is available on SUNY Ulster’s website, the Portal, and on student schedules.
STUDENT SERVICES
Advisement, training, and instructional support:
- All full-time faculty are required to keep a minimum of four office hours per week;
all adjunct faculty are required to keep one office hour per week per course taught.
This is a contractual requirement. Students are sent a newsletter each week with
campus and COVID-19 updates. Student concerns are collected by the Assistant Dean
of Students, who routes them to appropriate offices for resolution.
- Specific training and orientation modules have been developed for students, and will
be presented to them for on-demand use prior to the start of the Spring 2022 Semester,
including How to be successful in a remote environment (planning, time management,
communication with instructors, etc.); and Training in the use of the Learning Management
System (LMS), and the proctoring system (Proctorio). The training will include a
specific focus on self-empowerment to allow students to problem-solve common LMS and
Proctorio issues.
- Individual student issues with technology are referred to the Open SUNY helpdesk or
are addressed locally by the College’s helpdesk or the director of Instructional Technology.
- The College utilizes a structured “Early Warning” system that is initiated by instructors.
Once activated, this system engages both academic advisors and members of the College’s
Center for Academic Planning and Support (CAPS) team, who engage the student to determine the nature of the concern and devise
solutions. Advisors and CAPS experts work with the student and the instructor to alleviate
the concern and maintain contact with the student. Students have access to remote
tutoring (particularly in math and English), and individual, on-site tutoring can
be arranged. Several courses, which have been identified as high-failure, particularly
during the COVID-19 pandemic, have tutors embedded in the course. These tutors hold
scheduled tutorials for students in the course in addition to providing individual
tutoring for students on demand. Students are sent emails from the CAPS center to
suggest success strategies for learning in general and remote learning in particular.
Many faculty hold Zoom or Meet review sessions for students. Staff responsible for
specific cohorts, such as TRIO and EOP have scheduled check-ins with students to gauge
both academic and social performance, and to devise solutions as appropriate.
- Access to OPEN SUNY resources is an aspect of both student and faculty training.
Direct links to these resources are provided to both students and faculty. Faculty
access these at the Center for Teaching and Learning page on the College’s LMS.
- Website access for 70% of classes that will be face-to-face
- The College will use Blackboard, the Learning Management System, for appropriate content delivery in face-to-face classes. Additionally, students may use third-party software as appropriate to the requirements of the course.
Get Instructional and Technology Help:
- Students will be directed to Open SUNY resources. The College is training a group
of staff with student-facing responsibilities to assist in minor Learning Management
System and online difficulties. These “Blackboard Mentors” will be available to students
needing assistance.
- The director of Instructional Technology is a second line of assistance for faculty
who have not been successful in resolving technology issues using the above resources.
- Additionally, SUNY Ulster is adding a Student Focused Help Desk, which is being implemented in response to concerns raised during several Federal Funding Town Hall sessions. This help desk will service students' needs, ranging from IT related issues and questions, to the general “how to questions” and will also assist faculty and staff with IT related issues. It will be centrally located on the Stone Ridge campus to provide easy access for students, staff, and faculty to ensure IT needs are being met and will be staffed by an on-campus staff member as well as students to meet our student’s needs.
Sanctions:
COVID-19 Enforcement:
SUNY Ulster remains committed to the continuous oversight of the College’s COVID-19 Safe Operations plan for the campus community. Therefore, the College will follow the strict enforcement of the Health and Safety Protocols for all members of the College. Students must review and abide by the health and safety measures provided by SUNY Ulster through plans and email communications.
Failure to comply with the College’s guidelines may result in a disciplinary warning, up to and including, suspension from SUNY Ulster. Students are expected to abide by Federal, State, County, and College regulations aimed at providing a safe environment to achieve academic success.
Students may lose access to campus facilities. Other disciplinary actions may be taken by the Student Conduct and/or Human Resources Offices. Student conduct is governed by the campus Code of Conduct.
- Access the SUNY Ulster Student Handbook
- Access College Policies Part One
- Access College Policies Part Two – Other Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Access College Policies Part Three – Judicial Process and Appeals
Consistent with SUNY policy, students who are partially or completely removed from the institution due to a violation are not eligible for refunds.
Request Accommodations for Disabilities
Students who wish to disclose covered disabilities and receive reasonable accommodations for their disabilities should contact Disability Services at disability_services@sunyulster.edu . Additional information can be found here.
Mental Health Services
The College will maintain mental health services at pre-COVID-19 levels. In case of an immediate crisis or crime in progress, call SUNY Ulster Public Safety at 5221 on campus, or 845-687-5221 from non-campus phones. Public Safety staff are available on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or call 911.
To anonymously report a crime or dangerous situation or workplace violence incident 24/7:
- Dial 6060 from on campus or 845-688-6060 from non-campus phones
- Or use the College Portal link to report anonymously
Mental/Behavioral Health Counseling
Contact Ashley Brown, LCSW-R, Crisis Counselor/Student Affairs, 845-687-5192, browna@sunyulster.edu to talk, schedule an appointment or get more information on SUNY Ulster’s services.
If this is an emergency, please call 911, Public Safety at 845-687-5221 or
the mobile mental health unit at 1 844-277-4820.
ACCESS Mobile Mental Health TEAM (Ulster County)
7 days a week, 10am-10pm
844-277-4820
FAMILY of Woodstock 24 hour hotline
845-338-2307
Title IX, Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, Crime Victims Assistance
JAMIE CAPUANO: Title IX Coordinator, Affirmative Action Officer
- 845-687-5051, TitleIX@sunyulster.edu
MEG SHEELEY: Deputy Title IX Coordinator
- 845-688-1946, TitleIX@sunyulster.edu
Ulster County Crime Victims Assistance Program
Call or text to make an appointment: 845-332-5221
- HOTLINE: 845-340-3442
Access additional mental health resources:
New York State Office of Mental Health Crisis Text Line
- Text GOT5 to 741741
Student Services
SUNY Ulster is committed to serving students safely in-person and to keeping our flexible electronic appointments to connect with students as well through pre-scheduled google meets, or other video or teleconferencing tools.
Center for Academic Planning and Support (CAPS)
Face-to-face tutoring services will be available during normal business hours, as well as through the use of Zoom or Meet. Additional tutoring support is available through various online resources, such as NetTutor, provided by the college.
Appointments with staff members of the CAPS center will be scheduled in advance to reduce the density in the Center at any given time. Upon arrival, students will use their SUNY Ulster ID Card to swipe in and will remain in a designated area while waiting to be assisted.
TRIO/Student Support Services
Any in-person counseling meetings with students will be pre-scheduled. Students can choose to meet with their counselors in the TRIO common area if they feel more comfortable with that location. Face masks must be worn at all times.
Counseling meetings with students will also be encouraged through the use of Google Meet, Google Chat or Zoom Conferencing.
A limited number of student computers in the TRIO common area will be available to limit student-to-student. Students will pre-schedule the use of the technology resources. The TRIO common area will not be used for socializing or studying. Hand sanitizer will be available both inside and outside of the TRIO Office.
Mental Health Services
The Counseling Center will see students, faculty, and staff safely through an in-person appointment scheduling basis for the Spring 2022 semester.
Contact Ashley Brown, LCSW-R, Crisis Counselor/Student Affairs, at 845-687-5192, browna@sunyulster.edu to talk, schedule an appointment or get more information on SUNY Ulster’s services.
If this is an emergency, please call 911, Public Safety at 845-687-5221, or the ACCESS Mobile Mental Health Team (Ulster County) at 1 844-277-4820.
Campus Life, Special Events, and Athletics
Campus Life events and Student Activities will be conducted through safe in-person and remote/distance learning formats throughout the spring 2022 semester. Activities include guest speakers via in-person and remote, pre-taped ceremonies, film screenings, panel discussions, online trivia events, and online club/student government meetings.
Special Events will take place through safe in-person and virtual programming opportunities. External facilities usage will be approved on a case by case basis for the spring 2022 semester with priority given to SUNY Ulster student engagement opportunities; pre-approved County and State events/trainings will take place.
Athletics will be conducted in compliance with NJCAA guidelines regarding practices and competition. Athletic activities will comply with all federal, state and local guidelines regarding sports and sporting events.
Plans for the use and cleaning of weight rooms and locker rooms will be determined prior to student use. Student athletes will share in the responsibility for cleaning items after use - this will include weights, workout equipment, and mats to ensure proper cleaning protocols are maintained.
Student Conduct/Mandatory Training
The Student Handbook will be updated to reflect updated information relating to COVID-19 sanctions, protocols, and procedures.
Students will receive an email from the Assistant Dean of Student Services at the beginning of the spring 2022 semester reminding students of COVID-19 sanctions and the need for compliance with protocols.
Title IX
Title IX education, investigations, and accommodations, will continue to be handled remotely:
- Mandatory Title IX Training will take place through online modalities.
- Interviews and training sessions for Student Representatives will be handled remotely
- The Title IX Coordinator will prepare educational materials related to the new Title IX regulations
- Zoom and other video conferencing tools will be used for all meetings for appointments with individual students (addressing their concerns).
