The State University of New York's updated COVID-19 vaccine and booster policy is as follows:

1. All students are strongly encouraged to stay up to date on their initial course of vaccinations and boosters consistent with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. While vaccines are not required at this time as a condition of enrollment, SUNY reserves the authority to change this policy at any time because of changes in local conditions or due to requirements imposed by Federal, State or local authorities.
2. Students enrolled in any program or course or who are participating in a clinical or internship held at a third-party location must continue to comply with all health and safety guidelines, including any vaccination or testing protocols that are in place at the third-party location. Certain employees, students, and volunteers at healthcare facilities, including SUNY healthcare facilities and hospitals, may be subject to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination pursuant to relevant regulations and policies.
3. Campuses may, due to changes in local conditions and after consultation with Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Health & Hospital Affairs, and the SUNY General Counsel, choose to keep their current policy in place, or impose additional vaccine requirements, including a requirement for any boosters, for other campus activities including access to certain campus facilities.

 “Students” are defined as any individuals matriculated or otherwise enrolled full-time or part-time at SUNY facilities including visiting, auditing, exchange, continuing education (examples include CASAC, HSE and ESL, among others) and international students taking in-person courses. The policy excludes individuals in workforce training programs arranged through their employer or concurrently enrolled high school students taking courses located at the high school.

Students participating in clinicals or internships held at a third-party location must comply with all health, safety, vaccine and testing protocols in place at that location.

The State of New York and the SUNY System Administration have developed an online vaccination tracking system. New students, or newly vaccinated students, will be required to upload vaccination information to this system or provide the information to the Wellness Center.

• All new and transfer students to the College must use Med+Proctor to submit immunization and COVID-19 vaccine records at MedProctor.com.
• Returning, continuing or visiting students upload your vaccination card to the Wellness Center.

COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students enrolled in health professions programs (Dental Hygiene, Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Phlebotomy, Physical Therapist Assistant and Radiologic Technology) whose academic progress depends on clinical placement.

Clinical partner agencies and other external organizations may have COVID-19 vaccination requirements that differ from SUNY Orange’s vaccine policies.  Many of the College's clinical partner agencies require COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all students placed at their clinical site(s). This is a clinical agency policy and is beyond the College’s control. SUNY Orange is bound by SUNY policy, which does allow students to be part of our programs and on-campus with a vaccine exemption.

Each clinical partner agency sets its own requirements for students. At this time, all major clinical partner agencies and external organizations with whom the College has clinical agreements have required students to obtain a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine. The exceptions granted by SUNY do not apply to the clinical partner agencies.

Students who choose not to comply with the clinical partner agency COVID-19 vaccination requirement may face serious delays toward degree completion. Because of the complexities of arranging clinical placements and the likely increase in clinical sites that require COVID-19 vaccination, College staff may not be able to rearrange clinical placements for students who refuse or are unable to meet a clinical agency’s vaccination requirement. Failure to meet clinical education outcomes will hinder students' ability to complete their degree program.

Successful completion of clinical-based learning is a requirement of all our health professions programs, mandated by accreditation and/or state or national certification or licensure boards.  Maintaining the integrity of the programs we offer and having our students graduate from accredited programs provides them with the greatest opportunity for gainful employment and success. This is of vital importance to SUNY Orange and to our community.

Please contact the Department Chair of your Health Professions Program if you have any questions.

Students in concurrent enrollment programs must follow the health and safety guidelines and protocols of the location at which they receive instruction. If the course is delivered at their high school, they must follow the local school district guidelines. If a student takes a course on a SUNY Orange campus, they must follow the guidelines set forth in this plan (as well as updates and amendments to the plan communicated as situations change). Dual-enrolled high school students will be subject to vaccine and testing requirements as designated by New York State and local health departments, as well as guidelines provided by local school districts. However, dual-enrolled high school students who wish to access library or other available services on a SUNY Orange campus must show proof of vaccination (even if vaccination is not required by the student’s high school).

SUNY Orange endorses a “mask-optional” atmosphere for on-campus classes, events and activities. The College supports an individual’s choice to mask in any space for any reason and strongly endorses an “I Mask, Don’t Ask” College environment. Should local conditions dictate, the College may need to return to mandatory indoor masking to protect the health and safety of our College community. A decision to return to mandated indoor masking will be made in consultation with the Orange County Department of Health.

SUNY Orange will follow CDC, State DOH, and local health department recommendations regarding the use of personal protective equipment. See section “Guidance on Mask Compliance” above. Distribution of PPE, as needed, will be through a work order process specifically for this purpose. PPE will also be available via the Safety and Security Offices (for ad-hoc pickup by students and employees as needed) and can also be found in mask-dispensing stands stationed in buildings across both campuses. The College delivery van will also maintain a stockpile of PPE for response to emergent needs as it makes its rounds on campus).

The College maintains an inventory of soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, masks, gloves, aprons, face shields, and other commonly used PPE.

Visitors will be permitted on campus for events and activities during the Fall 2023 semester, and will be expected to follow the masking guidelines set forth in this policy, or as amended should the College determine indoor masking is required at any point during the Fall 2023 semester.

If you are feeling unwell, or are experiencing COVID-related symptoms, we ask that you do not come to campus for any purpose.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to perform daily self-health screenings for infectious illnesses, including COVID-19.  Anyone with signs or symptoms of infectious illness should stay home when sick, seek medical care if necessary and take measures to avoid contact with others.

Modalities for individual Fall 2023 courses can be found in the “Search Courses” section of Self Service Banner, accessible via the College website and within MySUNYOrange.

Refer to the search options: Campus and Instructional Method to view class delivery options (where and how your class will be taught):

Campus and type of Instructional Method:

M = Middletown or N = Newburgh campuses: Options include

• Traditional:in-person instruction, on-campus, weekly on designated days and time.
• Hybrid:mix of in-person, on-campus and online learning that integrates some on-campus synchronous (real-time) instruction at the designated days/times indicated on the schedule and some asynchronous (ASYNCH or on your own time) instruction.

V = Virtual Campus Online: Options include

• Distance Learning Asynchronous:fully remote/online learning with asynchronous instruction (VIR WWW or on your own time). There are no designated days/times for real-time instruction; while you work with your instructor to learn, you do not see your instructor.
• Distance Learning Synchronous:remote synchronous (RS)/online learning with real-time instruction (synchronous). You meet with the instructor, weekly, at the designated days/times indicated on the schedule.
• Distance Learning Synchronous & Asynchronous:remote/online learning that integrates remote synchronous (RS or real-time) instruction at the designated days/times (that’s when you see your instructor) indicated on the schedule and asynchronous (ASYNCH or on your own time) instruction.

O = Off-Campus: In-person component will be held at a location other than our Middletown or Newburgh campuses.

SUNY Orange’s Fall 2023 academic calendar is posted online.

College spaces scheduled for use during the Fall 2023 semester will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected (instructional spaces, labs, restrooms, hallways, handrails, doorknobs, light switches, stairwells, etc.) prior to the start of the semester.

Once the semester begins, cleaning and disinfection schedules will follow CDC guidelines. Classrooms and common spaces will be cleaned once per day with high-touch areas being done more frequently, as needed. Custodial staff will be available to address un-scheduled clean-up situations that may arise. Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be available in all classrooms.

In accordance with SUNY guidance, SUNY Orange has increased outdoor airflow and ventilation rates in indoor settings to the extent compatible with individual comfort and safety. All building systems have been improved and interior rooms have been outfitted with additional filtration systems.

Each college has identified a Campus Safety Monitor who serves as that institution’s liaison with SUNY. The CSM will have the responsibility of coordinating the ongoing campus compliance with all COVID-19 related guidance. SUNY Orange’s Campus Safety Monitor is Paul Martland, vice president for administration and finance.

The Wellness Center is open to all students, free of charge, offering wellness and mental health services. Its programs are designed to promote health education and wellness for our campus community.

The Wellness Center will follow and monitor the guidance of the American College Health Association, CDC, the New York State Department of Health, SUNY, and the Orange County Department of Health. The Wellness Center will provide multiple means of educating the College community on how to stay safe and on evolving guidance related to infection control procedures.

Students and employees are also encouraged to utilize community-based mental health resources and QPR suicide prevention training through links provided on the Wellness Center website.

Incidents of non-compliance with SUNY or campus protocols will be handled as violations of the SUNY Orange Student Code of Conduct (students) or addressed by Human Resources (employees).

Any student, faculty, or staff testing positive for COVID-19 must isolate in accordance with Orange County Department of Health (OCDOH) guidelines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to provide these guidelines in the event you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19.