The State University of New York New Paltz
New Paltz, NY | Public SchoolSchool’s WebsiteOverview:
Check out why The State University of New York New Paltz received an F grade in our Report Card below.
SUNY New Paltz is a public university located in suburban New Paltz, New York. The campus is situated on 257 acres with access to natural and manmade waterways. It has more than 200 student clubs and organizations, including club sports, fraternities, and sororities with events held throughout each semester. Students at SUNY New Paltz can dine at local establishments, enjoy cultural attractions, tour wineries, or visit the Mohonk Preserve. The university is best known for its business and liberal arts and sciences degree programs.
SUNY New Paltz offers more than 100 undergraduate majors for students to explore. Notable former students include American actor John Turturro, songwriter Josh Kaufman, former mayor of New Paltz Jason West, and American playwright Karolyn Nelke.
Fast Facts:
REPORT CARD:
SUNY New Paltz receives a “C” grade by What Will They Learn? which takes into account the university’s educational prowess. Factors include composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “D+” grade for the Average Salary of Recent Graduates. As of 2021, alumni with 0-5 years of experience after graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a bachelor’s degree make $51,200 on average according to Payscale.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “D+” grade for the Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career. As of 2021, alumni with 10+ years of experience after graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a bachelor’s degree make $90,000 on average according to Payscale.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “D+” grade for the Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private). In 2020, 61% of graduates accumulated student debt from federal and/or private sources according to The Institute for College Access & Success.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “B-” grade for the Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private). In 2020, graduates accumulated $26,403 of debt on average from federal and/or private sources according to The Institute for College Access & Success.
SUNY New Paltz receives an “F” grade for Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff. New York State compliance training for state employees does not appear to include any equity-based trainings. However, the “Our commitment to become an anti-racist campus” page lists one goal as “Continue to Diversify Faculty, Staff, and Students.”
The “Progress to Date” portion says:
“All faculty and staff now must complete training on cultural competence and implicit bias..Faculty and staff serving on search committees must complete a series of trainings that address bias in recruitment and hiring and best practices for more inclusive recruitment practices.”
SUNY New Paltz’s “Training for All Employees” lists “Cultural Competency” as one of the required trainings.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “C” grade for having a Bias Reporting System but not a Bias Response Team. Bias Reporting Systems and Response Teams are systems or teams of faculty, staff, and sometimes law enforcement.
According to SpeechFirst, students are “encouraged to report ‘bias incidents’ to these boards (or teams) in the name of inclusion and tolerance, but it’s often unclear what the school considers ‘bias’ in the first place. Overly broad or vague definitions of bias put all kinds of speech at risk of being reported – even unpopular speech which is protected by the First Amendment.”
SUNY New Paltz receives an “F” grade for the Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs. Out of a list of 20 clubs (10 on each side), the university has zero right-leaning clubs compared to four left-leaning clubs. Black Lives Matter School Collective, LGBTQ Community at New Paltz, New Paltz Pride, and the Social Justice Coalition are the left-leaning clubs.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “C” grade due to having no active Turning Point USA chapter. The university has not denied a Turning Point USA chapter on campus.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “D” grade for In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants. According to SUNY’s Frequently Asked Questions on Immigration Policy and Law Relating to Students:
“New York State law also allows undocumented individuals to qualify for lower resident tuition rates if the student graduated from a New York State high school after attending for at least two years, or if the student received a GED after attending a New York GED exam preparation program, as long as the student applied for SUNY admission within 5 years of receiving a diploma or GED.”
SUNY also provides additional criteria that make students eligible for resident tuition rates.
SUNY New Paltz receives an “F” grade for Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students. The university requires students to take one course within the “Diversity: Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice” category. SUNY learning outcomes state:
“Students will describe the historical and contemporary societal factors that shape the development of individual and group identity involving race, class, and gender; analyze the role that complex networks of social structures and systems play in the creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression, and opportunity; and apply the principles of rights, access, equity, and autonomous participation to past, current, or future social justice action.”
Courses include:
- “Race, Class, Gender, and Social Justice in Teaching”
- “Feminist Philosophy”
- “Introduction to Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies”
SUNY New Paltz receives an “A” grade for Protests and Canceling Speakers. Since 2021, no instances of protests, speech cancellations, or violence/attempted violence against speakers have occurred.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “C” grade for Mask and Vaccine Mandates. According to the university’s COVID-19 Info & Resources page:
“On April 11, 2023, SUNY announced the end of the emergency COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for students at the 64 SUNY campuses, coinciding with the official end of the national public health emergency. COVID-19 vaccines are no longer required for students, though SUNY New Paltz and the SUNY system continue to strongly recommend that all students, faculty, and staff stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination.”
SUNY also provides links to its COVID-19 Guidelines and the SUNY press release announcing the end of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
SUNY New Paltz receives a “D+” grade for the Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees. According to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Center (IPEDS), as of 2020, 4.14% of the current undergraduate student population graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree. Across the United States, students who graduate with STEM degrees tend to earn more on average than their other student counterparts.
SUNY New Paltz receives an “A-” grade for Crime Rates in University City or Town. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Paltz, New York violent crime rate was 142.10 per 100,000 people in 2018, much lower than the 2018 national average of 380.56 per 100,000 people. While campus safety is of utmost importance, it is also pertinent to consider the crime rates of the surrounding town or city as students often tend to venture off campus, especially after their freshman year.
SUNY New Paltz receives an “A” grade for Required Western Civilization Courses for Students. According to the SUNY New Paltz general education requirements, students must take at least 3 credit hours of both “Western Civilization” and “United States Studies” courses.