Frequently Asked Questions

Students can view their schedule using the Quick Schedule link in the Student Registration section of myHeliotrope. If the course has a location other than TBA, it is a face-to-face course. If there is not a location designated, the course will be delivered remotely.

Yes, if the new major also requires you to have in-person classes this fall. However, many of the majors requiring in-person instruction also require an audition or portfolio review process, which is usually completed in spring for the following academic year.

Yes, depending on the academic area, a selection of freshmen and senior courses are also designated as requiring in-person instruction.

Yes, students who take classes with remote instruction while on campus will likely be taking those classes from their residence or a computer lab on campus.

Yes, students can opt to attend part-time, though there may be an impact on progress in one’s major, and on financial aid because the student will not have full-time status for the semester. Tuition rates for all SUNY campuses is set centrally by SUNY; Purchase College has no control over tuition.

Yes, it is possible that certain classes may be held outside, weather permitting, so long as the instruction is still suitable to the course subject and course material. This decision will be made at the discretion of the instructor.

Yes, other schools and departments have been having town halls and other discussion forums with their students and will continue to do so.

The college’s Educational Policies Committee will be making this determination for fall 2020, as it did for spring 2020.

Technological requirements will vary by academic program. Your student should contact the Chair/Director of his/her/their School for exact technological requirements and support, if needed, in obtaining what your student needs.

Faculty members will hold office hours at designated times and also by appointment. The delivery of those office hours (virtual or in person) will depend on the faculty member and the course. If your student is having a hard time reaching a faculty member, he/she/they can also reach out to the Board of Study Coordinator and the Chair/Director of his/her/their School.

All professors will make themselves available for student meetings; the mode of interaction (virtual or face to face) will be determined by the individual faculty member.

No, they will not. Zoom Basic accounts are free and allow students to fully participate in college-organized activities including remote learning, events, clubs and organizations, etc. Students can also use Basic Zoom accounts to connect directly with each other.

Yes, faculty and staff are spending all summer redesigning courses. Students will be offered opportunities to learn how to better manage remote access to classes. The TLTC and CTS may be able to offer training and help students and faculty have better hardware and software.

Any student registered for a face-to-face class that does not feel comfortable returning to campus can switch to a different class. We will work with the student to stay with their 8-semester plan as much as possible.

The radius is one hour or less, and you can contact Housing to let them know that you would like to request a housing assignment because you are enrolled in face-to-face courses.

Commuters will follow the same safety protocols as all students and employees of the College. The campus must be accessible to all enrolled students as a matter of equity. Off-campus visitors will be prohibited, and public access will be strictly limited.

All academic areas are aligning their rehearsals to meet the needs of all students enrolled, including commuting students.

Yes. Designated computer labs with reduced density will be open for student use, including printing services. See the Campus Services page for additional information.

The Library will be physically closed, but will continue to provide virtual reference, research, and instructional support. The Library will also offer a contactless pickup service for regular-loan items and/or interlibrary loan items. Students will order materials in advance online, which will then be placed in a designated area for scheduled pickup. For more information about our services please consult our COVID-19 Library Services & Collections Libguide.

 

We have tried to limit in-person courses to those that are required for degree progress and graduation within particular majors.

The Learning Center​ and Einstein Corner will offer free, remote, peer-based tutoring in a variety of subjects and topics, including time management, study skills, and note-taking. To expand our services and help students succeed in off-campus or remote courses, the College will be partnering with ThinkingStorm to provide additional professional tutors via live online tutoring.

Faculty are being encouraged to incorporate the Universal Design for Learning framework into their courses to support all types of learners.

There is a wonderful and free Online Learning Success Guide that takes a holistic approach to helping students adapt and be successful in a remote learning environment. Additional support through free, live, online tutoring is also available through the Learning Center​​.

Meetings with the Office of Disability Resources (ODR) will occur via phone or remote unless meeting in person is necessary. To request academic, housing, or dietary accommodations, please visit ODR online or call the office.

Students new to working with the Office of Disability Resources should follow the steps outlined on our Registering with Our Office webpage to request academic accommodations. Any student who previously requested accommodations and is experiencing a barrier in a course and wishes to discuss additional accommodations should follow our process to submit a supplemental accommodation request via Accommodate.

All components of the Cornerstone Program will be provided remotely.

No, participation in the Cornerstone Program is not considered a special circumstance that would allow students to live on campus.

Yes, a leave of absence is possible, but conservatory students should consult with their Conservatory director in advance to assess potential impact of future course of study, time to graduation, etc. Students should also consult with the Student Financial Services office to learn about impact on financial aid.

First, having a face to face class does not require a student to live on campus, if commuting is an option. Please contact your department directly to see if it is an option for you to make up the work required in this in person class in the spring semester, or at another point before graduation.

Because the colllege is not sure of what the state of housing will be in the spring, housing is not guaranteed. Students may defer, but no housing guarentees can be made at this time.

There is no financial obligation if students choose not to attend prior to the first day of the semester. Deferrals for incoming students and leaves of absence for continuing students usually require that students don’t take classes elsewhere. Read more about Leaves and Withdrawals here and Refunds here.

Refunds are based on a schedule tied to when the student either dropped the classes or submitted paperwork to do so. Read more about the Refund Policy  and about Leaves and Withdrawals.

We will work with international students on a case by case basis to ensure that as many students as possible remain in active visa status. Please do not hesitate to reach out: anne.kern@purchase.edu

Viral testing for COVID-19 will be available through Health Services for students with signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or with recent known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. Faculty and staff must consult with their health care providers for testing.

Yes, students can commute to campus and we will have labs available and WiFi provided in open areas as much as is possible.

We will not be able to run the Loop due to decreased density and health and safety protocols. The Westchester County BeeLine #12 buses run through campus; find those schedules here. They accept MetroCards, which can be purchased through the Parking and Card office during normal business hours.

Club programming and extracurricular activities will continue, but will be reduced and modified for remote delivery based on health and safety protocols.

There will be no athletic competitions in the fall semester. Support will be provided for student athletes to continue to train within safety guidelines. We hope conditions will allow for the resumption of competition in the spring semester.

There will be some opportunities for small gatherings on campus. There are also many useful and engaging tools being moved online to aid in building a sense of community.

We do not have specific dates for the reopening of the Performing Arts Center or the Neuberger Museum at this time. We are working under the guidance of the NYS Forward plan and continue to cautiously evaluate industry standards and recommendations by accrediting agencies.

Yes, the Physical Education building will have open hours for the fitness center in the fall. There will be modified hours and safety and social distance protocols in place, but students will be able to use the cardio equipment (treadmills, bikes, elliptical machines etc.) as well as the weights.

We recognize that senior year is a crucially important part of the college experience, and we will be doing everything we can to make it memorable, exciting, and commemorative for Purchase College seniors in 2020-21.

Our hope is that the conditions will allow us to bring more students back to campus to reside and participate in more in-person instruction. We want our students back. The campus is only here for them.

There is more involved when playing a varsity contact sport then using the fitness center or gym. We can control social distancing in the facility and not at all during a game or practice. We can also clean and sanitize the equipment as well as control the number of people participating inside the facility. We cannot control these aspects during a game. No one wanted to cancel the fall season, however this decision was made with all of our student athletes health and safety in mind.

Athletics staff will remain in constant contact with all of our students athletes. There will be strength programs handed out to all the athletes with weekly zoom meetings to monitor progress and there will be team meetings to monitor academic progress as well. As always, athletics staff will send letters to professors to identify student athletes and then check midterm progress. If student athletes need any academic support, athletics staff will be available to help or arrange help from the Learning Center. The entire Athletics staff will be able to support athletes this fall.

In short, yes. If the Skyline Conference and the NCAA compete in the fall we can still have our nontraditional season and scrimmage in the spring assuming we can do so safely. If the Skyline Conference or the NCAA moves the sport to the spring, and athletes can play safely, the fall sport season will occur in the spring.

During the fall, the Athletics Department will not employ any students or evening recreation supervisors. The building and programs will be staffed with full-time staff. We hope to run our programs as normal in the spring and return to hiring all student staff as in the past.

We cannot bring all students back to live on campus AND meet the guidelines stipulated by the Governor’s phased reopening. Accordingly, we believe our low density approach will meet the guidelines and provide the safest approach to ensure the health and well being of students, faculty, and staff.

Faculty in each area reviewed their curricula and identified the courses/experiences that needed in-person meetings to ensure students can graduate on time according to their 8-semester plans. The in-person was scrutinized heavily.

Only students who cannot commute to access in-person classes are being allowed to live on campus with very clear restrictions in place. All in-person instruction will end at Thanksgiving and students will return home.

Students who wish to cancel their housing assignment will need to contact ceg@purchase.edu as soon as possible.

Only students taking classes with in-person components or those unable to return home will be allowed to live on campus. A few RAs required to oversee residents will also live on campus.

Only those students enrolled in courses designated by the academic programs or majors as requiring in-person instruction will be allowed to live on campus.

No. All programs are using remote instruction.

No. Six of the seven schools have some in-person instruction.