New & Increased Fee Proposals
Questions & Answers
Q: What are the proposed new fees?
A: Biology and Chemistry course fees: $30
Geology Transportation fee: $30-90 per course (not all courses)
Music lesson fees: $75 per credit
Summer Parking fee: $12.50 per session or $20 for both summer sessions. This fee pertains to summer-only students and summer program participants. Those who pay for a full year parking permit will not pay additional for the summer. All academic year students and faculty/staff that purchase a valid parking permit for the year are exempt from this summer fee.
Eliminate Reduced Lot fee. All students will pay $60 per year for their parking permit.
Q: Which fees are proposed to be increased?
A:Faculty & Staff Parking registration fee: from $10 to $20 per year
Management/Confidential (as opposed to UUP/CSEA/PEF) Parking fee: from $10 to $60 per year
Visitor Parking fee: from $1.00 to $2.00 per day. A visitor parking permit will now be required year round.
Athletic & Wellness Center Use fee for faculty & staff: from $100 to $200 per year
Q: Why are there new and increased fees when tuition has also been increased?
A: Unfortunately the 2008-09 and 2009-10 state budget enacted by the state legislature and the governor swept 80% of the tuition increase into the state’s general fund. This loss of tuition dollars, combined with deep cuts in the support of our state operating budget for 2009-10 has resulted in a $6 million dollar budget gap.
Our campus plan proposes a series of new and increased fees that are estimated to generate $250,000 of the $6 million dollar gap. These increases allow us to recover more fully the costs of providing the related services and programs.
Q: When will I have to start paying these new fees?
A: Most new fees and increases will go into effect at the beginning of the 2009-10 fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2009.
Students will see biology, chemistry, geology, and music related-fees, if applicable, on their fall 2009 tuition bills, if they are approved by SUNY Central.
Summer parking fees for summer-only students and summer program participants will go into effect on May 26, 2009.
The Reduced Lot fee will not be available for the 2009-10 academic year.
The three increased parking fees are effective September 1 for the 2009-10 academic year.
The increased Athletic and Wellness Center Use fee will be effective August 7, 2009.
Q: How much revenue will these new fees generate?
A: About $250,000 annually
Q: What do the parking fees actually pay for?
A: The $20 registration fee covers the modest costs associated with implementing and maintaining a system for registering those motor vehicles operated on campus. Such costs generally include printing, distribution, fee collection, and record keeping. The $40 parking fee defrays the cost of maintaining and all repairs to the lots – striping, signage, blacktopping, sealing, lighting, etc.
Q: I thought the Faculty/Staff parking registration fee was a negotiated item in the UUP labor contract. How can the campus raise this fee?
A: The contract states that the college is allowed to charge employees in the UUP bargaining unit the cost of registering their vehicle to park on campus. That cost has increased over time. The current actual cost of registering a vehicle to park on campus is $20.
Q: I can never find parking on this campus. How can you increase fees when I often have to circle for a long period of time before finding a spot,
A: Over the last few years, the college has added about 700 new parking spaces – with the West lot just to the south of the new Athletic and Wellness Center and the Wallkill lot near the baseball field and behind Women’s Studies. We have performed parking inventory studies and the results show that on a given day there are about 600 empty spaces at peak times. While they may not be the most convenient or closest to the building you need to get to, most spots are less than a 10-minute walk to most buildings.
For more information about our future plans for the campus, including parking, please read the comprehensive Facilities Master Plan (PDF) released in April 2008.
Q: Which fees are approved locally by the college, and which are approved by SUNY Central or the State?
A: Locally the college may approve:
- All parking and parking registration fees
- Athletic & Wellness Center Use fee for faculty & staff
SUNY Central has to approve the following fee increases.
- Individual course fees for Biology, Chemistry and Geology
- Music lesson fees
Q: What will the new academic course-related fees pay for?
A: In Biology and Chemistry, it will help defray the course-related materials retained by students in those courses. In Geology, it will defray the costs of transportation for geology field trips. In Music, it will defray the cost of adjuncts hired for private music lessons, and for increasing the number and quality of accompanists available for student solo performances.
Q: How much will it cost visitors to purchase a daily parking permit through the Welcome Center or from one of the park and pay machines?
A: The new price will be $2.00 per day, up from $1.00. A visitor parking permit will now be required year round.
Q: What does the Athletic and Wellness Center Use fee pay for?
A: The increase in the Athletic and Wellness Use fee will allow the college to maintain the current operating hours despite increased pressure on the Athletic IFR and allow us to meet the increasing demand for exercise programs that require an instructor.
Q: Who can I contact for further information?
A: Parking and Parking Registration fees: Julie Majak, (845) 257-3270, majakj@newpaltz.edu
Athletic & Wellness Center Use fee: Vice President David Rooney, (845) 257-3260, rooneyd@newpaltz.edu
Academic course fees: Niza Cardona, Director of Student Accounts, (845) 257-3157, cardonan@newpaltz.edu
