Questions & Answers
Q: Which degrees are offered by the Nursing Program at New Paltz?
A: The Nursing Program offers a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Certificate of Advanced Study in Nursing.
Q: How long has there been a Nursing Program at New Paltz?
A: The undergraduate program began in 1981; the graduate program began in 1992; the Certificate of Advanced Study program began in 2008.
Q: How many students are currently enrolled in the Nursing Program?
A: The undergraduate program has 148 students, which equals 62 full-time equivalent students, according to the latest figures as of April 15, because most students attend one-third time.
- Master of Science in Nursing: 19
- Certificate of Advanced Study in Nursing: 0
Q: How will this decision affect currently enrolled students?
A: Currently enrolled students will be given the opportunity to complete their degree programs over the next three years.
Q: How many professors are in the Nursing Program and what will happen to them?
A: There are six full-time faculty, two adjuncts and one secretary. We will honor all contractual obligations with these individuals. No one is being retrenched.
One tenured faculty member has already announced her retirement to occur at the end of the 2009-10 academic year. There is one instructor with a permanent appointment, who will be reassigned at the end of the three-year phase-out of the program. The four remaining faculty members (including a new hire who is scheduled to begin in fall 2009) are on three-year term tenure-track appointments and will be able to finish out their current employment contracts. The one secretary will also be reassigned.
Q: When will the Nursing Program close?
A: The program will most likely close in three years at the end of current faculty contracts and after the current students have graduated.
Q: Will it ever be reinstated?
A: No. The plan is to fully and permanently phase out the program and deregister it with the State Education Department.
Q: How much money will the college save?
A: Nearly half a million dollars. This includes personnel and nonpersonnel expenses.
Q: How many students will have their admission rescinded?
A: For the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, 11 accepted students will be affected. However, the accepted students have been guaranteed admission to the online Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at SUNY Delhi for fall 2009. In addition, New Paltz and SUNY System Administration are also engaged in conversations with SUNY’s Institute of Technology in Utica to offer its Bachelor’s degree in Nursing at one of the region’s Community Colleges.
- Master of Science in Nursing: 1
- Certificate of Advanced Study in Nursing: 0
Q: Why close nursing and not another program?
A: The college evaluated all programs using the established ground rules and set of criteria to guide its determinations.
- Historically low enrollments in both undergraduate and graduate programs and little interest in the new Certificate of Advanced Study in Nursing.
- Of the 7 or 8 graduate courses New Paltz offers each year, all but one was under enrolled (less than 12 students).
- The program is not connected to other programs of the college: it does not provide General Education courses or pre-requisite courses for other majors.
- Nursing is an expensive program on a cost per student basis compared to others at New Paltz.
- There is a national shortage of nursing faculty. Like most other colleges and universities across the country, New Paltz has difficulty recruiting, retaining and awarding tenure to fully credentialed nursing faculty.
Q: Is it not a public university’s obligation to fulfill this type of mission?
A: While we recognize there is a high need for nurses across the country, New Paltz does not create new nurses because students already come here as registered nurses. We do create better nurses and we regret that we will not be able to continue to do so.
Q: Who can I contact with further questions?
A: Prospective students may contact Lisa Jones, Dean of Admissions at (845) 257-3212, jonesl@newpaltz.edu. Currently enrolled students may contact Eleanor Richards, Chair of Nursing at (845) 257-2961, richarde@newpaltz.edu.