​Paul Smith’s College announces vaccine mandate, relaxes masking requirement

All students, faculty, and staff to be vaccinated prior to the start of the Fall 2022 semester

PAUL SMITHS, N.Y. – With the spring semester underway, Paul Smith’s College is looking ahead and will be requiring the Covid-19 vaccine for new and returning students prior to the start of the fall 2022 semester. A vaccine mandate was previously instated for all employees of the College at the beginning of the year, which included both full-time and part-time employees.

By requiring the vaccine, the College looks to loosen restrictions surrounding Covid-19 protocols, beginning with lifting the current mask mandate on campus. The measure is in place after taking into consideration recent updates outlined by New York State, which has modified their guidelines around mask wearing. The College continues to recommend masks indoors and stresses the importance of respecting an individual’s decision to do so. There are still some exceptions, including classrooms and private offices, where mask wearing will be at the discretion of the faulty or staff member.

“Case numbers have fallen across the United States and in New York State. Our county is now considered a moderate transmission area, which was one of our metrics to ease the mask mandate. Most local K-12 schools have dropped their mask mandates since the Governor’s announcement that they could,” said Paul Smith’s College President Scott Dalrymple. “With these recent updates, we are doing our best to get everyone through this pandemic safely, informed by our broader society. As always, we will monitor conditions and our policies could change if warranted.”

While symptomatic students will continue to be tested, random cohort testing will cease. Contact tracing will also continue, and applicable isolation and quarantine guidelines remain in effect.

Throughout the pandemic, Paul Smith’s College has avoided substantial outbreaks, attributed at least in part to its community’s commitment to COVID-19 policy, as well as its rural educational setting. In addition to the vaccine mandate, Paul Smith’s will also be requiring booster shots when individuals become eligible.

At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith’s provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences and natural resources. We are able to draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive and adventurous individuals collectively provide experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at paulsmiths.edu »