State University of New York at New Paltz’s 900 Jewish undergraduate students represent 15% of the undergraduate student population, and the 200 Jewish graduate students comprise 23% of the graduate student body. There is a Hillel, a Chabad, a Jewish Student Union and Jewish Greek life organizations.

What’s Happening on Campus?
In 2022, two SUNY New Paltz students said they faced online harassment, bullying and ostracization from members of a sexual assault accountability group after they posted pro-Israel messages on social media. The group also reportedly asserted that it was only open to those who opposed Zionism. The students filed a federal civil rights complaint against the school in 2022, claiming the University "failed to take prompt and effective steps to protect Jewish and Israeli students from discrimination or eliminate the hostile environment and its effects."

Earlier this year, protesters gathered outside an event where members of the Israeli Defense Forces spoke on campus, and posters of Israeli hostages were also torn down around campus in November 2023.

University Policies and Responsive Action
University President Donald Christian issued a statement in February 2022 speaking out against antisemitism, including stipulating that excluding campus members from events and activities due to their support for Israel constitutes antisemitism. The University’s Belongingness Committee issued a report in March 2023 on the Jewish student experience, with recommendations including enhanced recognition of Jewish identity, increased understanding of how to report bias crimes, and training for faculty to better accommodate religious practices.

In May 2024, in response to a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, law enforcement arrested 132 protestors after multiple warnings from the administration calling on the protestors to disband.

*On April 11, 2024, SUNY New Paltz was graded a "D"; in light of new information or events, the grade was changed to a "C" on June 18, 2024.