Benefits - Open Enrollment Overview
The 2027 Open Enrollment Period will be November 2-November 30, 2026: This year's Open Enrollment will be an Active Enrollment, which means all faculty and staff must actively make elections within MyDay to enroll and reenroll in their specific benefits elections.
Information on this year's Open Enrollment period will be sent out to faculty and staff in late October.
Introduction
Open Enrollment takes place once annually, and information regarding dates and benefit elections will be shared via email in advance of the upcoming session. For information on your current benefits options, visit the Benefits Hub.
In addition to the Benefits Hub, an Open Enrollment page will appear seasonally in Guru to assist you with the benefit elections process. Watch your inbox for updates, and targeted guidance, during the annual enrollment cycle.
Open Enrollment FAQ
What is Open Enrollment?
Open Enrollment, sometimes referred to as annual enrollment, is the window of opportunity occurring once a year when employees of The New School may make changes to their elected fringe benefit options such as health insurance, dental insurance, flexible spending, etc.
To view current benefits for your employee type outside of the Open Enrollment period, and be notified of Open Enrollment dates for the current year, visit the Guru Benefits Hub.
When is Open Enrollment?
The Open Enrollment period takes place each fall with dates changing annually. All employees are notified of the Open Enrollment dates for that year via email in advance of the beginning of Open Enrollment, as well as benefit rates and options for their employee type. This information is organized in a seasonal Open Enrollment site within Guru.
To view current benefits for your employee type outside of the Open Enrollment period, and be notified of Open Enrollment dates for the current year, visit the Guru Benefits Hub.
Important Reminder: You cannot change or adjust your benefit elections outside of the open enrollment period unless you experience a qualifying event such as marriage, divorce, birth, adoption or gain or loss of coverage. Benefits that are governed by this rule include all medical and dental elections and flexible spending.
Benefit changes due to a qualifying life event must be made within 31 days of the event, which requires submission of supporting documentation. After 31 days, changes to medical, dental, and flex spending benefits must be made during Open Enrollment.
Which benefits can I enroll in or modify during Open Enrollment?
Outside of your initial period of eligibility or change in eligibility, you may change most benefit elections only once per year during the university's annual Open Enrollment period. This includes:
- Enrolling in a new benefit plan
- Switching to a different benefit plan (such as from one healthcare plan to another)
- Changing your per-paycheck contributions
NOTE: There are some qualifying life events, such as a change in marital status, that can be considered qualifying life events enabling a mid-year change in elections.
The below benefits are not part of Open Enrollment and may be modified or newly enrolled at any time:
To view current benefits for your employee type outside of the Open Enrollment period, review your eligibility for all benefit types, and review benefits you are able to modify outside of Open Enrollment, visit the Guru Benefits Hub.
How do I change my benefit elections?
All changes to your elections must be made through the university's online self-service system, MyDay. View your current elections or follow along with the Open Enrollment - MyDay Navigation to update your benefit elections during Open Enrollment.
To view current benefits for your employee type outside of the Open Enrollment period, review your eligibility for all benefit types, and review benefits you are able to modify outside of Open Enrollment, visit the Guru Benefits Hub. A link will also be shared annually, via email, to a Guru Open Enrollment page with up-to-date enrollment information.
What documents should I review for open enrollment?
The Benefits Hub is maintained with the most up-to-date information available to university employees, including links to cost breakdowns by employee type and PDF overviews of coverage plan options.
For immediate review of employee benefit information, or if you do not have access to the Guru Knowledge Base, we encourage you to review the benefit resources shared here:
Last Update: 10.28.26
Applicable Through: 12.31.27
Full Time Faculty & Staff
Where can I learn more about my benefit options?
General Information
To view current benefits for your employee type outside of the Open Enrollment period, review your eligibility for all benefit types, and review benefits you are able to modify outside of Open Enrollment, visit the Guru Benefits Hub. A link will also be shared annually, via email, to a Guru Open Enrollment page with up-to-date enrollment information.
General, up-to-date guidance for all employee types is also available in the Open Enrollment Guides linked above.
Personal Elections
Review your current benefit elections and costs in MyDay. Click on the Benefits app on your homepage, then select View > Benefit Elections.
You are also encouraged to attend an seasonal Open Enrollment Information Session, Q&A, or on-campus office hours if you have specific questions regarding open enrollment or your benefits. These dates will be shared annually via email, and anchored to the seasonal Open Enrollment guru page.
Once you have submitted your changes or elections, you can use the 'Print' button in MyDay to download a PDF for your records.
Contact the Benefits Team
Health & Welfare Benefits Contact : Arlene De La Rosa, benefitshelp@newschool.edu
Retirement Benefits Contact : Naporje Washington, washinn@newschool.edu
Compensation Contact : Lauren Tomlinson, tomlinsl@newschool.edu
Department Leader: Terryann Waldron | Assistant Vice President for Total Rewards