Chancellor King, Lt. Governor Delgado, DOCCS Commissioner, State Legislators, Members of the Governor’s Staff, and Students in Prison Hold Roundtable Discussion on Higher Education in Prison Program
October 16, 2024
Chancellor Previews New Documentary to Be Released Later This Fall; Photos Can be Found Here
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. convened stakeholders for a discussion about the benefits of higher education in prison and the expansion of SUNY's higher education in prison program, which currently includes 14 campuses offering degrees in 23 state prison facilities.
Held at Shawangunk Correctional Facility, Chancellor King was joined by Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III, New York State Legislators, members of Governor Hochul's staff, and currently incarcerated SUNY Ulster alumni. During the discussion, Chancellor King gave a preview of a new documentary about the positive impact of SUNY's Higher Education in Prison program, which will be released this fall.
SUNY anticipates eight additional campuses will launch higher education in prison programs and establish programs at seven new state prison facilities in the 2024-2025 academic year pending federal Pell application approval. This would bring SUNY's presence in higher education in prison programs to 22 campuses offering degrees in 30 state prison facilities.
"Student success is one of our four pillars to guide SUNY's work, and our Higher Education in Prison program is truly transformative in improving educational, economic, and societal outcomes for students who are incarcerated," said SUNY Chancellor King. "The reinstatement of federal Pell grants for higher education in prison programs will make it possible for SUNY to provide a lifeline to more students. I appreciate the time Lieutenant Governor Delgado, DOCCS Commissioner Martuscello, our legislators, and our students spent to talk about the program and how we can move forward and expand."
Lieutenant Governor Delgado said, "Having access to a higher education is empowering, it can give a person purpose and direction, and a path toward possibilities. While New York State has been providing college programming in prison, now with the reinstatement of federal Pell grants, we can have broader discussions, like we did at Shawangunk Correctional Facility, about how we can expand and do for more students in prison. I appreciate the candid conversation about the impact of higher education from the students and alumni of Shawangunk, as well as the critical feedback of Chancellor King, Commissioner Martuscello, and our legislative leaders."
Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III said, "Education is one of the most effective pathways toward rehabilitation and successful reentry back into the community. Access to higher education bolsters these impacts even further, reducing recidivism and improving overall public safety. The Department is proud to partner with SUNY to provide incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to immerse themselves into college classes and work toward earning their degree. I look forward to SUNY's continued expansion within New York State prisons and all that we can help incarcerated individuals to accomplish by doing so."
SUNY Ulster President Alison Buckley said, "Access to higher education is a core mission of community colleges, and at SUNY Ulster, we are proud of our work to support incarcerated students in our delivery of an accredited degree-granting program with education as a second chance opportunity. Changing lives through higher education is what we do as we educate the individual and elevate the community.
Senator Robert Jackson said, "Education is the foundation upon which we build a fairer and more equitable society. SUNY's higher education in prison programs exemplify this principle by offering a second chance at success and reducing recidivism. As a proud SUNY alumnus, I am committed to supporting these transformative efforts within our state's correctional facilities. These programs are not just a pathway to personal redemption; they are an investment in our collective future, ensuring that every New Yorker has the opportunity to contribute positively to our community."
Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, "We know that investments in higher education for incarcerated New Yorkers leads to lower recidivism rates, better employment prospects, and the ability to easier reintegrate back into society. We learned firsthand about how access to higher education can transform lives, and make our communities stronger. When folks have access to opportunity, it can change lives, and I thank SUNY for continuing to invest in all New Yorkers' success.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said, "As a longtime advocate for educational equity, I am proud to support SUNY's Higher Education in Prison program, which provides life-changing opportunities for incarcerated individuals. Education is a fundamental tool for rehabilitation and reentry, and SUNY's efforts to expand access within our prison system help reduce recidivism and strengthen our communities. With the reinstatement of Pell Grants, we are opening doors for more individuals to transform their lives through higher education. I am eager to see this program continue to grow."
Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman said, "As a member on the New York State Assembly's Committee for Higher Education, I value the work that is taking place with the State University of New York and the Office of Higher Education in Prison to expand on higher educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals. It is evident that education reduces recidivism rates and enhances reintegration into society. This continued work can help empower, provide skills and knowledge needed for the future, and foster a safer community by breaking the cycle of incarceration for impacted communities. I look forward to continued work with our AD 58 Public Safety Taskforce, leaders, and stakeholders to shape the future to expand on this programming and invest in transformative pathways of success for those impacted by the prison system."
Assemblymember Edward Gibbs said, "As the first formerly incarcerated elected official in the New York State Assembly, I have seen first-hand how programs like SUNY's Higher Education in Prison program can be transformative for incarcerated individuals. Education is a powerful tool for economic and social mobility, and, as we heard, a catalyst for refocusing one's life. SUNY has done a fantastic job expanding access to education throughout the state, especially in the 23 correctional facilities they currently offer degrees in. I am honored to have been invited to the screening and excited by the open dialogue we had on how we can best serve and expand these life changing programs. Thank you to Chancellor King and Commissioner Martuscello for getting us all together and for your commitment to the mission of SUNY HEP."
Assemblymember Scott Gray said, "Education serves as the great equalizer, offering a transformative path for rehabilitation and reducing recidivism. The collaboration between SUNY and DOCCS exemplifies a commitment to this vision, providing incarcerated individuals with opportunities to reshape their futures and contribute positively to society. I represent two prisons and five higher education institutions, two of the colleges offer programming in three prisons, which adds value to both the prisons and SUNY colleges."
Since 2017, the Office of Higher Education in Prison (OHEP) team has led SUNY System Administration's efforts to expand and improve college opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, guided by longitudinal data collection and data analysis. As the largest provider of higher education in prison programs in New York State, the State University of New York believes this work is critical to fulfilling its mission of providing "the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access." SUNY's strong partnership with the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision supports some of New York's most vulnerable citizens, who are disproportionately Black and Latinx individuals and individuals from low-income backgrounds, who have traditionally been underserved by colleges and universities.
In January, Chancellor King announced that the SUNY Office of Higher Education in Prison received a $3 million grant from Ascendium to expand the system's higher education in prison programs. SUNY OHEP supports 14 campuses that deliver degree programming inside 23 correctional facilities and serve 1,000 students each year. The grant, the largest Ascendium higher education in prison grant to date, helps SUNY increase educational opportunity and equity for incarcerated New Yorkers and collaborate with the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) on a national research study to better understand how public state systems of higher education are responding to the return of federal and state public funding to bring educational opportunity programs to incarcerated students.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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