SUNY Chancellor King Celebrates Expansion of ASAP|ACE to More than 7,000 Students at 34 SUNY Campuses
October 8, 2025
Expansion of Program to 34 Campuses, Including Farmingdale State College, Puts SUNY ASAP|ACE on the Path to Reach 10,000 Enrolled Students by Fall 2026
Photos From Today's Visit Are Available Here
Farmingdale, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated the expansion of Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) – the nation's leading college retention and completion initiatives – during a visit to Farmingdale State College. The initiative helps students gain and maintain academic momentum so they can graduate on time.
"SUNY is committed to supporting student success, and the continued expansion of our ASAP|ACE program ensures SUNY students can get important support and services to help them complete their degree on time," SUNY Chancellor King said. "ASAP|ACE is a proven, evidence-based strategy to improve student retention and completion, and thanks to Governor Hochul's leadership, I am thrilled to see this model expand across the SUNY system. We will continue our efforts to support more SUNY campuses to implement ASAP|ACE to take full advantage of this program."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Thanks to the steadfast support of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY's ASAP|ACE program has been able to expand to serve more campuses and support thousands of students working to achieve a degree. We want every SUNY student to succeed on campus, and thanks to the expansion of the successful ASAP|ACE model, we continue to advance our efforts to achieve that goal."
SUNY brought ASAP|ACE to 25 campuses in Spring 2024 thanks to Governor Hochul's SUNY Transformation Fund. By Fall 2024, the campuses were serving 4,270 students. In June 2025, Governor Hochul announced the expansion of SUNY ASAP|ACE to more than 7,000 students at 34 SUNY campuses in Fall 2025. Nine SUNY campuses joined ASAP|ACE at the start of the Fall 2025 school year, and 14 currently participating campuses added spots to serve more students. This expansion was made possible through $12 million in allocated funding from the FY2025-2026 State Budget that places SUNY ASAP|ACE on the path to reach 10,000 students by Fall 2026. Robin Hood has also provided $1.5 million to support an additional 375 New York City residents who join a partner ASAP|ACE campus.
At Farmingdale State College, the campus program is in its second year. Chancellor King visited today to meet with the students, faculty, staff, and elected officials that have made the program a success. Since its inception, Farmingdale State College's ACE program has grown from 215 students to 230 this year, with the campus program on the path to serving 250 students by Spring 2026.
Farmingdale State College President Robert S. Prezant said, "Farmingdale has a robust portfolio of academic support programs, and we are proud to be among the SUNY campuses to participate in ACE. The ACE Program at Farmingdale homes in on three key indicators of success, retention, persistence, and graduation rates. Our ACE students become a part of a welcoming and inclusive community, where they meet success through the support of our talented and dedicated staff, a team that has developed a compassionate network of support to help our students thrive."
The Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) supports students pursuing associate degrees, while Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) supports baccalaureate students. Eligible students have access to a wide array of resources and support to help them overcome barriers that can prevent them from obtaining a degree. This includes funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance, as well as comprehensive personalized advisement, academic support, and career development activities. See here for more information: https://www.suny.edu/asap-ace/.
Early findings already show that ASAP|ACE students attempt more credits, earn more credits, and re-enroll at higher rates than matched comparison group students.
ASAP students are earning up to two more credits in their first semester and have a 17 percentage-point increase in retention from their first to second term and a 15 percentage-point increase in one-year retention compared to matched comparison group students.
ACE students are also showing strong outcomes. Their credit completion rates are as high as 90 percent, and they are retained at rates 6 to 8 points higher than matched comparison group students.
New York State Senator Monica R. Martinez said, "The ASAP and ACE programs give students the support they need to stay on track, graduate on time, and start the next chapter of their lives sooner. At Farmingdale State College, this initiative is helping more students complete their degrees and move confidently into their futures. I am grateful to Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the Legislature for funding the expansion of these programs and giving SUNY the resources to help students succeed."
New York State Assemblymember Kwani O'Pharrow said, "The expansion of SUNY's ASAP|ACE program is a vital investment in student success and workforce development in New York State. By offering essential academic and financial support, it enables more students to complete their degrees on time and pursue meaningful careers. I commend Chancellor King, Governor Hochul, and Farmingdale State College for their leadership in enhancing access to higher education for all 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, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its 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 $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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