SUNY Chancellor King Announces Expansion of Nation-Leading Retention and Completion Program to 10,000 Students by Fall 2026
June 16, 2026
ASAP and ACE Help Students Gain and Maintain Academic Momentum So They Can Graduate on Time
$8 Million in FY2026-27 Enacted Budget Brings ASAP|ACE to 10 More SUNY Campuses, Reaching 44 Campuses Statewide
Commitment of $2 Million from Brightway Extends Student-Parent Support
Albany, NY — The State University of New York Board of Trustees and Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the expansion of SUNY's Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) — the nation's leading college retention and completion models — to serve 10,000 students at 44 SUNY campuses by the Fall 2026 semester. The initiatives help students gain and maintain academic momentum so they can graduate on time. The expansion of ASAP (for students pursuing an associate degree) and ACE (for students pursuing a Bachelor's degree) was made possible through an additional $8 million in allocated funding in the FY2026-27 Enacted State Budget, bringing the total state investment in this successful program to $20 million annually.
The expansion of ASAP|ACE ties to Chancellor King's 2026 State of the University Agenda, which describes how the programs have transformed the lives of students throughout the SUNY System. The expansion also ties into SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign, which provides SUNY campuses with financial support and technical assistance to strengthen student retention and completion rates. While SUNY's current completion rates exceed the national averages for public institutions awarding on time bachelor's and associate degrees, SUNY seeks to help all students who start their degrees have the supports they need to finish. Chancellor King's 2026 State of the University Agenda includes additional initiatives to continue strengthening academic momentum so more students make it to, and through the SUNY campus of their choice.
"SUNY is committed to the success of every student, and the continued expansion of ASAP|ACE will help ensure our students can complete their degree on time, achieve their dreams, and move forward on a path to upward mobility," said SUNY Chancellor King. "I am thrilled that through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, and for the SUNY Board of Trustees, these vital programs will serve 10,000 students across the state this fall."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Through the steadfast support of Governor Hochul, the State Legislature, and continued support from philanthropy, SUNY has been able to expand ASAP|ACE to serve thousands of students throughout the state. With this significant expansion, even more of our students will have access to the advising, financial resources, and wraparound supports that help them stay on track and complete their degrees."
In addition, SUNY has received a $2 million renewal commitment from Brightway, which will extend its program’s support for additional student parents who are primary caregivers at seven community colleges with childcare costs, access to emergency cash assistance, and support for winter and summer course taking. The renewal commitment, which builds on an initial matched commitment of $1 million made to SUNY in 2023, will also expand personalized career guidance, strengthen connections to internships and employment opportunities, and pilot a new program supporting ASAP student parents transferring to SUNY baccalaureate campuses that offer ACE.
David Landau, Chair of Brightway, said, "The Brightway program in partnership with SUNY ASAP has been incredibly effective in helping student parents pursue degree completion and economic advancement. The results at SUNY so far have been truly outstanding. SUNY's vision, beginning with the Board of Trustees, clearly prioritizes student success and they have been a fantastic partner in every way. We couldn't be more excited about continuing and expanding our work together."
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, "ASAP and ACE solve for one of the hardest parts of higher education—providing students an affordable means to get into a college or university. These programs cover the textbooks, the bus fares, the grocery bills, and the advising that keeps a student on track to a degree. The Legislature put $8 million more into this program because it works. Ten thousand students at 44 campuses will feel the difference. I thank Chancellor King, the SUNY Board of Trustees, and my colleagues in the Legislature for an investment in completion, not just enrollment."
State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said, "Higher education must be a ladder for upward mobility, not a barrier of insurmountable costs. As Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, I was incredibly proud to fight for the additional $8 million to expand the transformative ASAP and ACE programs in this year's enacted budget. We know that the hurdles to a college degree are rarely just academic; they are the everyday realities of paying for childcare, groceries, and transportation. By providing 10,000 SUNY students with comprehensive wrap-around support, we are empowering them to maintain their momentum and cross the graduation stage on time. I commend Chancellor King and the SUNY Board of Trustees for their vision to expand this model further and applaud Brightway for their vital investment in our student-parents. Together, we are proving that when New York invests in the whole student, we secure a brighter economic future for our entire state."
Eligible ASAP|ACE 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 comprehensive personalized advisement, academic support, and career development activities, as well as funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance. For more information on ASAP and ACE, visit: https://www.suny.edu/asap-ace/.
Early findings continue to show strong results for SUNY ASAP|ACE students across multiple cohorts admitted between Spring 2024 and Fall 2025. Compared to matched comparison group students, ASAP|ACE students are attempting more credits, earning more credits, and are more likely to remain enrolled or complete a degree in the semesters following their entry into the program. ASAP students are earning up to 1.4 more credits than matched comparison students in their first semester, with retention rates increasing over time and reaching 12.3 percentage points higher than matched comparison students by the fourth semester. ACE students are earning up to 1.7 more credits than matched comparison students by their third semester, with retention rates reaching 8.6 percentage points higher than matched comparison students by the fourth semester. These positive outcomes are consistent across semesters and student groups, underscoring the program's early impact on academic momentum and timely degree completion.
ASAP will expand to six more community colleges, including SUNY Adirondack, Columbia-Greene Community College, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, SUNY Niagara, North Country Community College, and SUNY Sullivan County Community College. Six community college campuses with ASAP programs in place will also expand their capacity to serve additional students, including Hudson Valley Community College, Nassau Community College, Rockland Community College, SUNY Schenectady Community College, Suffolk County Community College, and Westchester Community College.
SUNY Adirondack President Anastasia L. Urtz said, "SUNY Adirondack is honored to be selected as an ASAP campus and to join this transformative initiative to help more students achieve their educational goals. ASAP's proven model aligns with our commitment to student success by providing the personalized support, resources and guidance students need to persist, graduate and pursue meaningful careers. We are grateful to SUNY, especially the Board of Trustees, for this investment in our students and the future of our region."
Columbia-Greene Community College President Victoria L. Walsh said, "The ASAP model is a proven tool to ensure that our students graduate not only on time, but are best prepared for the next part of their life journey - whether is to continue their education or to enter the workforce. Columbia-Greene Community College is thrilled to be part of the expansion of ASAP within the SUNY system, thanks to Chancellor and the Board of Trustees, contributing to our goal of being an engine of opportunity for the Hudson Valley."
SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College President Gregory Truckenmiller said, "At Fulton-Montgomery Community College, student success is at the center of everything we do. The expansion of SUNY's ASAP program will provide our students with additional advising, financial support, and resources that help remove barriers to persistence and completion. This investment strengthens our ability to serve students throughout the Mohawk Valley and ensures more learners can achieve their educational and career aspirations. We thank Governor Hochul, Chancellor King, the SUNY Board of Trustees, and our state partners for their commitment to expanding opportunities for students across New York."
SUNY Niagara President Lloyd A. Holmes said, "Earning a college degree remains the best path to long-term financial success. Broadening ASAP and ACE will break down more of the barriers that stand between students and graduation, further reinforcing the SUNY Board of Trustees' unsurpassed commitment to completion."
North Country Community College President Joe Keegan said, "We are thrilled that North Country Community College has been selected to join SUNY's nationally recognized ASAP program. This investment will provide our students with the personalized support, financial resources, and guidance they need to stay on track, overcome barriers, and achieve their educational goals. We are grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature for their commitment to student success through this important funding, and we thank Chancellor John King and the SUNY Board of Trustees for expanding a program that is already transforming lives across the SUNY system. Expanding access to proven student success initiatives like ASAP helps strengthen our communities by ensuring more North Country students can earn a degree and build a brighter future right here in our region."
SUNY Sullivan County Community College President David Potash said, "SUNY ASAP improves student success. The data is rock solid: ASAP students graduate at nearly twice the rate of their peers. Launching ASAP at SUNY Sullivan, as championed by the SUNY Board of Trustees, is a tremendous investment that we are confident will pay off. When SUNY Sullivan students succeed, our community succeeds."
ACE will expand to four more State-operated campuses, including Alfred State College, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Cortland, and SUNY Geneseo. State-operated campuses with ACE programs in place will also expand their capacity to serve additional students, including the State University of New York at Albany, Buffalo State University, SUNY Delhi, Farmingdale State College, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and SUNY Old Westbury.
Alfred State College President Steven Mauro said, "The expansion of SUNY's ASAP and ACE programs to Alfred State represents a significant investment in our students and their future. We know that student success extends beyond the classroom, and programs like these provide the comprehensive support that helps students overcome challenges, maintain momentum, and reach graduation. We thank SUNY's Board of Trustees for advancing initiatives that have demonstrated measurable results. We are proud to join this nationally recognized model and look forward to helping more Alfred State students achieve their academic goals and realize their full potential."
SUNY Brockport President Heidi Macpherson said, "We look forward to the SUNY ACE program launching at SUNY Brockport this fall. It will undoubtedly provide our students with additional support and resources that will help them thrive. We are grateful for the support from Governor Hochul, the New York State legislature, and the SUNY Board of Trustees that is making this program a reality for our students."
SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum said, "SUNY Cortland is excited to join in the expansion of SUNY’s ASAP|ACE initiative. As a university, we work hard to not only recruit and enroll hard-working students, but to support them in ways that will help them stay on track to graduate. Our participation in ACE reflects the university’s commitment to providing academic, financial and social resources to deserving students. We are confident this support will help them succeed on campus and in life, and we are grateful to the SUNY Board of Trustees for their support."
SUNY Geneseo President Melinda Treadwell said, "As New York's public honors college, Geneseo is proud to join the ACE program and advance our commitment to academic excellence, student success, equity, and timely degree completion. By pairing Geneseo's distinctive liberal arts foundation with the proven support model of ACE and the strong support from the SUNY Board of Trustees, we will ensure more students have the resources, guidance, and momentum they need to thrive from their first semester through graduation."
The remaining 18 partner campuses with existing ASAP and ACE programs – including the State University of New York at Buffalo, SUNY Canton, Cayuga Community College, Clinton Community College, SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech, SUNY Dutchess Community College, SUNY Erie Community College, Finger Lakes Community College, Herkimer County Community College, Jefferson Community College, Monroe Community College, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY New Paltz, Onondaga Community College, SUNY Orange County Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase, and Tompkins Cortland Community College – will sustain their Fall 2025 enrollment levels. For a full list of participating campuses and additional information, please visit: www.suny.edu/asap-ace/.
Virginia Knox, President of MDRC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization, said, "In study after study, the ASAP/ACE model has an unmatched record of success at helping students complete their degrees. It is wonderful to see this remarkable, evidence-backed program being expanded by the state of New York and the SUNY Board of Trustees to benefit thousands more students across the State University of New York system."
Richard Buery, CEO of Robin Hood, said, "CUNY ASAP began as a bold bet — a Robin Hood-funded pilot that asked a simple question: what if we surrounded low-income students with everything they needed to finish? The answer was transformative. Graduation rates doubled. Students who might have left school with debt and no degree crossed the stage with real futures ahead of them. Robin Hood helped prove this model works, and now New York State is scaling it to 44 SUNY campuses and 10,000 students. That's the arc we're always chasing — seed the idea, prove it works, and push until it reaches every New Yorker who needs it."
In Spring 2024, SUNY brought ASAP|ACE to 25 campuses thanks to Governor Hochul's SUNY Transformation Fund. By Fall 2024, 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 semester, and 14 currently participating campuses added spots to serve more 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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