Chancellor King to Announce Expansion of Supports for Adult Learners and Student-Parents as Part of 2026 State of the University Agenda

June 3, 2026

Initiatives Include a Micro-Grant Program for Campuses to Improve Support for Student-Parents, and an Increase in Weekend and Evening Course Offerings in High-Demand Fields at Community Colleges

Part of SUNY’s Comprehensive Efforts to Ensure Student Success for All New Yorkers

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. will announce the expansion of programs to support the success of adult learners and student-parents in earning a college degree as part of the 2026 State of the University agenda. Through two new initiatives, SUNY will provide support to community colleges to increase the number of in-person courses offered on evenings and weekends in high-demand fields and help more State-operated campuses and community colleges offer parent-friendly spaces.

“SUNY is an engine of upward mobility, and that means ensuring all of our students have access to the services they need to succeed and thrive,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “These new initiatives will give our student-parents and adult learners access to more resources as they pursue an affordable, excellent SUNY education. This investment underscores SUNY’s commitment to advancing student success and ensuring our students can succeed both in their classes and after graduation.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY has been able to expand initiatives that help meet the needs of our student-parents, adult learners, and their families. We are proud to continue our work to remove barriers to higher education for all of our students, and increase access to vital resources, so they can succeed.”

In order to ensure student-parents feel welcome and supported, SUNY will create a micro-grant program for campuses to improve support for student-parents such as by investing in child-friendly lounges, study areas, child care assistance payment access, and financial aid training so student parents can maximize financial assistance.

In addition, SUNY will work with community colleges to increase the number of in-person courses offered on evenings and weekends. Community colleges received $12 million in additional State operating support as a result of the 2026-27 Enacted State Budget, and Chancellor King will work with community colleges to prioritize expansion of evening and weekend community courses. These courses will especially benefit adult learners, including students enrolled in Governor Hochul’s SUNY Reconnect program, which provides free community college for eligible adults ages 25-55 to pursue an associate degree in high-demand fields.

Since the Fall 2025 launch of SUNY Reconnect, more than 5,600 New Yorkers have enrolled in the program. Governor Hochul's FY2026-27 Executive Budget expands SUNY Reconnect to include careers in logistics, air traffic control and transportation, and emergency management, as well as makes it easier for adult learners to return to college to pursue nursing if they already have a prior degree. This action builds on SUNY efforts to support adult learners and investments made to support SUNY community colleges throughout New York State.

SUNY Reconnect funds degrees in high-demand fields including:

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Air Traffic Control and Transportation (added for the 2026-2027 academic year)
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Engineering
  • Emergency Management (added for the 2026-2027 academic year)
  • Logistics (added for the 2026-2027 academic year)
  • Technology
  • Nursing and Allied Health Fields
  • Green and Renewable Energy
  • Pathways to Teaching in Shortage Areas

The expansion of programs to support student parents and adult learners is the latest from SUNY and New York State to assist student parents. In March, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the expansion of more flexible child care hours to better align with student parent schedules. In February, SUNY announced expanded child care opportunities and hours at Dutchess and Monroe Community Colleges as an initial investment in this student success initiative. Last year, SUNY published an online resource for colleges and universities to help student parents navigate on- and off-campus nutrition resources. In addition, SUNY has invested $10.4 million from New York State investment in creating additional child care centers and expanding more spots, especially for infants and toddlers. 

 

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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