SUNY expands student support to boost on-time graduation | Long Island Business News

State University of New York Chancellor John King Jr. was at Farmingdale State College on Wednesday to announce the expansion of a strategy that is designed to help students graduate on time.

The Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) – together, the programs are known as ASAP|ACE – aim to ensure that students get the support and services they need to overcome barriers in obtaining a degree.

Now, the model is expanding across the SUNY system. ASAP supports students pursuing associate degrees, while ACE focuses on baccalaureate students.

“ASAP|ACE is a proven, evidence-based strategy to improve student retention and completion,” King said in a news release about the program’s expansion.

“We will continue our efforts to support more SUNY campuses to implement ASAP|ACE to take full advantage of this program,” he said.

King’s visit comes just days after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New York students can apply to nearly 130 colleges and universities – including SUNY, City University of New York and 50 private colleges – for free in October. A complete list of those schools is available here.

Calling it “College Application Month,” Hochul said in a written statement that the initiative “is about breaking down barriers and helping every student take that critical first step toward college success.”

Meanwhile, the ASAP|ACE program was launched at 25 campuses last year, thanks to the SUNY Transformation Fund. In the fall of 2024, it served 4,270 students. A year later, it expanded to more than 7,000 students at 34 SUNY campuses. In addition, 14 currently participating campuses added spots to serve more students. This expansion was made possible through $12 million in allocated funding from the 2025-2026 state budget that places SUNY ASAP|ACE on the path to reach 10,000 students by next fall.

Now in its second year at Farmingdale State, the ACE program increased from 215 students to 230 this year, with the campus program on the path to serving 250 by spring.

“Farmingdale has a robust portfolio of academic support programs, and we are proud to be among the SUNY campuses to participate in ACE,” Farmingdale State College President Robert Prezant said in the news release.

At Farmingdale, the program focuses on “success, retention, persistence, and graduation rates,” Prezant said. “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.”

Through the program, eligible students receive financial support for such essentials as textbooks, groceries and transportation, along with personalized advising, academic support and career development resources.

Early results show that students enrolled in the program attempt and earn more credits and re-enroll at higher rates than comparable peers, according to SUNY officials.