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MCC Daily Tribune

Chancellor King Announces SUNY's Academic Momentum Campaign

SUNY System Experts Will Provide Campus Support for Gateway Course Redesign, Appoint Academic Momentum Faculty & Staff Fellows, and Pay for Faculty and Staff Time to Develop Academic Momentum Plans to Help Keep More Students on Track

Albany, NY – On Monday, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced additional financial support and technical assistance to strengthen student retention and completion rates through SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign. The campaign was first addressed in Chancellor King’s 2025 State of the University Address to advance evidence-based student retention and success initiatives to support all SUNY students.

SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign builds on the success of ASAP|ACE – the nation’s leading evidence-based strategy for college retention and completion. Thanks to investments made by Governor Kathy Hochul and the legislature, more than 7,000 SUNY students are currently enrolled in ASAP|ACE, and the academic momentum campaign provides an opportunity for campuses to learn from these successful models and scale several of their strategies, including high-quality advising and personalized student support. In addition, SUNY campuses will draw on proven best practices from across the country used at the colleges with the greatest success in retention and completion, particularly for students furthest from opportunity.

"Nobody goes to college thinking they will drop out, and SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign is furthering our efforts to help every student thrive at SUNY campuses," said SUNY Chancellor King. "SUNY is providing historic levels of support to make sure our campuses can help each student succeed academically and grow personally. Through evidence-based strategies and strong support from SUNY, we know that our students will benefit from this initiative."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "We are committed to supporting every SUNY student to succeed and make the most of their experience at the SUNY institution of their choice, and the Academic Momentum Campaign is part of that ongoing effort. We will work with each of our campuses to ensure all SUNY students have the support and services they deserve to thrive academically and be ready to move forward after graduation."

SUNY campuses are developing action plans to support increased retention and completion rates for students who enter in Fall 2026. To support these locally driven efforts, SUNY is announcing:

  • Additional resources to campuses to increase student success in key "gateway" general education courses. SUNY has invited campuses to join a voluntary Professional Learning Community for SUNY faculty and staff leading gateway course redesign work that will be led by a technical assistance provider with expertise in improving success in the courses that students use to meet general education requirements in written/oral communication and mathematics. Campuses will receive up to $15,000 each to support faculty and staff participation in the learning community, which will launch in February 2026.
  • Leadership opportunities for faculty and staff to support academic momentum across the SUNY System. In recognition of the expertise of SUNY faculty and staff, SUNY will name up to 20 SUNY Faculty & Staff Academic Momentum Fellows to support campuses in the development and early implementation of their action plans. Ten faculty and staff will be identified across each of the community college and state operated campus sectors to work in concert with the SUNY Office of Student Success to provide ongoing technical assistance to campuses.
  • Financial support for campus teams to work together on academic momentum solutions. Every SUNY campus is eligible for up to $20,000 to bring together teams to develop their action plan. These funds can be employed to provide release time for faculty and staff to engage in this important work, among other uses.

As part of the Academic Momentum Campaign planning process, campuses will receive individual technical assistance support from SUNY Student Success staff, have access to written resources and webinars to learn more about evidence-based practices in place within SUNY and from national exemplars, and join regional planning summits.

Achieving the Dream President and CEO Karen Stout said, "Across the country, too many students begin college with high aspirations but leave without a credential. SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign demonstrates the kind of bold, system-level leadership that is needed to meet this challenge. Efforts like this, which invest in faculty leadership, redesign high-stakes courses, and prioritize evidence-based strategies, are meaningful actions that will help students across the system stay on track and reach their goals. Achieving the Dream supports this work and applauds SUNY’s commitment to ensuring that every student has a clear, supported path to a credential and a career."

American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) President and CEO Charles L. Welch said, "SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign has the hallmarks of successful, systemwide initiatives to accelerate student success. It is data-informed, campus-centered, and focused on removing early obstacles to student progress by redesigning gateway courses in general education. AASCU stands ready to support this important initiative."

Community College Research Center Director and Research Professor Thomas Brock said, "It is encouraging to see SUNY's commitment to supporting faculty and staff leaders and building campus teams. Time and again, research by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) underscores the importance of faculty staff involvement in developing and implementing strategies to improve student success. They know their campuses and their students the best, and their energy and ideas will drive this campaign forward."

The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy – NY Kirsten E. Keefe said, "Chancellor John B. King Jr. and SUNY continue to be leaders in ensuring students receive the best supports to enable them to thrive in their college careers and earn their degree. TICAS applauds Chancellor King for creating the Academic Momentum Campaign and investing in the professional development of and networking among faculty and staff to enable them to develop expertise, resources, and best practices to foster student achievement."

Young Invincibles Northeast Regional Director Sean Miller said, "It takes intentionality and investment to succeed. SUNY’s historic efforts are setting a new standard to ensure that every student has the support they need, from their first class all the way through to graduation. We commend Chancellor King’s bold and evidence-based leadership. When SUNY students cross the finish line thanks to these supports, New York gains another community leader, teacher, artist, scientist, or highly-trained professional."

Monroe Community College President DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna said, "At Monroe Community College, we are dedicated to ensuring that every one of our students succeed academically and are empowered to unleash their full potential upon graduation. We are proud to continue working with Chancellor King to advance evidence-based student success initiatives and are excited for the Academic Momentum Campaign."

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 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 $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, 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. 

For the full SUNY Academic Momentum Campaign release, visit the SUNY website.

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
11/18/2025