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MCC Daily Tribune

SUNY Chancellor King Highlights Additional Supports for SUNY Reconnect Student Retention

Community Colleges Preparing for Spring 2026 Return of Students and New Enrollees to Governor Hochul’s Adult Learner Initiative 

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced Tuesday strategies to further support the retention of students enrolled through New York State’s free community college program for adult learners in preparation for the Spring 2026 semester. Under Governor Kathy Hochul’s SUNY Reconnect initiative, which began at the start of Fall 2025, New York State is providing free tuition, books, and supplies for adults ages 25-55 who don’t already have a college degree and want to pursue an associate degree in a high-demand field.  

“Student success is at the forefront of everything we do at SUNY, and we are proud to further our efforts to ensure our students have the tools they need to achieve their full potential,” SUNY Chancellor King said. “There is a place at SUNY for every student, and we look forward to continuing to invest in our SUNY Reconnect students so they can continue on the path to upward mobility at SUNY’s community colleges.” 

SUNY Trustee James F. Haddon, Chair of the Workforce Development and Upward Mobility Committee, said, “Governor Hochul’s SUNY Reconnect program is providing adult learners with the chance to access the education of their dreams, and we are proud to support them and ensure they will be equipped with the tools they need to succeed. Thank you to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for investing in adult learners, and New York State’s economic future, through SUNY Reconnect.” 

SUNY’s community colleges are focused on implementing strategies to support the retention and success of their adult learners, as well as enroll more students in the Spring 2026 semester. SUNY allocated $4 million to community colleges through SUNY Reconnect to support programmatic implementation through advising, enrollment, outreach, award of credit for prior learning, and other student services, supports, and campus operations. This funding aligns with strategies developed under SUNY’s Adult Learner Leadership Initiative (SUNY ALL), ensuring a comprehensive approach to supporting adult learner success. The funding also supports additional services including academic advising and student success coaching, as well as marketing initiatives for effective outreach for the program. 

Through this funding, many community colleges have created new roles, or expanded existing roles of advisors, coaches, or navigators dedicated to supporting adult learners. Campuses are also supporting faculty and staff in expanding services for adult learners including tutoring, financial aid assistance, and online supports during non-traditional hours, as well as increasing wraparound supports including mental health services, childcare, transportation, food pantry access, and emergency aid. 

As community colleges prepare for the Spring 2026 semester, SUNY and its campuses are focusing on core retention strategies including: 

  • Advising and Navigation: Already, 25 campuses are hiring adult learner coordinators, success coaches, and/or navigators to provide personalized guidance and retention support from enrollment through completion.  
  • Enrollment Support: Currently, at least 16 campuses are adding admissions, financial aid specialists, or retention staff to streamline onboarding and guide adult learners through the college process.  
  • Expanded Student Support Services: There are already 14 campuses that are funding critical academic and non-academic supports including evening and weekend tutoring, telemedicine and mental health services, offering tailored orientations and online student supports, and technology upgrades for flexible learning and early student alerts to keep adult learners on track. 
  • Targeted Outreach: Ten campuses have already launched marketing campaigns, digital ads, and employer partnerships to re-engage adults and help create a sense of belonging and build an adult learner community on campus.  
  • Credit for Prior Learning (CPL): At least six campuses are improving CPL processes and awards through faculty trainings, new and improved evaluation tools, and software upgrades.  

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, “SUNY Reconnect is opening doors for adult learners, and these investments ensure they are not walking through those doors alone. When we remove barriers and respect the realities of adult learners’ lives, we build a stronger workforce and a stronger New York, especially in developing, high demand fields. I commend Governor Hochul, Chancellor King, and SUNY’s community colleges for their continued commitment in supporting these students.” 

State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, “Adult learners balancing work, family, and school deserve more than access—they deserve meaningful support every step of the way. These added resources will help students navigate re-enrollment, build on their existing skills, and remain on track to complete their degrees. By strengthening advising, outreach, and recognition of prior learning, SUNY is creating a more responsive system that helps New Yorkers finish what they started and prepare for in-demand careers that benefit their families and communities.”  

SUNY Reconnect was announced by Governor Hochul as part of her 2025 State of the State Address. The program builds on the Governor's legacy of ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to a world-class and affordable education. Since the launch of SUNY Reconnect in Fall 2025, more than 5,600 New Yorkers have enrolled in the program, saving, on average, approximately $2,000 per year. 

Throughout the year, Chancellor King visited SUNY community colleges to promote SUNY Reconnect as part of the SUNY Reconnect tour. The tour, which kicked off in June at Dutchess Community College, included visits to Tompkins Cortland Community College, SUNY Schenectady, Jefferson Community College, Suffolk County Community College, SUNY Niagara, SUNY Erie Community College, Jamestown Community College, Monroe Community College, SUNY Broome, SUNY Adirondack, Rockland Community College, Ulster Community College, and Westchester Community College.  

Chancellor King will be visiting more SUNY community colleges in 2026 as campuses prepare for the Spring Semester. Enrollment for the Spring 2026 semester is now open. To learn more about SUNY Reconnect program, visit Free Community College for Adult Learners at SUNY.  

Four million working-age adults in New York do not have a college degree or credential, and SUNY Reconnect provides a valuable education for adult students at SUNY campuses throughout the state, with tuition, fees, books, and supplies all covered after applicable financial aid.  

 Degrees in high-demand fields eligible for SUNY Reconnect include: 

  • Advanced Manufacturing 
  • Artificial Intelligence 
  • Cybersecurity 
  • Engineering 
  • Technology 
  • Nursing and Allied Health Fields 
  • Green and Renewable Energy 
  • Pathways to Teaching in Shortage Areas 

 To support the launch of SUNY Reconnect, SUNY has: 

  • Allocated $4 million to community colleges to support SUNY Reconnect programmatic implementation through advising, enrollment, outreach, award of credit for prior learning, and other student services, supports, and campus operations.  
  • Provided an additional $1 million to cover equipment, materials, supplies, and other one-time needs to increase student enrollment capacity in high-demand programs that are part of SUNY Reconnect.  
  • Announced $1.1 million in grant funding for the SUNY Adult Learner Leadership Initiative (SUNY ALL Initiative) to help community colleges increase access and ensure degree completion for adult learners.  

Together, SUNY Reconnect and the SUNY ALL Initiative strategies will create flexible, supportive pathways for adult learners to learn, persist, and complete degrees in high-demand fields such as nursing, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and teaching—further strengthening New York’s workforce and economy. 

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.

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
12/17/2025