SUNY New Paltz applauds Gov. Hochul for critical support for student success in 2025 State of the State Agenda

SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler today applauded Gov. Kathy Hochul for pledging in her 2025 State of the State agenda to deliver ongoing state funding to sustain and expand the proven Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) programs, transformative models that have been widely demonstrated to increase student completion rates and narrow opportunity gaps, including at New Paltz.

“In less than a year, the ACE Program has demonstrated its ability to be a model initiative promoting the academic success of our students and providing value to the people of New York State,” said SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler. “We are so appreciative of Governor Hochul’s leadership on this program, which is showing what is possible when committed partners throughout our state work together to help more young New Yorkers unlock their educational potential.”

ASAP (for students pursuing an associate degree) and ACE (for students in Bachelor’s degree programs) expanded to the SUNY system in spring 2024 through the SUNY Transformation Fund. As of fall 2024, more than 4,200 students now participate in ASAP|ACE across 25 SUNY campuses.

At SUNY New Paltz, the ACE Program supported 185 students in fall 2024 and is expected to support 190 students in spring 2025.

Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State agenda will make it possible to sustain ASAP|ACE and expand it statewide to reach 10,000 SUNY students.

“SUNY is committed to success for every student, and ASAP|ACE programs are the nation’s leading, evidence-based model for helping students stay on track to graduation,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her commitment to ASAP|ACE in the 2025 State of the State agenda and look forward to working with the governor and our champions in the legislature to continue to scale this proven investment in student success.”

Since launching the Advancing Completion through Engagement Program, New Paltz students have felt immediate tangible benefits, with positive impacts on academic momentum, including higher credit-completion and retention rates and high levels of student engagement.

The program provides wraparound support to ensure student academic success, retention and on-time graduation. An array of resources and supports — including academic assistance, personalized advisement, career development activities, and funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance — help Pell-eligible students overcome barriers that can prevent them from achieving their goals and obtaining a degree.

Across SUNY, ASAP students’ credit completion rates for the spring 2024 semester were 20% higher than similar non-participants, and ACE students saw 9% higher credit completion rates compared to similar non-ACE students. ASAP|ACE-student retention rates from spring to fall 2024 also outpaced those of non-participants.

“The assistance and advising from the ACE Program have greatly helped me achieve my academic goals,” said Keisy Calcagno ’25 (Sociology) of Poughkeepsie, New York. “I have a very special place in my heart for my advisors. They have done an outstanding job coaching us and, most importantly, serving as a support and motivation to stay focused and working hard. Scheduling a meeting with my advisors is like a relief to my academic anxiety and fears. As a transfer student, I went through a long process of adapting to life on a new campus and now I look back and think I would’ve not been able to make it through last semester without the ACE Program.”

“SUNY New Paltz has been one of the most supportive communities I’ve been a part of and a major factor of that has been the ACE Program,” said Ashley Reyes ’26 (Political Science; Adolescence Education) of Bronx, New York. “I get to focus on what I want to do next to be better, do better, and just prepare myself for the real world without having to worry about what I can and can’t afford. But aside from that, something I didn’t realize I would gain was an amazing support system that I can turn to when it comes to decisions regarding my academics, extracurriculars and life in general. I just want to say thank you to them and everyone involved for making this program possible and creating this safe space for me on campus.”

For more information on ASAP and ACE programs statewide, visit www.suny.edu/asap-ace.