06/16/2026
SUNY Cortland will join a major system-wide initiative that provides comprehensive support to qualifying SUNY students, helping them stay in college and graduate on time.
The State University of New York’s Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) — the nation’s leading college retention and completion models — are expanding statewide to serve 10,000 students at 44 SUNY campuses by the Fall 2026 semester.
SUNY Cortland will launch its ACE program with an inaugural cohort of 150 students this fall. ASAP supports students pursuing associate degrees, while ACE supports baccalaureate students at four-year campuses like Cortland.
“SUNY Cortland is excited to join in the expansion of SUNY’s ASAP|ACE initiative,” said President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “As a university, we work hard to not only recruit and enroll hard-working students, but to support them in ways that will help them stay on track to graduate.
“Our participation in ACE reflects the university’s commitment to providing academic, financial and social resources to deserving students. We are confident this support will help them succeed on campus and in life, and we are grateful to the SUNY Board of Trustees for its support.”
Through ACE, eligible students will have access to an array of resources to help them overcome barriers that can prevent them from obtaining a degree. That support includes funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation and other costs of attendance, in addition to comprehensive personalized advisement, academic support and career development.
Students receive up to $1,250 per year in financial support, which includes a cost of attendance award worth up to $550, after financial aid is applied; $150 in textbook assistance per semester; and a monthly stipend of $50 for food and other supplies, worth up to $400 per year.
Participation in the program is first-come, first-served for qualifying students. They must receive at least $1 of federal Pell or New York State grant aid through the Tuition Assistance Program or Excelsior Scholarship; be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen; eligible for New York State in-state tuition; and not enrolled in the Educational Opportunity Program.
SUNY Cortland’s ACE program is also open to new transfer students who meet those criteria and earned an associate degree or were a previous participant in ASAP or ACE at their previous institution. Continuing SUNY Cortland students who have earned 21 or fewer credits also are eligible for the program.
The expansion of ASAP|ACE was made possible through an additional $8 million in allocated funding in the 2026-27 Enacted State Budget, bringing the total state investment in the program to $20 million annually.
“SUNY is committed to the success of every student, and the continued expansion of ASAP|ACE will help ensure our students can complete their degree on time, achieve their dreams, and move forward on a path to upward mobility,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “I am thrilled that through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, and for the SUNY Board of Trustees, these vital programs will serve 10,000 students across the state this fall and I thank the SUNY Cortland administration, faculty and staff for their unwavering commitment to student success.”
To learn more about ACE at SUNY Cortland, visit the program’s webpage at cortland.edu/programs/ace or email [email protected].