Last week, The City University of New York (CUNY) announced a groundbreaking partnership with New York City to significantly increase graduation rates at its community colleges.
CUNY will scale-up its already successful Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), which provides comprehensive academic support and financial resources to help students succeed. Along with free tuition, ASAP provides financial assistance for textbooks and public transportation, plus additional academic support resources and tutoring. Students are also required to meet with an adviser on a regular basis.
Through the expansion, ASAP plans to grow from 4,000 full-time students to 25,000 students across all CUNY associate programs over the next three years. The plan also intends to raise the graduation rate at CUNY community colleges to 34 percent by 2025.
“As educators, it is not enough for us to provide just an opportunity for advancement,” said CUNY Chancellor James B. Milliken at an event unveiling the plan. “We have to take responsibility for equipping our students with the tools for seizing that opportunity and be held accountable when they do not.”
The initiative will also re-position Bronx Community College as a solely ASAP school, aiming to graduate 50 percent of its full-time students within three years.
For more on the initiative, see Inside Higher Ed’s story here.
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