Onondaga Community College is expecting hundreds of new students this fall who will be taking part in a new free college tuition program called SUNY Reconnect.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation earlier this year creating a pathway for individuals between the ages of 25 and 55, with no college degree, to go to community college tuition-free. Onondaga Community College Enrollment Management Vice-President Sarah Gaffney said so far, the program is going great, and helping individuals who need a boost.
"For this population, they're probably running households, caring for children, caring for, you know, elders in their family," she said. "So, this definitely helps reduce loan debt and helps them return in a way that I think will be really helpful for this community."
There are no income requirements. But these are last-dollar scholarships, so applicants must first apply for state and federal financial aid.
Gaffney says health care and technology are the most popular programs. She says OCC has the capacity physically to take on extra students, although the two-year school needs to beef up staff, so they’re holding a job fair to attract more adjuncts later this month.
OCC enrollment has fallen dramatically since record-setting days a little over a decade ago. It has started coming back in recent years. Gaffney noted it’s up five percent for the next academic year. And this program can only help.
"We haven't seen a program of this nature before. I do think that we will see a boost in both returning and first-time students that fall within this eligibility category. So if we could stay at five percent up in this market, I think that would be great."
