Chancellor King Visits SUNY Cayuga Community College as Part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour

Governor Hochul's SUNY Reconnect Provides Free Community College Tuition, Fees, Books, and Supplies for Eligible Adult Learners in High-Demand Fields

Visit Highlights SUNY Cayuga Community College’s Health Sciences and Nursing Programs

Auburn, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today visited SUNY Cayuga Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour. Chancellor King has been visiting SUNY community colleges throughout the state to promote New York's free community college program for adult learners, which began at the start of Fall 2025. Under Governor Kathy Hochul's SUNY Reconnect initiative, New York State is providing free tuition, fees, books, and supplies for adults ages 25-55 who don't already have a college degree to pursue an associate degree in a high-demand field.

“SUNY Reconnect reinforces our commitment to helping New Yorkers achieve upward mobility by increasing access to higher education and offering life-changing opportunities,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “With Governor Hochul’s support, we are expanding flexible opportunities and support services for adult learners, ensuring that there is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Cayuga Community College is an engine of student success that empowers students to chase their dreams. With the SUNY Reconnect program, we ensure that more New Yorkers are able to earn degrees in high-demand fields and receive the support needed to reach their full potential. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her continued leadership in this transformational initiative.”

During the visit, Chancellor King highlighted Cayuga Community College’s Health Sciences and Nursing programs, which are eligible for SUNY Reconnect. SUNY Reconnect ensures that students receive enough financial aid and support services, including a single point of contact, extended hours, and prep courses, to complete their associate degrees. To learn more about the SUNY Reconnect degree programs available at Cayuga Community College visit https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/freeCC/.

Cayuga Community College President Brian Durant said, “Through its emphasis on access, equity, and career-focused degrees, SUNY Reconnect has made an undeniable impact in the lives of our students. Eligible adult students can access degrees supporting jobs in rapidly growing industries like healthcare or advanced manufacturing — and find the academic support to earn those degrees — free of charge through SUNY Reconnect. The leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul and SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. made this pathway possible for adults across New York. We are incredibly appreciative of their vision and support for Cayuga and our students.”

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Free community college for eligible adult learners not only provides a pathway to well-paying careers but also ensures that New York has educated and skilled workers in high-demand fields, such as nursing and the health sciences. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued investment in programs like SUNY Reconnect that make New York State an affordable place to live and work.” 

New York State Higher Education Corporation Acting President Doris B. González said, “SUNY Reconnect is a game-changer for adult learners across New York State, offering not just access to education but a pathway to opportunity and economic mobility. SUNY Cayuga Community College’s exceptional Health Sciences and Nursing programs demonstrate how SUNY Reconnect is equipping students with the skills to thrive in essential, high-demand fields. Thank you to Governor Hochul for championing this initiative and to Chancellor King for his dedication to ensuring every adult learner knows that New York is here to support them every step of the way."

New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person said, “At SUNY Cayuga, the impact of SUNY Reconnect is clear: more adult learners getting the opportunity to step into high-demand fields like nursing and health sciences, where they are urgently needed. We’re proud to support SUNY Reconnect — and we’re excited that the state is looking to expand the program at both SUNY and CUNY — because every New Yorker who wants to come back to school should have a clear, affordable path to do it and a real future waiting on the other side.”

State Senator Rachel May said, “For many in Central New York, going back to school just hasn’t felt possible, with work, busy family life, and the cost. The SUNY Reconnect program is changing that. It’s giving non-traditional students a real opportunity to come back, finish a degree, and move into better-paying careers. And that’s good not just for them, but for our local economy and communities. I’m glad to see this program being showcased in the 48th District at Cayuga Community College and the impact it can have for Central New Yorkers.”

State Senator Chris Ryan said, “Expanding access to higher education not only changes the lives of individuals, but also strengthens our local workforce and builds a more resilient future for our communities. The SUNY Reconnect initiative is opening doors for adult learners across New York – giving them an opportunity to pursue in-demand careers without the burden of excess costs. I’m grateful to SUNY and Chancellor King for highlighting the incredible programs at Cayuga Community College, particularly in health sciences and nursing, where we are seeing a critical need for skilled professionals.”

State Assemblymember Will Barclay said, “SUNY Reconnect is a win-win for adult learners looking to return to the classroom and for the critical industries in our state that need a skilled workforce. Expanding access to high-demand fields like health care creates real pathways to opportunity while helping ensure our communities are staffed with the professionals they depend on. It’s great to see the impact of this initiative firsthand at Cayuga Community College.”

SUNY Reconnect funds degrees in high-demand fields including:

  • 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. SUNY Cayuga Community College received $100,000 which is being used to hire a dedicated adult learner student success coach; provide adult learner focused orientation workshops and programming; support marketing and recruitment efforts, and provide increased hours of critical student supports for financial aid, billing office, distance learning, tutoring, and other support services.
  • Announced $1.1 million in grant funding for the SUNY Adult Learner Leadership Initiative to help community colleges increase access and ensure degree completion for adult learners. Cayuga Community College received a $50,000 grant to participate in the Adult Learner Leadership initiative and developed an action plan designed to implement marketing campaigns tailored to the needs of adult learners; explore development of co-requisite models in math and continue to evaluate existing English co-requisite models, including increased academic supports for students; gather data to identify best strategies to cater to adult learner course scheduling needs; review current certificate and degree offerings to identify recommended modality of instructional delivery; and continue to formalize and expand the use of credit for prior learning, including the use of adult learner coaches to guide students through the process.

Governor Hochul's FY2026-27 Executive Budget expands SUNY Reconnect to include careers in logistics, air traffic control and transportation, and emergency management, as well as to make it easier for adult learners to return to college to pursue nursing if they already have a prior degree.

Since the May 2025 launch of Governor Hochul’s SUNY Reconnect program for adult learners in New York State, Chancellor King visited SUNY community colleges to promote the program as part of the SUNY Reconnect tour. The tour, which kicked off in June 2025 at Dutchess Community College, has 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, Westchester Community College, Columbia-Greene Community College, Clinton Community College, Herkimer County Community College, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, North Country Community College, and Finger Lakes Community College.