SUNY Sullivan's president told the county Government Services Committee the college's current head count is 1,476 students, up from 1,272 at the same point last year. The president said the college will ask the county soon for capital support for repairs to the field house and for a campus infrastructure (master plan) assessment.

The president said the rise in enrollment reflects a mix of returning adults and in-county students and credited outreach such as SUNY Reconnect and partnerships with local high schools. “It's a little bit of an information dump, this morning, but there's a lot of good stuff going on at the college,” the president said.

Why it matters: county funding decisions could affect the college's ability to repair shared facilities and to make campus accessibility improvements. The president identified two near-term capital priorities the college will bring to the county: field-house repairs (including an elevator in the draft plan) and a master-plan infrastructure assessment to document needed work across campus.

Most important details: the president said official head-count numbers are not final but current records show 1,476 students versus 1,272 last year, an increase “of 200 students.” The college is tracking Sullivan Promise scholarship usage and expects at least about 100 applicants; last year there were 109. The president said the college will provide a fuller breakdown later of how many students receive federal aid, New York State TAP and Sullivan Promise support.

The college is expanding workforce and noncredit offerings: the president said a CDL box-truck course has started, tractor-trailer training will follow with support from a local raceway, and the CNA program is continuing. He also said the college will increase capacity in direct-support-professional (DSP) training in partnership with local providers named in the meeting (New Hope, The Arc, Center for Discovery).

On governance and finance, the president thanked SUNY Chief Financial Officer Josh Sager and the college finance committee for collaborative work on long-term fiscal planning and said the college will ask the county for capital funding soon. The president said the college will reopen its strategic plan during an inauguration event on the 23rd and intends to hold public forums and outreach events to shape a three- and 10-year vision.

Accessibility was raised: when asked whether field-house upgrades include an elevator, the president said yes, the draft plan does include an elevator and that the campus-wide infrastructure assessment will address longer-term accessibility needs.

Background and next steps: the president said an all-county campus event is scheduled Nov. 6, and the college is planning a spring Earth Day event and professional development to strengthen college–high-school pathways. He said the college will return to the county with formal capital requests and more detailed financial documentation.