SUNY Sullivan officials briefed the Sullivan County Government Services meeting on the college’s strategic-plan reopening, enrollment figures and an expansion of workforce programs.

The college announced a community visioning session for Dec. 9 and said its strategic-plan revision will focus on finance, enrollment/student success and broadening academic offerings beyond nursing. The presenter said SUNY system finance staff and trustees are collaborating on a five-year sustainability plan and cautioned the college faces difficult budget choices.

Enrollment figures given at the meeting put head count at 1,533 for the year, a net decline of 13 students compared with the same date last year, while regular college students were up 62 year over year. The presenter said full-time-equivalent (FTE) enrollment — the metric tied to revenue — is higher and retention is strong; the head-count decline appears to stem from lower College in the High School participation and staff are following up to determine whether late registration explains the drop.

College leaders described a countywide College in the High School event attended by about 120 students and participating BOCES teachers intended to boost student engagement and conversion to full-time enrollment.

On workforce training, the college reported a nine-student certified nursing assistant cohort in good standing, an expansion of direct support professional (DSP) training targeting 30 new spring students, a six-student fall EMT cohort with testing scheduled, and upcoming CDL and automotive/construction cohorts beginning later this year and in 2026. The college said it plans to implement the Handshake student–employer platform early in 2026 to match students with employers and support job placement and transfer opportunities.

The presenter also summarized Sullivan Promise program activity for the 2025–26 fall cycle: 170 applications, 136 attendees to informational sessions, and 102 students currently benefiting (69 first-year students and 33 returning students). Current county cost estimates for those 102 active recipients were reported at about $264,700; the college said it will provide additional detail on the funding breakdown and the fields of study supported.

Responding to concerns about students’ basic needs, the college said it hired a part-time director for its on-campus food pantry. Stacy Johnson described the pantry serving about 30–45 students per week, referrals to the Sullivan County Federation of the Homeless, Community Resources of Sullivan County and the Sullivan County Department of Social Services for housing and utility support, a small emergency fund for one-time student needs, on-campus counseling and a new telehealth service called Better Mind that offers licensed mental-health sessions at no charge to students.

College trustees thanked the legislature for support and described the Sullivan Promise scholarship as an important financial lifeline for students. The college said it expects to present a fuller strategic-plan proposal by the end of the spring semester and will provide updated financial projections and program details to county officials.

The presentation was informational; no county action or vote on these items was taken at the meeting.