Program leaders and campus officials told the Council’s Committee on Higher Education that targeted, wraparound supports improve persistence and degree completion — and that scaling those models could lift systemwide outcomes.

Christine Brinyard, CUNY’s executive director of ASAP and ACE, said the national ASAP model transformed retention and completion by combining financial supports with intrusive advising and that both ASAP and ACE “have doubling impact on degree completion rates when compared to non‑program first‑time freshmen.” She provided program metrics: ASAP has enrolled tens of thousands since 2007 and currently supports a system annual enrollment ceiling (about 24,000 students), with a reported per‑student cost roughly $3,391 for ASAP and $3,447 for ACE.

Allison Pease, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at John Jay College, described campus innovations that drove rapid gains: CUSP (Completion of Upper Division Students) used machine learning to identify at‑risk seniors and increased senior graduation rates in its first year from 54% to 86%. She highlighted Apple Corps — a partnership with the NYPD that offers stipends, travel support and advising — which posted a 70% four‑year graduation rate for participating students in 2023.

Witnesses and independent researchers argued that these targeted investments are cost‑effective. Brinyard cited an ROI estimate frequently used in testimony: “For every $1 invested in ASAP, $3.50 is returned,” and referenced a Columbia University Center analysis estimating substantial net social benefits per ACE participant.

The committee and research witnesses urged the city to scale ACE baseline funding, expand OmniCard-type benefits, and pilot a CUNY Flex model tailored to part‑time and working adult learners with flexible scheduling, advising, and stipends. Rachel Nedjes of the Center for an Urban Future recommended a 10‑year citywide goal to boost credentials among underrepresented groups and said ACE currently serves only about 3% of eligible senior college students due to limited funding.

Council members said they were persuaded by program evidence but asked CUNY to submit precise budget requests and operational plans for wider rollouts. The committee did not vote on funding but signaled interest in following up in the next budget cycle.

Next steps: CUNY agreed to provide more detailed program cost estimates, enrollment pipeline analyses, and disaggregated graduation data to support council deliberations on scaling ASAP, ACE and proposed pilots.