Board of Trustees Thanks Legislature for Longstanding Partnership and Support
The Sullivan County Legislature has voted unanimously to approve SUNY Sullivan’s 2026–2027 operating budget. College leadership thanked the Legislature for its longstanding partnership, support that has helped grow enrollment, expand programs, and strengthen the College’s role across Sullivan County. The college served 1,976 credit students during the 2025–2026 academic year, more than 80% of them Sullivan County residents, while adding new academic programs and posting a more than 50% increase in healthcare enrollment.
The approved budget includes a $700,000 increase in the county’s annual sponsor contribution, bringing it to $5 million. It was the College’s first request for additional county support in 12 years, and comes alongside a 2026–2027 operating budget of $15,352,469, lower than each of the previous five fiscal years.
“Sullivan County has stood behind this college for more than a decade, and we don’t take that for granted,” said Dr. Nancy Hackett, chair of the SUNY Sullivan Board of Trustees. “We’ve cut expenses, reduced staff, and gone after every dollar of state and grant funding we could find, and the Legislature met us by growing its investment alongside us, so we can keep up with the needs of students and employers across the county.”
Since August 2024, SUNY Sullivan has cut 23 full-time staffing lines through position control and retrenchment, part of a broader effort to tighten financial controls. The newly approved 2026–2027 budget is built on a conservative three-year rolling average for enrollment projections, with no reduction of academic programs since 2024.
“The numbers back up what we’ve shared with the Legislature,” said Dr. David Potash, President of SUNY Sullivan. “Our three-year stability plan is on track, this year is tight, next year eases, and we’re projecting greater fiscal stability by 2028–29. It’s the result of difficult decisions and hard work. We are extraordinarily grateful to the county for their guidance and support.
State operating support has remained steady at approximately $3.1 million for the past three years. SUNY provides other help too, including the SUNY Reconnect scholarship for adult learners, funding for the SUNY ASAP (Advancing Success in Associate Pathways), DSP (Direct Support Professional) funding through OPWDD (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities), ADA-related funding through OASAS (Office for Addiction Services), and capital funding, coordinated with Sullivan County, to update the college’s Paul Gerry Fieldhouse. The SUNY Sullivan Foundation is stepping up as well, on track to increase its support above the $100,000 it allocated in 2025–2026.
The County’s investment is paying off, with SUNY Sullivan nursing enrollment up more than 50% year-over-year. Thirty-one nursing students graduated in May 2026, and 82 students are currently enrolled in the RN program. This year’s health sciences graduates, nurses, respiratory therapists, medical assistants, and phlebotomy technicians, are stepping into local jobs worth an estimated $5.4 to $6.2 million in combined starting salaries. On the horizon are more CNA cohorts and a Licensed Practical Nursing program recently approved by New York State. External support, such as the Catskill Hudson AHEC Nurse Fellowship program, is also helping students succeed.
Workforce and student-success programs are expanding access across the county. Evening CNA and EMT schedules, CDL preparation, and other non-credit training remove barriers for working adults. The DSP microcredential program has more than doubled enrollment since Fall 2025, thanks to hard work at the college and outstanding partnerships in the county. SUNY Sullivan hosts an ATTAIN Lab, which offers free digital literacy, GED prep, and certification training. This fall, the launch of SUNY ASAP complements the Academic Momentum Program, the Educational Opportunity Program, and SUNY Reconnect as part of a broader strategy serving students of all ages. A redesigned First Year Experience and a new basic-needs support strategy, including a Student Resource Guide, a QR-accessible support hub, laundry assistance, and an ongoing food pantry and emergency aid fund, round out the college’s investment in student success.
The College in the High School program serves every high school in Sullivan County. Schools outside Sullivan County are also interested in working with SUNY Sullivan, including in Rockland County, Middletown, and the Putnam/North Westchester BOCES region.
The approved budget is part of a long-term effort to increase SUNY Sullivan’s effectiveness and impact. The college is finalizing a revised strategic plan for 2026–2030 that will set out four priorities: expanding access for students across the county, improving student outcomes, deepening partnerships with the county and its businesses, and managing college resources responsibly for the long term. It’s the same approach behind this year’s budget: build a sustainable plan, assess progress, and grow, with the county and community alongside the college at every step.
“We don’t take this partnership for granted, and we know the Legislature has hard trade-offs to weigh every budget season,” said Hackett. “Today’s unanimous vote is a vote of confidence in an institution training the nurses our hospitals need, building the workforce this county depends on, and giving young people a reason to stay here and build a future. We’re deeply grateful.”
About SUNY Sullivan: SUNY Sullivan is the leader of innovative higher education and a catalyst for workforce development throughout the Sullivan Catskills and beyond. Our diverse community cultivates personal growth and professional advancement, preparing students for success in a sustainable and interconnected world. A forward-looking, top-tier community college in New York, SUNY Sullivan offers dozens of degree programs, certificates, and microcredentials for learners at all levels of their educational goals. We value critical inquiry and creativity while supporting our students in a culture of inclusion and respect.
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