UPDATE: See letter from SUNY Broome President Tony Hawkins to the campus community below.
BINGHAMTON, NY – (WIVT/WBGH) Binghamton University is pulling the plug on a cooperative effort with SUNY Broome that could cause major financial hardship for the community college.
The university is discontinuing its Binghamton Advantage Program, or BAP, in which last year 150 students lived on the B-U campus, but took their first year courses at Broome.
Back in January, B-U President Harvey Stenger proposed expanding the program to 200 for this year, plus offering another 100 slots to students who chose to live at home if local or live in the SUNY Broome dorm for a year before gaining admission to B-U, assuming they maintained a 3 point 0 GPA.
That proposal came out of potential merger talks between the 2 schools prompted by a 37 percent loss in enrollment at SUNY Broome since before the pandemic and a corresponding 3 million dollar budget shortfall.
B-U says it has decided to end the program in order to give more local students an opportunity to attend both schools.
It says it has other programs that support the transition of students from Broome to B-U, including its Broome to Binghamton, or B2B, Guarantee where qualifying students who live within 60 miles of campus can seamlessly transfer from Broome to Harpur College after fulfilling specific academic criteria.
Another option is B-U’s spring first year admission which the school says is geared toward the same students who participated in BAP.
Letter from SUNY Broome President Tony Hawkins:
Dear SUNY Broome Community,
This week, we learned that Binghamton University has decided to discontinue the Binghamton Advantage Program (BAP). The joint admissions program between Binghamton University and SUNY Broome allowed students to live on Binghamton’s campus while taking classes here at Broome, with an opportunity to transfer to Binghamton after one or two years. Currently, there are nearly 250 BAP students enjoying this program, and past students have found great success through this partnership.
While it is certainly unfortunate to see the BAP program end, we respect Binghamton University’s decision and appreciate all that our institutions have accomplished together since the program was established in 2011. We are committed to continuing to collaborate with Binghamton through other partnerships, such as the locally-focused Broome to Binghamton (B2B) Guarantee program, and supporting our students who aim to transfer to Binghamton University.
As the community’s college, our first priority is supporting and empowering our students to reach their academic and career goals. We have been assured by Binghamton University that BAP students will continue living on the BU campus through the fall semester, and if eligible, they may transfer to Binghamton University for the spring semester. SUNY Broome will do everything possible to ensure that students currently enrolled in the BAP program have the information and preparation they need to continue their academic journey as seamlessly as possible. BAP students with specific questions about how this may impact them should contact their academic advisor.
The future of this institution is bright, and this decision is a reminder of SUNY Broome’s absolutely vital role in lifting up students and readying them for their next chapters. Our students flourish with the knowledge and preparation they gain here, and go on to find continued success at outstanding and highly competitive four-year colleges like Cornell, Georgetown, and New York University.
As the new President of SUNY Broome, I am excited about this time of transition, as we approach opportunities for growth with strategy and optimism. With renewed energy, we will work to ensure that our students are informed and well-equipped to transfer to the very best institutions for their programs. Thank you for your support of the success of our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tony D. Hawkins
President, SUNY Broome Community College
