SUNY Adirondack, UAlbany Sign Dual Admissions Agreement

Two women sign documents at tables with tablecloths saying SUNY Adirondack and Univeristy at Albany, as mascots of a timberwolf and a great dane stand on either side

President Kristine D. Duffy of SUNY Adirondack and Provost Carol Kim of the University at Albany sign a dual admissions agreement April 25, 2024. (Photo by Erin Coker)provost

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (April 30, 2024) — SUNY Adirondack and the University at Albany last week signed a dual admission agreement that allows students to be accepted by both colleges, then earn an associate degree from SUNY Adirondack and transfer seamlessly to UAlbany for a bachelor’s degree.

“This is an exciting opportunity for students throughout the region,” said Kristine D. Duffy, president of SUNY Adirondack, said during the ceremony April 25 in the college's Adirondack Hall. “Now, you can start at SUNY Adirondack, benefit from all the individual attention and support available, then transfer to University at Albany to work on a bachelor’s degree with all the skills gained at Adirondack.”

When applying to SUNY Adirondack, prospective students interested in Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science degrees can indicate interest in the University at Albany. When those students complete associate degree requirements, they are eligible to transfer to a related bachelor’s degree program at UAlbany.

Dual-admission students will receive UAlbany identification cards and be able to use the UAlbany libraries, meet with faculty and advisors, and attend athletics and special events at UAlbany. Participating students who graduate from SUNY Adirondack with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher will be guaranteed acceptance into a corresponding UAlbany program. Students who graduate with a GPA of 3.0 or higher are guaranteed a UAlbany Transfer Merit Scholarship.

“Students deserve a seamless path to complete their degree. With our new dual-admission agreement, the University at Albany and SUNY Adirondack are smoothing the path for students and setting them up for higher education success. This program will ensure SUNY Adirondack students have the academic advising, financial aid counseling, and support they need to successfully complete a four-year degree at UAlbany following their completion of a two-year degree at SUNY Adirondack. I am grateful to SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy and her team for their partnership and to SUNY for the Transformation Fund support that helped make this dual-admission program possible,” UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez said.

“Nationally, 80 percent of community college students say they intend to transfer to a four-year institution, but only 16 percent of students who start in community college earn a bachelor’s degree within six years,” said UAlbany Provost Carol Kim. “This dual admission agreement will help us change that story and lead greater numbers of students to success.”

A man with a beard and glasses stands at a podium — Evan Sullivan talks about starting his academic career at SUNY Adirondack, then heading to UAlbany for a bachelor's, master's and PhD on his way to becoming a history professor at Adirondack. (Photo by Erin Coker)

Kim signed the agreement on UAlbany's behalf at a ceremony attended by faculty, students, administrators, and local elected and educational leaders. Senior Vice Chancellor for the SUNY Office of Community Colleges Johanna Duncan-Portier spoke, representing SUNY. Evan Sullivan, an assistant professor of history at SUNY Adirondack, described his academic journey from an associate degree from Adirondack to a bachelor's, master's and PhD from UAlbany, and then "coming full circle" back to Adirondack as a professor. Adirondack mascot Eddy Rondack and UAlbany's Damien were also on hand.

In March, UAlbany signed similar dual admission agreements with Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Fulton-Montgomery. These agreements are made possible through the SUNY Transformation Fund, designed to strengthen advisement and expand programs to enable students to move across SUNY campuses to complete their degrees. The Transformation Fund was established by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature as part of the 2023-24 State Budget.