The Office of Opportunity Programs (OOP) oversees university-wide programs that promote access, success and opportunity for students of promise at the pre-college, undergraduate, graduate and first professional levels of study. OOP’s oversight responsibilities include program leadership, policy development/implementation, fiscal planning and management, performance monitoring, data collection and reporting.
For more than 50 years, the State University of New York’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) has made it possible for students who have limited financial resources and are academically underprepared to attend a SUNY college, earn a degree and achieve their life goals. This highly successful program is supported by the New York State Legislature and SUNY campuses. It provides eligible first-time, full-time freshmen with a pre-freshman summer experience, extensive academic support services, supplemental instruction, one-on-one advisement and modest financial assistance.
EOP currently serves nearly 10,000 students on 50 SUNY campuses.
Graduation and retention rates of EOP students compare favorably to that of the general student population at public colleges. 82 percent of EOP freshmen enrolled in a baccalaureate program return for their sophomore year. 74 percent of EOP students complete a bachelor’s degree within 6 years.
The Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP) provides partial tuition assistance for students who have participated in an undergraduate opportunity program such as the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and have been admitted to a graduate degree program at a participating SUNY campus. Students must be enrolled full-time (minimum 12 credits) to be eligible for this award. Funding support is contingent upon the availability of resources.
The EOP Pre-Medical Scholars Program, to be launched in the summer of 2021, will provide academic support, mentorship, clinical exposure, assistance with MCAT preparation, academic coaching, and workshops for qualified EOP students interested in pursuing careers in medicine, helping them gain access and earn their advanced degrees from SUNY medical centers.
The Economically Disadvantaged First Professional Study Program (EDPS) provides partial tuition assistance to economically disadvantaged students who pursue first professional study programs such as optometry, dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and law.
Through the Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI), additional resources are made available for Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students who are in or aging out of foster care or who are orphans or wards of the court. FYCSI provides supplemental aid that can be used to help students pay for expenses not covered by other sources of financial aid such as housing, food, books, transportation and fees.
NY GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federal initiative which seeks to increase the number of low-income and at-risk students who are prepared to enroll in and succeed in college. The program targets middle school students from districts with low high school graduation rates. The Office of Opportunity Programs organizes visits to SUNY campuses which provide students with an opportunity to experience campus life through activities and tours, and learn about possible majors and careers.