MISSION STATEMENT

          The mission of the University at Albany Educational Opportunities Program is to produce graduates who are self-directed, empowered, and academic disciplined and committed to excellence in learning.  These New York State residents are provided a range of academic and student services designed to develop the educational and vocational skills that are necessary to graduate from this competitive and selective institution.

Programs and services are structured to adapt to the needs of our EOP students as well as the demands of a changing society.  Attainment of a college graduation is one of our goals as well as the pursuit of other advanced degrees and the realization of employment goals.

VALUE STATEMENT

        The EOP faculty, EOP counselors, staff and community partners of the University at Albany Educational Opportunities Program believe that our students entrust us with providing learning experiences that will enhance their goals of university graduation.

          As we emerge into the 21^st century, we are dedicated to fulfilling that trust by providing an educational environment that addresses the needs of an increasing diverse student population.  In pursuit of that standard, we are committed to fostering personal growth, intellectual development and economic independence.

          The EOP is well grounded in tradition and experience and by definition and function, embraces the mission of the public university system.  In particular, the purpose of the University at Albany EOP is to provide academic support and advisement services which promote individual growth and development, expand educational options, and encourage self-sufficiency among education disadvantaged and low-income populations of New York State.

          Our compensatory model is supported by the State University of New York Systems Administration’s Office of Opportunities and the University at Albany.  This extensive service delivery system which includes a 5 week mandatory EOP Pre-Summer Residential Program for all EOP freshman, mandatory study skills course for all EOP freshman, academic developmental courses, academic and personal counseling, job placement and internship placement, free peer tutoring, computer room usage, personal growth sessions, financial aid awards, writing and mathematics labs, and graduate school waivers.  All of these services are available to EOP students.  This is in addition to a variety of university academic support programming.

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS

• We enroll 145 freshman annually and 30 EOP new transfers yearly.
• Our current total EOP enrollment is 670 students.
• The EOP freshman academic profile shows that EOP admits are academically non-admissible as well as documented low-income.
• Almost one half of our senior EOP students graduate with 3.0 averages or better.
• Over 4500 EOP students have graduated from this University.
• About 80% of our EOP graduates remain in the State of New York and are taxpayers.
• Our EOP graduation rate over the last 12 years has exceeded 50% annually.
• True to our mission, the programming and service delivery extends completely to New York State residents who seek assistance in gaining a level of self-sufficiency and empowerment through our academic and counseling development.
• Retention rate usually exceeds 85% annually; graduation rate exceeds 60%.
• Received the prestigious Noel Levitz, U.S.A. Group Company (a highly respected retention consulting firm) National Award in 2000 as one of the best compensatory programs in the United States.
• Our EOP ethnic population includes African-Americans, Caucasians, Latino(a) s, Native Americans, and Asian Americans.
• The University at Albany continues to finance the EOP Program at a high level by supporting the EOP Developmental Academic Program.