Reggie the Raider and Damien Dane met up at SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Tuesday. They high-fived. They celebrated.
Both mascots, surrounded by a cheery crowd and blue and purple pompoms, were on campus for the signing of a new dual admissions program between FMCC and the University at Albany.
That high-energy moment was only a few months in the making.
“It came together pretty quickly and, again, that speaks to the long history of our relationship that made it easy for us to get to this day,” said FMCC President Gregory Truckenmiller.
Officials started talking about the new agreement in mid-January. FMCC and UAlbany sought out a quick rollout process with help from the SUNY Transformation Fund in order to start marketing the new offering for the next wave of fall students.
Dually-admitted FMCC students will get a UAlbany ID, enabling them to access university services and events. Additionally, the town of Mohawk campus now has a new university admissions office in O’Connell Hall.
The new option applies for 23 programs — the same number attached to UAlbany-FMCC articulation agreements, inter-institutional partnerships arranged to improve transferability.
SUNY Fulton-Montgomery President Gregory Truckenmiller shakes hands with University at Albany President Havidan Rodriguez at a dual admission event on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
“With an articulation agreement, the student doesn’t necessarily feel a sense of belonging or a connection to that transfer institution,” Truckenmiller said. “It’s an option available to them, but with a dual admission track, from day one they feel like they’re a part of both institutions.”
Located 35 miles away, UAlbany boasts a student population of more than 17,000. Currently, the Albany-, Rensselaer- and Guilderland-based institution is one of FMCC’s top feeder schools.
The most popular private transfer institution for FMCC students has historically been the College of St. Rose, which is set to close at the end of this semester.
“The first thing is coming to mutual agreement in terms of building and strengthening and expanding the partnership,” said UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez. “It’s making sure that our staff at UAlbany are going to talk to the staff and the faculty here at FMCC to ensure that the courses that are taken here are able to transition [students] smoothly to the University at Albany.”
University at Albany mascot Damien Dane give his president Havidan Rodriguez a high five on the SUNY Fulton-Montgomery campus during a dual admission event on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
In attendance at the Tuesday event was a who’s who of education administrators, business leaders and lawmakers, including state Assemblymembers Robert Smullen, R-Johnstown, and Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, who both sit on state Assembly’s Higher Education Committee.
“This is a great thing,” Smullen said. “This is a great idea.”
UAlbany authorized another dual admission agreement with Hudson Valley Community College earlier in March, and a CUNY community college in January. FMCC has dual admission agreements in place with schools such as the College of Saint Rose and University at Buffalo.
University at Albany mascot Damien Dane poses with Reggie the Raider of SUNY Fulton-Montgomery at a dual admission event on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
The process of reapplying to another school can be anxiety-wrenching for students, according to FMCC Associate Dean of Enrollment Management John Ramoska. Some students aren’t ready to make the leap to a university out of high school, he added.
“They’ll be more ready and more prepared to succeed,” he said about dual admission programs. “I think that’s the biggest thing.”
SUNY Fulton-Montgomery President Gregory Truckenmiller holds a University at Albany hoodie and UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez holds an FMCC hoodie at a dual admission event on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.