Academic Momentum: Building Early Progress Toward Student Success
What is Academic Momentum?
Academic Momentum (AcMo) focuses on the early progress of New First-Time, Full-Time (FTFT) students during their first academic year. Research shows that students who build momentum early are more likely to be retained and complete their degrees on time.
What is the Purpose?
SUNY launched the Academic Momentum Campaign in Fall 2025 as a systemwide initiative to improve student retention and completion. SUNY established required targets and asked campuses to develop strategies designed to help students make meaningful progress toward their degrees. In response, the College established the Academic Momentum Team and developed an Academic Momentum Plan, which establishes strategies and action steps to help the College reach required target goals.
What are Early Momentum Metrics?
Early momentum metrics are indicators that help us understand whether students are making important academic progress during their first year. They include:
- Gateway English Completion – Percentage of New FTFT associate degree-seeking students who complete a Gateway English course within their first academic year.
- Gateway Math Completion – Percentage of New FTFT associate degree-seeking students who complete a Gateway Math course within their first academic year.
- 30+ Credits Earned – Percentage of New FTFT associate degree-seeking students who complete 30 or more credits within their first academic year.
Where Are We Now?
Current data provides a starting point for understanding SUNY Broome’s progress toward its Academic Momentum targets:
| Early Metric | Current (Fall 2024) | SUNY Target Goal (Fall 2026 Cohort) | Gap to Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway English Completion | 62.1% | 82.3% | -20.2 PP |
| Gateway Math Completion | 40.4% | 86.7% | -46.3 PP |
| 30+ Credits Earned | 22.7% | 33.9% | -11.2 PP |
PP=percentage points are the difference between two percentages
These early metrics show where we currently stand against Academic Momentum targets.
Want to explore more? Visit the Academic Momentum Dashboard
Stay tuned for updates to the Academic Momentum Dashboard expected after Fall census!
Academic Momentum: Building Early Progress Toward Student Success (pdf)
Submitted by: Office of Institutional Effectiveness
