TRiO is tasked with meeting federal objectives similar to SUNY Orange priorities and objectives. We believe student persistence is one of the most important objectives, as it correlates to student success and graduation. In order to meet federal and Institutional objectives/priorities, it is essential we have the equipment to accommodate our students during their educational journey. TRiO has the space to accommodate our student population, but not enough seating and tables to encourage academic and social engagement. The office resources(including computers and seating) are maxed out on a daily basis due to frequent student usage, and some students end up leaving or sitting alone in different parts of the campus.

Most of the funding TRiO receives comes directly from the government, which can only be spent on specific predetermined resources. TRiO regulation does not allow for the purchase of office furniture, otherwise we would purchase the tables and seating without requesting additional funds. TRiO has been operating for 17 months in the new office space and has witnessed tremendous student growth and involvement due to having a space for students to gather and interact. Prior to moving into the TRiO Resource Center, we did not have the level of student-to-student or student-staff interaction. Student program satisfaction has dramatically increased having a place to identify belonging to TRiO, which is why we want to accommodate and encourage more TRiO students to develop a deeper connection with both TRiO and the SUNY Orange campus.