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 and personnel 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. Furthermore, an additional part-time staff member would help support both Middletown and Newburgh program participants.

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. Although TRIO among many other offices have been working remotely due to COVID19, we are making these requests with the expectation of returning to campus in the near future. We believe these requests to be reasonable and vital to student success based on feedback received from program participants.