Cornell to Become First Ivy League University to Offer Bachelor’s Degrees to Inmates

Cornell University will become the first Ivy League institution to offer bachelor’s degrees to incarcerated students, launching a three-year Bachelor of Professional Studies program at Cayuga Correctional Facility in August 2027.

Academic Framework at Cayuga Correctional Facility

• Cornell’s School of Continuing Education will oversee admissions for the three-year program, which targets an initial cohort of 12 to 18 students.
• Applicants must possess an associate’s degree or at least 60 college credits and reside at or transfer to the Cayuga facility in Moravia, NY.
• The curriculum’s first approved major focuses on organizations, markets, and society, covering economics, statistics, data analytics, entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance.

Expansion of the Cornell Prison Education Program

The upcoming bachelor’s degree offering expands the Cornell Prison Education Program, which was founded in 2001 by Pete Wetherbee. Since its inception, the program has taught more than 1,000 inmates across Cayuga, Auburn, and Five Points correctional facilities, with 200 participants completing associate’s degrees through a partnership with SUNY Cayuga Community College. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office awarded the program $750,000 over five years via its Criminal Justice Investment Initiative to support these educational efforts.

According to Jenna LaPietra, CPEP’s director of strategic initiatives, the first cohort of 12 to 18 students will engage in a combination of self-paced learning and in-person sessions with Cornell professors inside the medium-security men’s prison located 20 miles from the university’s Ithaca campus. The School of Continuing Education is currently developing a paper-based application process tailored to the correctional environment.

Photo: cornellsun.com

Strict Standards and Historical Precedents

When questioned regarding whether individuals convicted of violent crimes would face admission restrictions, a spokesperson for the Cornell Prison Education Program stated that participants must meet strict standards concerning their antecedent background and ongoing conduct. The program’s stated mission aims to break cycles of crime and incarceration to foster a safer society.

Program Metric	Details
Launch Date	August 2027
Degree Offered	Bachelor of Professional Studies
First Major	Organizations, Markets, and Society
Initial Cohort Size	12 to 18 students
Required Prerequisites	Associate’s degree or 60 college credits

Alumni of the prison education initiative have documented pathways to academic and professional success following their release. Having gained parole in 2017 after previously participating in the program, Darnell Epps went on to secure a government bachelor’s degree from Cornell University along with a Yale Law School Juris Doctor. Having taken part in the program previously, Jodi Anderson Jr.—who serves as the director of technological innovation for the School of Industrial and Labor Relations’ Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative—pointed out that upwards of 90% of incarcerated individuals eventually re-enter society. Anderson stated that educational access improves social and economic reintegration outcomes.

Concurrent Legal Scrutiny Facing the Institution

The announcement of the prison degree program coincides with unrelated legal developments involving the Ithaca-based university. New York Attorney General Letitia James was appointed special prosecutor to investigate whether criminal charges should be filed against seven Cornell fraternity brothers accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a female student at the Chi Phi fraternity house. Defense attorneys for two of the defendants filed motions seeking her removal, arguing that public statements made on social media regarding the case demonstrated prejudice.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.