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Former names | Stockton State College (1968–1993) Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (1993–2015) |
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| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1969; 56 years ago (1969) |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
Academic affiliations | Sea-grant,Space-grant |
| President | Joe Bertolino |
Academic staff | 342 full-time (fall 2023) |
| Undergraduates | 7,583 (fall 2025) |
| Postgraduates | 1,043 (fall 2025) |
| Location | , U.S. |
| Campus | Suburban, 1,600 acres (650 ha)[1] |
| Colors | Black, white, & Columbia blue |
| Nickname | Ospreys |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division III-NJAC |
| Mascot | Talon theOsprey |
| Website | stockton.edu |
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Stockton University is apublic university inGalloway Township, New Jersey, United States. It is a part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. It is named forRichard Stockton, one of the New Jersey signers of theU.S. Declaration of Independence. Founded in 1969, Stockton enrolled its first class in 1971. Stockton isaccredited by theMiddle States Commission on Higher Education. The university has a second campus inAtlantic City.
In November 1968, New Jersey approved a $202.5 million (equivalent to $1831.03 million in 2024) capital construction bond issue with an earmarked $15 million (equivalent to $135.63 million in 2024) designated for the construction of a new state college in Southern New Jersey. In 1969, a 1,600-acre (650-hectare) tract was selected for the campus in the heart of theNew Jersey Pine Barrens in Galloway Township. The school's trustees narrowed down final name options as either "Southern Jersey State College", "South Jersey State College", "Atlantic State College", and "Jersey Shore State College" before settling on "South Jersey State College."[2][3] However, the school quickly sought another name, due to confusion between the new College andRutgers College of South Jersey.[3] The trustees considered naming the college after one of New Jersey's fiveSignatories of the Declaration of Independence;Richard Stockton,John Witherspoon,Francis Hopkinson,John Hart, andAbraham Clark, before settling on Stockton.[2] The reason why Stockton was chosen was never disclosed, nor properly recorded, with the school launching an investigation as to why in 2017.[2]
In 1970, as construction began to run behind schedule, the trustees realized they needed an alternative location for the first class in 1971. They selected the historicMayflower Hotel in Atlantic City as the temporary campus.[2][3] Accreditation of Stockton State College by theMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools was first granted in December 1975.[4] In 1978 the US Congress passed legislation creating theNew Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, the first such designation in the nation, to protect the area's ecology and aquifer, which serves the large metropolitan region. In 1988, theUnited Nations designated it an International Biosphere Reserve, in recognition of its importance.[5] In 1993, the college's name was changed to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Rochelle Hendricks, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, approved Stockton's petition to become a university on February 13, 2015. On February 18, 2015, Stockton's board of trustees voted to change the former college's seal to reflect the new name, Stockton University. The executive committee of the New Jersey Presidents Council, which represents the presidents of the state's public, private, and community colleges that receive state aid, had also voted for the change. In February 2015, the college was awarded university status and was officially renamed Stockton University on February 18, 2015.[6]
Shortly after the toppling of theRobert E. Lee Monument in Charlotte Virginia, and the deadly aftermath of theUnite the Right rally to try and prevent that, on August 25, 2017, the school dismantled a bust of Richard Stockton on campus partly due to his ownership of slaves, and partly because of a widespread flyer spreading incident in favor of Unite the Right on campus at the same time.[7][8][9] University leaders then announced they would make a special "contextual history exhibit" as the bust's new home with the school vowing to have an honest investigation into the prospect of a name change.[9][2] Ultimately this was never done, and the bust was simply returned to its old position by 2023.[7] The university's president also announced that the university had already looked into changing its name for its 40th anniversary (2009) but ultimately decided against it but that they where willing to have an "honest discussion" about a new name for its 50th anniversary (2019).[8][9]
In June 2020, the board of trustees passed a resolution on "Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice at Stockton" asking the president to create a committee to discuss changing the name.[10] The president declined to create such a committee but the Faculty Senate created a 30-person task force to do just that and look into more practical issues of a name change such as the university's built up cultural identity, reception, and cost.[7][10] The task force found that the student and faculty bodies were evenly split on the issue, as Stockton also suffered the "contentious accusation of being a traitor" due to the way he was released from British Custody during theAmerican Revolution by Swearing an Oath toKing George III vowing to forego politics during the war and resigning from Congress.[10] In their final report, the task force found that Stockton University had no legal means of changing its name, and urged for the creation of such bylaws and for the President to at least consider a name change.[10] On April 7, 2023, university presidentHarvey Kesselman went on an interview withWPGG unequivocally stating that there would be no name change and Stockton was the only signer imprisoned and starved by the British.[11] Ultimately, the school never did find why Stockton's name was chosen from among the New Jersey signatories.[2]
In the fall of 2017, Stockton University began constructing a new facility in the Chelsea neighborhood of Atlantic City. The addition was met with applause from local residents and community leaders, who hailed it as a redevelopment of the long-declining neighborhoods in Ward 5 of Atlantic City. The $220-million-campus opened in September 2018 and included a three-story academic center and apartment-style complex for student living called Kesselman Hall.[12]
In the 2010s, the university completed several major building projects and other initiatives. The new Campus Center opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 7, 2011. The 154,000-square-foot (14,300-square-metre) building was designed as a green, sustainable building which would be an inviting, inclusive, and exciting gathering place for the entire community.[20]
Stockton opened a new $39.5-million Unified Science Center with state-of-the-art equipment in September 2013. The 66,350-square-foot (6,164-square-metre), three-story facility expands Stockton's School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NAMS).[21]
In August 2010, as part of its expansion of its tourism and hotel management program in the School of Business, Stockton announced plans to purchase the nearbySeaview Resort & Golf Course. On September 1, 2010, Stockton completed the deal for $20 million.[22] In 2010, Stockton established the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT), part of the Stockton School of Business in Atlantic City at Stockton's Carnegie Center.[23]
Stockton University officially completed the sale of the Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club on July 31, 2018, to KDG Capital LLC of Florida for $21,070,000.[24] The hotel retained the name Seaview Hotel & Golf Club. Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham will continue to manage the hotel while Troon will continue to operate the two 18-hole golf courses.[citation needed]
The university has built anAtlantic City campus at the Boardwalk and Albany Ave, with student residences overlooking the beach and Boardwalk. Stockton University Atlantic City opened fall 2018 with more than 500 residential students and more than 1,800 students taking courses in the new Academic Center, built on the former site of Atlantic City High School.[25] The project is a public-private partnership with Atlantic City Development Corp., or AC Devco, a non-profit modeled on New Brunswick Development Corp., which expanded Rutgers' New Brunswick campus. The project includes a parking garage topped by new offices for South Jersey Gas, with 879 parking spaces for use by the university, South Jersey Gas and the public; and an academic building that can accommodate up to 1,800 students. The university also owns and operates the nearby Rothenberg Building.[26]
Funding sources for the Atlantic City campus include $50.4 million in bonds from the Atlantic County Improvement Authority from proceeds of almost $70 million in tax credits issued by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.[27]
In December 2014, Stockton had purchased the shutteredShowboat Atlantic City hotel and casino for $18 million, with plans to develop a full-service residential campus awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees and other professional training programs.[28][29] The former resort, dubbed the "Island Campus", would have been converted casino and employee spaces into classrooms, cafeteria space and offices for faculty and staff. Several floors of hotel rooms would be renovated into student housing, while the remaining rooms would be operated as a hotel. TheHouse of Blues would be modified to house the school's performing arts programs.[30]
Soon after, it was publicly disclosed thatTrump Entertainment Resorts held a covenant to the property, preventing the site from being used as anything other than a casino. It was through this covenant that Trump Entertainment Resorts prevented Stockton's plans to open an Atlantic City campus on the Showboat property. President Saatkamp came under fire for making the purchase despite knowing about the covenant.[31][32] The university reached a deal to lease the property from investor Glenn Straub, who planned to purchase the Showboat. Straub later sued the university to prevent Stockton from backing out of the deal.[33][34] Stockton sold the Showboat property to Bart Blatstein in January 2016.[35]
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55% | ||
| Hispanic | 21% | ||
| Black | 11% | ||
| Asian | 7% | ||
| Two or more races | 4% | ||
| International student | 1% | ||
| Unknown | 1% | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[a] | 48% | ||
| Affluent[b] | 51% | ||
Stockton's Division of Student Affairs is organized to provide comprehensive programs and services to more than 8,800 students, including more than 3,000 students who reside in university facilities. These programs and services are intended to enhance campus life and enrich the academic programs of Stockton.[37]
Stockton University is home to more than 200 official student clubs and organizations including a Student Senate. The Office of Student Development oversees all student clubs and organizations.
There are student media organizations, including theArgo, a student-produced newspaper.WLFR 91.7 (Lake Fred Radio) is thestudent-run FM radio station licensed to Stockton in 1984.Stockpot Literary Magazine is an annual literary publication featuring art, poetry and writing of Stockton students and alumni. The Stockton yearbook (The Path) is an historical record of the academic year.
Stockton has six housing units on campus. Housing II and III are complexes of traditional three-story residence halls, while Housing I, IV and V are all apartment-style complexes of varying architectural character.
In 2025, Stockton was ranked No. 84 byU.S. News & World Report among public colleges and university in the nation and No. 158 on the Best National Universities list. Stockton was also recognized as one of thetop 40 national universities for social mobility, which is based on enrolling and graduating low-income students.
Stockton is an environmentally friendly campus featuring ageothermal heat pump,fuel cells, andphotovoltaic panels. In 2002, Stockton installed a 200 kW fuel cell, which provides just under 10% of the total energy for the campus; Stockton has the lowest energy cost per student among universities in New Jersey. Stockton achieved nationalLEED certification for its new sustainable design.
Stockton's commitment to environmentally responsible design has resulted in "green" initiatives that have both saved energy and decreased greenhouse gas emissions. These include the development on campus of one of the largest geothermal heating and cooling systems in the world.[45] The geothermal systems incorporateseasonal thermal energy storage so that waste heat or winter cold can be collected when seasonally available and stored for use in the opposing seasons. A borehole thermal energy storage system (BTES) was installed in 1994 and is used for heating the older half of campus, with waste heat collected from air conditioning equipment there.[46] In 1995 a fuel cell and photovoltaic panels were installed buildings to generate energy.
An aquifer thermal energy storage system (ATES), the first of its kind in the United States, began operation in 2008.[47] The ATES system reduces the amount of energy used to cool Stockton's newer buildings by storing the chill of winter air in the water and rock of an underground aquifer, and withdrawing it in the summer for cooling. In 2008, Stockton approved an agreement with Marina Energy LLC for the installation of solar panels onThe Big Blue athletic center roof to generate electricity.
As part of the capital plan, Housing V was built in 2009 to accommodate the rising demand for student housing. It incorporates geothermal heating and cooling using closed-loop technology, for a total of 450 tons cooling capacity. To eliminate the possibility of groundwater contamination in the event of a leak, freeze protection is provided in the circulating fluid. The design accommodates future solar thermal heating systems. Sustainable design includes landscaping: upper-storydeciduous trees were planted along the south-facing facades of the residence halls to provide shade during the summer months, but allow the warmth of the sun to reach the buildings during the winter. This design received the "Green Project of Distinction" award from Education Design Showcase.[citation needed]
Stockton's next green project was the largest single building project in its history. Designed and built according to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Gold Standard in sustainable design, the new Campus Center, completed in 2011, provides 153,000 square feet (14,200 m2) of space for dining, bookstore, pool, theater, lounges and offices. It will use 25% less energy than standard construction, and 40% less water. Other features include low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings. Additional "green" features of the building include a storm water-collection system to irrigate an on-site "rain garden" landscaped with indigenous and adapted plant species. It also has a sophisticatedenergy management system for heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.
In 2013, Stockton received approval from the New Jersey Pinelands Commission to administer the state's first comprehensive forest management plan on public land.[48] Stockton actively manages more than 1,500 acres of forest on its campus, benefiting the local wildlife populations, protecting the campus against fire and pathogens and providing recreation such as hiking and wildlife viewing.
Stockton athletics teams are nicknamed theOspreys.
The Stockton Performing Arts Center offers musical and theater performances for the community, serves as a venue for student productions and performances through the School of Arts and Humanities, and hosts other campus events.
Stockton has had a campus Art Gallery since 1973. Initially located in a classroom-sized space and relocated in 1979 to a former dance studio, the Art Gallery opened in a dedicated exhibition space in January 2012. The Art Gallery exhibits the work of graduating art majors every year in addition to art by local, regional, and nationally known artists.
In 2010, Stockton College entered a partnership with the South Jersey fine arts centerNoyes Museum wherein Stockton would supply funds for needed repairs, and Noyes would provide access to their collections to Stockton. The partnership grew, and eventually the Noyes Foundation which ran the museum entirely ceded its assets and control of the museum to Stockton from 2016–2017.[52][53] The original Absecon site was sold and the museum currently has exhibits at Stockton's Kramer Hall inHammonton, as well as the Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City.[54]
Stockton University CDP | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
  Stockton University Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:39°29′20″N74°32′30″W / +39.4888723°N 74.5416539°W /+39.4888723; -74.5416539 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Atlantic |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.18 sq mi (3.05 km2) |
| • Land | 1.10 sq mi (2.85 km2) |
| • Water | 0.077 sq mi (0.20 km2) |
| Elevation | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 2,428 |
| • Density | 2,205/sq mi (851.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| FIPS code | 34-70984[58] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2806191[59] |
Stockton University CDP is acensus-designated place (CDP) covering the residential population of the Stockton University campus inAtlantic County,New Jersey United States.
It first appeared as acensus designated place in the2020 U.S. census[60][61] with a population of 2,428.[62]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,428 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[63] 2020[61][57] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[61] | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 1,627 | 67.01% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 264 | 10.87% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 8 | 0.03% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 104 | 4.28% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 78 | 3.21% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 347 | 14.29% |
| Total | 2,428 | 100.00% |
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39°29′33″N74°31′55″W / 39.49250°N 74.53194°W /39.49250; -74.53194
