Stockton’s search for a new provost is well underway. On November 16, 2023, Stockton University hosted a student forum in the Campus Center theatre with Dr. Laura Reynolds, one of the prospective provosts. The provost oversees the maintenance of academic policies, looks out for Stockton faculty, assists in the development of new programs and courses, and has a hand in student engagement through clubs and events.

Due to the minimal amount of students, an informal conversation took place with Reynolds. She asked students questions about why they chose Stockton and their experiences attending the institution. Students were then able to ask her why she is interested in Stockton University and what she hopes to accomplish if she gets the position.

When asked why she is interested in Stockton, she stated, “The things that made Stockton really attractive are the structure of the classes and the way in which all of the faculty work with small class sizes and work across the disciplines to really have that interdisciplinary experience for students. I like working at institutions that are about that size and have students that a lot of times are first generation or are also working, and which college can sometimes be a challenge, but really benefit when there’s that small class size and real ability to connect with your professor and do research.”

Dr. Reynolds was then asked what issues she hopes to address if she assumes the provost position, she responded, “Some things that I typically work with students on, that they have concerns about, is making sure classes are available at the times and the days that people need them; that they’re available the semesters that they need them. I work with faculty to make sure of course availability. One of the things that is always a priority is making sure that physical resources are available. IT, I know is an issue. Do we have it? Is it (WiFi) coming on, bumping off, that kind of stuff. So, that’s really important.”

She also mentioned, “The other things that we want to think about and that’s important everywhere is what kind of programs we need. What kind of new classes do we need? Because all the stuff we have at universities may be good, but the world is changing. We might need some different kinds of things; some different kinds of courses. And Stockton is pretty special because it does a lot of things across disciplines and that’s really the way the world is. When you go out to the workplace, you’re not just doing one thing with one group in one office, you’re working with lots of different people and lots of different teams. So thinking about what kind of courses and programs would be helpful for you all when you get out of here and have actual J-O-B-S.”

There will be one more provost forum on November 21 at 3:15 p.m. in the Campus Center theater with candidate Dr. Sonja Feist Price. For more info on Stockton events, check Ospreyhub.