GALLOWAY, N.J. — Stockton University is facing flat student enrollment and increasing costs of operations during tight budgetary times, as stated by Stockton President Joseph Bertolino on Monday October 6, 2025 in his annual State of the University address.

According to Bertolino, in a new strategic plan, Stockton is prioritizing increased student recruitment and retention by introducing more opportunities for scholarships and fostering community awareness of and pride in the many campuses of Stockton. With competition for new students being strong, retaining students already at Stockton is vital, he said.

Regarding the university’s mission to keep students engaged, he stated, “Let’s make this commitment: not only to attract students, but to keep them and to graduate them”.

The President spoke in the Campus Center Theater on the Galloway campus to an in-person and online audience. In the yearly address, he spoke about the university’s academic and fiscal results in the past year and plans to improve for the future.

During a discussion of enrollment management at Stockton, Bertolino spoke of the strengths evident in enrollment data for the past year but also of a couple of disappointments. 

Enrollment of new first-time students increased by 2.3% since last year. However, the percentage of transfer student enrollments was down by 7.2% and graduate enrollments were down by 6.3%. The total new student enrollment went down 1.8%, and the total enrollment of 8,626 students is holding flat from last year. Student tuition and fees, including housing payments, comprise more than half of the operating budget.

Bertolino reiterated it is Stockton’s priority is to stabilize enrollment and position the university for long-term growth.

Stockton University has expanded pathways for students to transfer to Stockton through new agreements with Atlantic Cape, Ocean, and Brookdale community colleges to make it easier to complete their college education and get a degree from Stockton. The university has also struck an agreement for students of Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania to transfer to Stockton, Bertolino said. To boost enrollment, Stockton continues to elevate community engagement through alumni engagement efforts and awareness campaigns with billboards and other advertising. 

Regarding university finances, Bertolino noted that Stockton started the year with a $15 million operating shortfall and a $5 million capital fund deficit. He said through cross-campus collaboration and “sacrifice,” Stockton made up those shortfalls. However, many cost reductions amounted to one-time fixes that can’t be repeated, and Stockton still faces a $20 million structural deficit.

“The prospect of more state aid is not promising,” said Bertolino. New Jersey is facing a projected multi-billion-dollar state budget shortfall due to rising expenses. A tight state budget would also affect Stockton, which receives 30% of its budget from state funding.

Bertolino said he and Stockton leadership have held numerous meetings with state officials to advocate for higher education in the fiscal 2026 state budget. He referred to Stockton as an anchor community in Atlantic City, which means that the actions of the institution will have a larger effect on the Atlantic County area. 

Regarding lobbying for investments into universities in New Jersey, Bertolino said, “For every $1 million invested in regional higher education, roughly $16 million in economic activity is generated—most of it within a 60-mile radius of the institution.”

However, not all the economic news was gloomy. Because of its belt-tightening, the university ended the year with a cash balance of $22.9 million. The university also saw a 9.7% increase in its investment funds, from $118.8 million to $130.3 million.

Stockton set a goal of $4 million in donations to strengthen its reach: that goal was surpassed with $5.2 million raised. The total included $1.6 million raised through a new strategic planned-giving initiative. 

Stockton hosted the Foundation Scholarship Benefit Gala on campus, with nearly 500 alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and partners of Stockton raising over $330,000 for student scholarships.

Stockton University secured 56 new grant awards over the past year, totaling $9.7 million, Bertolino said.

He concluded the address by acknowledging the progress the university has made in the past year and setting a goal to raise $8 million to $10 million annually to expand support for scholarships and student innovation. He emphasized the community effort that the team at Stockton will undertake to bring their strategic plan to fruition.

“Let’s carry that spirit forward; stay engaged, stay thoughtful, keep showing up for one another.”

This article was run in the Press of Atlantic City on October 8, 2025 as part of a new, publishing initiative between student writers of The Argo and the Press.