Stockton University Plans 21 Layoffs as $20 Million Financial Crisis Sparks Faculty Protest

Faculty union challenges administration over proposed cuts as declining enrollment and reduced state funding put increasing pressure on South Jersey's largest public university.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Stockton University's growing financial troubles have reached a critical point, with administrators announcing plans to eliminate 21 faculty and staff positions and the university's faculty union preparing to protest Thursday over the potential impact on students and academic programs.

The planned layoffs come as Stockton confronts a structural budget deficit of approximately $20 million, declining enrollment and reductions in state funding.

University President Joe Bertolino notified employees and students Tuesday, Oct. 6, that the administration intends to eliminate 14 faculty positions and seven professional staff positions at the end of the current academic year.

The announcement prompted an immediate response from the Stockton Federation of Teachers, which represents faculty and professional staff.

"Our faculty and staff are the heart of Stockton University, not line items to be erased," said Tara Luke, president of the Stockton Federation of Teachers and a professor of biology.

"Cutting 21 faculty and professional staff positions directly undermines Stockton University's core educational mission, reduces student support services, and shortchanges the students who rely on us for a high-quality college experience."

Faculty Protest Planned for Thursday

The Stockton Federation of Teachers and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals announced plans to demonstrate Thursday, Oct. 8, during and after Bertolino's annual State of the University address.

Union members plan to gather inside the Campus Center Theatre during the president's address, scheduled from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

A rally is planned afterward at Independence Plaza on Stockton's Galloway campus.

Union leaders say they intend to demand greater transparency from administrators and seek alternatives to eliminating positions.

Luke said the university has not provided sufficient information about which departments, academic programs or individual positions will be affected.

The lack of specifics has heightened concerns about whether students could experience reductions in course offerings, academic support or other university services.

"The Stockton Federation of Teachers will not stand by while the administration shortchanges our members, our students and our South Jersey community," Luke said.

Emari DiGiorgio, president of the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, said the organization intends to exercise its contractual rights to challenge the proposed cuts.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with AFT Local 2275 in opposing these cuts," DiGiorgio said.

"Retrenchment is a drastic measure that jeopardizes the quality of education and support services our students deserve."

The union plans to seek formal consultation with the administration and negotiate over the effects of any layoffs.

Stockton President Calls Cuts Difficult but Necessary

Bertolino acknowledged the seriousness of the decision in his message to the university community.

"Today, we informed the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) of our intent to lay off positions represented by these unions," he wrote.

"Currently, we know 14 faculty positions and 7 professional staff represented by AFT will be laid off at the end of the current academic year."

The president said administrators have spent considerable time examining ways to address the university's financial problems.

Those efforts have included voluntary separation programs designed to reduce expenses without requiring layoffs.

However, the university has been unable to eliminate its structural deficit through those measures alone.

Bertolino cautioned against speculation about which employees or departments might ultimately be affected.

He said the university would follow applicable collective bargaining agreements while evaluating how responsibilities and resources could be reassigned.

"Our colleagues have contributed greatly to Stockton and the students we serve, and we recognize the very real impact this decision will have on them and their families," Bertolino said.

Despite the cuts, the president maintained that Stockton remains committed to its educational mission.

"Even as Stockton changes, our commitment to our students and our future does not," he said.

"Our strategic plan is our roadmap to how Stockton moves forward."

Enrollment Decline Adds to Financial Pressure

The layoffs follow several years of enrollment challenges at Stockton.

According to university data, total enrollment for fall 2025 stood at 8,626 students, including 7,583 undergraduates and 1,043 graduate students.

Overall enrollment has declined approximately 12% since 2020.

That decline has significant financial consequences because tuition, fees and student housing payments account for a substantial portion of the university's operating revenue.

Stockton has been attempting to stabilize enrollment through expanded recruitment efforts, partnerships with community colleges and new academic programs.

The university recently welcomed more than 1,300 first-year students as members of the Class of 2030.

However, attracting new students has not been enough to fully offset the longer-term enrollment decline.

During his 2025 State of the University address, Bertolino acknowledged that Stockton was confronting a structural deficit of approximately $20 million.

At the time, he said the university had managed to address immediate budget shortfalls through spending reductions and other financial measures.

But many of those measures provided only temporary relief.

The underlying imbalance between recurring revenues and expenses remained.

Now, a year later, that financial pressure is resulting in proposed workforce reductions.

State Funding Cuts Complicate the Situation

Stockton's financial challenges have also been intensified by reductions in state support.

For the current fiscal year, the university is receiving approximately $41.8 million in state operating aid, down from $44.4 million the previous year.

State support for Stockton's Atlantic City campus has also reportedly declined from $4.6 million to $2.6 million.

The reductions come as the university faces rising operating costs, including expenses associated with employee compensation and maintaining its facilities.

Stockton increased undergraduate tuition by approximately 3% for the current academic year.

Nevertheless, the combination of declining enrollment, reduced state assistance and higher operating expenses has left the university facing difficult decisions.

In testimony submitted to state lawmakers during the previous budget cycle, Stockton officials warned that reductions in state appropriations could force the university to rely on spending cuts, alternative revenue sources and financial reserves.

University officials also emphasized the importance of maintaining access to higher education for students from lower-income families.

Union Questions How Students Will Be Affected

Faculty representatives argue that reducing the university's workforce could undermine the very programs and services needed to attract and retain students.

The union notes that more than half of Stockton students are the first generation in their families to attend college.

Nearly half receive federal Pell Grants, which primarily assist students with financial need.

Those students can depend heavily on academic advising, tutoring, faculty accessibility and other campus support services.

Union leaders say reductions in faculty and professional staff could make it more difficult for Stockton to provide those services.

Jennifer Higgins, president of AFT New Jersey, placed part of the blame on previous university leadership.

"What we are witnessing at Stockton University today is the direct result of previous administrations' fiscal mismanagement and poor long-term planning," Higgins said.

She called for a comprehensive approach to higher education funding that balances institutional finances with the workforce needs of South Jersey.

The union has not identified a specific alternative plan that would eliminate the university's entire structural deficit without layoffs.

University administrators, meanwhile, have not publicly identified the academic programs or departments that would lose positions.

That uncertainty leaves students and employees awaiting additional information about the practical consequences of the cuts.

Why Stockton's Financial Troubles Matter Beyond Campus

Stockton is one of South Jersey's most important educational and economic institutions.

Its main campus in Galloway Township serves students from throughout Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and surrounding counties.

The university also maintains a significant presence in Atlantic City, where its beachfront campus has been promoted as an important component of the resort's diversification beyond casino gambling.

Stockton provides employment, supports local businesses and prepares graduates for careers in health care, education, hospitality, business and other regional industries.

The university's financial stability therefore carries consequences well beyond its students and employees.

A prolonged period of declining enrollment and budget reductions could affect the institution's ability to expand programs, attract faculty and maintain its regional economic role.

At the same time, university administrators face the challenge of bringing expenses into line with available revenue while preserving the educational experience students expect.

What Happens Next?

The proposed layoffs are scheduled to take effect at the end of the current academic year.

The process will be subject to provisions of the university's collective bargaining agreements.

Union leaders say they intend to pursue formal consultation and negotiations with administrators.

Several significant questions remain unanswered, including which academic departments will lose positions, whether course offerings will be reduced and whether additional layoffs could follow.

Bertolino's State of the University address Thursday is expected to provide another opportunity for university leaders to discuss Stockton's financial direction.

Faculty representatives plan to respond publicly afterward.

For now, the dispute highlights a difficult reality confronting one of South Jersey's most important institutions: Stockton must find a way to address its financial problems without undermining the education and services that attract students in the first place.