As published by the Press of Atlantic City on May 27, 2026. Click here for link to original post: Seth Grossman on what Stockton needs to do to save itself.
Stockton University, like Atlantic City government, is controlled and subsidized by the state. The governor appoints its 15 trustees. State taxpayers fund 15% of its budget with $45 million each year. The state established Stockton in 1969 so that qualified South Jersey students could afford a quality college education.
When Stockton first opened, it charged students roughly $800 for a year of room, board and tuition. At that time, most students earned roughly $1,200 in a summer. They could pay for a year of college with a summer of work. They did not need student loans.
With inflation, most students can now earn roughly $5,000 in a summer. However, Stockton now charges in-state students more than $30,000 per year for room, board and tuition. Until recently the average Stockton student graduated with $30,000 of student loan debt. It is now down to $20,000. That may be because 25% of Stockton students now quit without graduating. Stockton’s enrollment has been declining since 2019.
During the past 20 years, Stockton increased its spending from roughly $135 million per year in 2004-05 to $295 million in 2024-25. Stockton hired more professors and administrators and gave big increases in salaries, pensions and benefits. Stockton also went on a reckless building spree. It built many lavish new buildings at its Galloway campus. It built a second new campus in Atlantic City including $410,000 dorm units. It bought or leased buildings in Hammonton, Manahawkin, Nacote Creek and Woodbine. It bought and sold the Ponderlodge in Cape May, the Seaview Resort in Galloway and the closed Showboat Casino in Atlantic City.
As a result, Stockton is now $572 million in debt. $222 million is for unfunded, deferred compensation. It also can’t pay its bills next year. It has a “structural” budget deficit of $20 million.
While Stockton massively increased its spending and debt, it hired many new far-left professors and administrators. They injected their “woke” politics into every aspect of campus life. They insisted that their political issues be promoted in math, science and art classes. They distributed The New York Times free to all students. They put banners and electronic signboards in every corridor and dining hall to promote their “social justice” causes (Inequality Project, Unite Against Hate, etc.) They banned students from posting their own flyers without permission. They created an “Office of Care and Community Standards” to review “bias” complaints by students “threatened” by differing opinions. In 2020, a doctoral student was threatened with suspension for displaying a poster of President Trump in an online class.
Stockton proudly called this “political engagement.” Nazis who did this in German schools during the 1930s called these methods “gleichschaltung” or “synchronization.”
Former Stockton President Harvey Kesselman recently published an opinion piece in this newspaper. He wrote that parents and students are “seriously questioning the value” of college degrees. He also wrote that “parents are offended” by “biased political overtones that seem to permeate many of our colleges and universities.”
Kesselman concluded that “public colleges and universities” (without mentioning Stockton) need “less politics and more purpose.” However, he did not specify how to do this.
This is what needs to be done. Stockton needs the same drastic legislation that saved Atlantic City government in 2016. At that time, Atlantic City government was also a half billion dollars in debt. It was also unable to pay its bills.
In 2016, the state enacted the Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act. It gave the governor the power to disregard civil service rules and union contracts. His designee then reduced salaries, fired employees and cut spending.
Stockton needs similar legislation so it can do the same. Then it must:
New Jersey colleges must depoliticize campuses, expand in-person learning, reduce student debt and strengthen workforce training to rebuild pu…
1. Fire the overpaid “woke” professors and administrators who created the mess.
2. Hire lesser paid adjunct professors and administrators with real-world experience and a diversity of political opinions.
3. Use talent, motivation and achievement rather than diversity, equity and inclusion to hire new staff.
4. Use AI technology to teach students useful skills needed for good-paying jobs in business and industry.
5. Sell all Atlantic City properties and pay down the debt. Cancel all leases.
6. End all sports programs.
7. Cut the total cost of room, board, books and tuition to $6,000 per year for all students.
Anything less would simply prolong the agony.
Seth Grossman is the executive director of Liberty and Prosperity.
