Stockton College to become Stockton University

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey will become Stockton University this week, after state approval of its upgrade to university status.

Stockton will formally announce the change Wednesday, when its Board of Trustees will approve a new seal and discuss legal and real estate matters relating to the change. The school is planning a celebration on campus after Wednesday's meeting.

Rochelle Hendricks, the state's secretary of higher education, delivered final state approval of the change last Friday, after approval from the New Jersey Presidents' Council.

"It is with pleasure today that I sign a letter approving Richard Stockton College's petition to be granted university status and to change its name to Stockton University," Hendricks wrote in a statement. "I congratulate the new university and know it will continue its strong commitment to academic excellence."

Stockton for years has developed graduate programs and met requirements for university designation. Last September, Stockton trustees voted to petition the state for the change.

As a comprehensive university, Stockton's focus would continue to be on teaching, not research. Other public comprehensive universities include Kean University and William Paterson University. New Jersey has three public research universities: Rutgers, Rowan, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

"Faculty research and faculty-mentored student research would continue, but the change would not result in increased demands for faculty research and publication," a question-and-answer page on Stockton's website reads. "Comprehensive universities emphasize teaching, as opposed to research universities, which place more emphasis on faculty members' research being published in refereed journals and books for promotion and tenure."

Stockton officials said they hope the university designation will raise the school's profile, helping it attract faculty, students — especially graduate and international students — and raise funds.

The school has been expanding by opening teaching sites outside of the main Galloway campus, enrolling record numbers of students, and purchasing the Showboat casino property, which will become an "island campus" in Atlantic City.