This doesn’t look good. The beginning of the end?
NJ.com reports:
N.J. university rolls out staff buyouts amid lower enrollment, proposed aid cutStockton University has begun a round of voluntary buyouts for professors and select managerial employees, as colleges across New Jersey look to rein in costs.The university announced that the voluntary buyouts were being offered to members of the American Federation of Teachers and to some managers, but it did not disclose how many employees were eligible.Mark Melhorn, a university spokesperson, told NJ.com that the voluntary buyout program “is one of several steps being taken as part of broader planning strategies to ensure Stockton remains strong, resilient and focused on its mission amid the challenges facing higher education, including enrollment trends, rising costs and funding pressures.”The buyout offer comes as Stockton plans its budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and looks to curb expenses.Staffing is Stockton’s largest expense, making up 61% of its annual budget, according to a report from the university to New Jersey lawmakers. The university expects a 5% increase in costs associated with its workforce.Stockton would lose more than $2 million in state aid compared with last year under Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s proposed New Jersey budget.A Stockton University report showed that enrollment fell for several years before stabilizing and remaining flat in 2025.About 8,300 students enrolled in the fall 2025 semester, compared with roughly 9,500 students in the fall 2019 semester, according to university data.
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