Stockton University Plans 21 Layoffs, Unions Protest

Stockton University plans to eliminate 14 faculty positions and seven professional staff jobs at the end of the 2026–27 academic year as it seeks to address a structural deficit exceeding $20 million. President Joe Bertolino called the cuts necessary to keep the university financially viable, while the teachers’ union said they threaten educational quality and student support and urged administrators to work with unions transparently on alternatives. The planned cuts come amid falling enrollment and a credit outlook downgrade tied to financial and operating pressures. On Oct. 8, union members and supporters rallied during and after Bertolino’s State of the University address; protesters also raised concerns about academic freedom and the administration’s response to genocide.