Stockton Opens New Manahawkin Instructional Center

 

Stockton marked the opening of its new Manahawkin, Ocean County Instructional Center with a ribbon-cutting and reception earlier this month.

The new 3,200-square foot facility is located at 712 East Bay Avenue in Manahawkin, Stafford Township.

The facility brings Stockton’s quality and affordable educational offerings to Ocean County for the first time. “We’re very excited to plant roots in Ocean County, consistently one of our strongest counties in terms of enrollment,” Stockton President Herman J. Saatkamp said.

The site includes two 35-seat classrooms, computer stations with printing capabilities and an e-podium. Seven courses are currently being offered at the school, including the Language Acquisition course, which was taking place at the same time as the ribbon-cutting
ceremony. Other classes offered are: Introduction to Management; Families, Schools and Communities; Documentary Photography; Science of Forecasting Waves; and Introduction to Sociology.

“With the opening of the Manahawkin site, Ocean County students will have the opportunity to enroll in the same high quality Stockton courses—yet closer to home—while pursuing their Stockton degree," Dr. Saatkamp said.

A listing of courses and additional information is available online by visiting www.stockton.edu/manahawkin.

Anita Hill Speech Draws Large Crowd at Stockton

Anitia Hill.

More than 500 students, faculty staff and community members turned out at the Campus Center Events room on Wednesday, September 19 to hear an address by author, lecturer and educator, Anita Hill.
The speech, keynote of the College’s extensive Constitution Day series of programming, was a stirring account of how the world’s perceptions of sexual harassment in the workplace and other issues has changed since Hill’s historic testimony during the 1991 Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
An attorney and professor of social policy, law and women’s studies at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she also serves as Senior Advisor to the Provost, Hill opened her talk with a nod to Stockton’s political engagement activities.
“When I saw all that you are doing here at Stockton, I was very impressed, particularly when I heard about your activities on behalf of one of my heroes, Fannie Lou Hamer,” she said.
Stockton’s Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Symposium honors the memory and advances the legacy of the Civil Rights pioneer from Mississippi, who spoke on voting rights and equal representation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.
“We follow in the footsteps of Fannie Lou Hamer as we strive for political, economic and social equality,” Professor Hill said.
She noted there were two female U.S. Senators when she testified in 1991 and no females on the committee she testified for, and that today there are 17 female Senators. She said the wage gap between men and women had narrowed somewhat in the 20-plus years since her testimony, but there was still much left to accomplish.
“My testimony did not create this movement, the ongoing engagement did,” she said. “We must continue to testify. We have not reached gender parity. We are still far from it.”
One of the most overlooked aspects, she said is the collapse in today’s housing market, which is partially as a result in the increase in female heads of households, and the fact that females in the workforce still earn just 77 cents to every dollar earned by males.
“This decline in wealth results in a decline in the ability to invest in the future of the children in those households,” she said. “This is not just a problem for now; this is a problem extending to the next generation of Americans.”
Provost Harvey Kesselman said Professor Hill’s talk was reflective of the College’s supportive environment for civic engagement. “I was quite pleased with the turnout and the number of students and faculty in the audience,” he said.

Stockton’s Legislator in Residence Program Welcomes Oliver and Wolfe

Sheila Y. Oliver (left) and David W. Wolfe (right)

New Jersey Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and Assemblyman David W. Wolfe will serve as Legislators-in-Residence at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey during the current academic year.

Speaker Oliver, an Essex County Democrat, will visit the Stockton campus and meet with students, faculty, and staff to share insights about state government on Oct. 16 and 17. Assemblyman Wolfe, an Ocean County Republican, will be scheduled to participate during the spring semester.

The Legislator-in-Residence program is sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy. It brings New Jersey lawmakers to the Stockton campus to interact with faculty, students, and staff, and to encourage civic and political engagement.

“The College community is pleased to have legislators of such stature participate in our program,” Dr. Saatkamp said. “Speaker Oliver is a notable figure as well as a vibrant leader in New Jersey. Her involvement with Stockton provides a tremendous learning opportunity for our students and a valuable professional experience for our faculty and staff,” the President said.

The program exposes Stockton students to real-world experience in public policy and issues of importance to New Jersey, said Daniel J. Douglas, Director of the Hughes Center.

Assemblywoman Oliver, who represents the 34th Legislative District, is the first African-American woman to lead a legislative house in New Jersey and only the second African-American woman in American history to lead a legislative house.

Stockton Dedicates New Polling Institute

 

In the second major ribbon-cutting event this month, Stockton President Dr. Herman J. Saatkamp led the dedication of the new Stockton Polling Institute located on the Galloway campus.

The Stockton Polling Institute will conduct independent public opinion polling and use its own staff and Stockton students to conduct survey research on elections and issues of importance to New Jersey and to the state’s southern region. The interview staff includes more than 50 people, both Stockton students and members of the community.

The facility for the polling institute was recently renovated and equipped with 24 workstations, telephones, computers and specialized survey research software.

“The Stockton Polling Institute will enhance the Hughes Center role as the voice of southern New Jersey citizens as they express their opinions on issues,” Dr. Saatkamp said. “We are also able to offer an educational experience for our students while providing real jobs,” Dr. Saatkamp noted.

Joining Dr. Saatkamp at the dedication was Ambassador William J. Hughes, for whom the Hughes Center is named, and the 9th Legislative District team, including State Senator Chris Connors, Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove. Galloway Township is in the 9th Legislative District.

Stockton’s Day of Service

 

The 9th Annual Day of Service took place recently in the Campus Center Event Room and off-campus sites throughout the region. “The event has become an annual tradition at Stockton as we prepare for the coming academic year,” President Herman Saatkamp said. “This has proven to be an excellent opportunity to make a difference in our community, and it’s gratifying so many students, faculty and staff turn out. As an additional feature, students get to know one another and become acquainted with faculty and staff members.”
The event has grown each year. The event attracted 300 student volunteers this year to participate in projects benefitting more than 25 community organizations.

Results of Stockton’s Economic Impact Study for Fiscal Year 2011 demonstrate Stockton’s enormous economic contribution to the region and the State of New Jersey. The combination of direct spending, community service and alumni earnings, along with the creation of new jobs, produced a one-year impact in the New Jersey economy to the tune of $442,176,989.18.
To read the full Economic Impact Report, click here.

Source:The Stockton 2011 Economic Impact report