News from the President's Office

By contacting area hotels and businesses, students collected donations of sheets, blankets, towels and other linens. “The businesses were very cooperative,” said Scales, who counted the Days Inn in Egg Harbor Township, the Inn of the Dove resort in Pleasantville, and Port-O-Call Hotel in Ocean City, as well as the Wildwood Linens Co., among the businesses that pitched in.

The project was deemed a huge success. Not only were many much-needed items donated, Scales said he hopes the project will just be the start of a larger, ongoing initiative. “The response was overwhelming,” he said. “(Before the start of classes this semester) we had 500 pounds of boxed lines packed by the students for distribution.”

For more information or to make a donation to the project, please email Michael Scales at scalesm@stockton.edu.

The event was held in conjunction with Galloway Twp. Public Schools on Monday, January 17, benefiting many local groups and agencies.

“Although the College was officially closed in observance of Dr. King’s National Holiday, it was pleasing to see so many people take a few hours to help those less fortunate,” said Stockton President Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr. Dr. Saatkamp, who knew Dr. King and worked with his civil rights movement in the 1960’s, initiated a successful Day of Service for incoming freshmen and transfer students at the College last September.

The partnership of Stockton and Galloway students, faculty and staff and community members gathered at 8:30 a.m. followed by an hour-long program of speakers and award presentations. The volunteers then dispersed for their various service activities.

The Atlantic City Rescue Mission, Caring, Inc., Seashore Gardens, Pleasantech Academy, the Atlantic County SPCA, Absecon Manor and Samaritan Hospice were just a few of the local agencies supported by the event. Some of the younger volunteers and those who preferred not to leave campus performed on-campus service options such as letter-writing to members of the armed services and boxing books to be shipped to Africa for the “Books without Borders” initiative.

Honoring Dr. King’s legacy with the Day of Service was a prelude for the College’s Annual Flag-raising to kick off Black History Month, during which several special events are scheduled.

A series of workshops from public health and spirituality to music are scheduled, as well as other social and educational activities, including a comedy show, Black History Wheel of Fortune, a skating party and Diversity Day. Stockton Student Television will also air a selection of classic African-American themed films throughout the month.

For more information about these and additional events, contact the Office of Student Development at (609) 652-4205.

As Stockton College increasingly competes to enroll the states best students while faced with limited state funds and still maintaining affordable tuition. Stockton must respond to this challenge with a strategic, integrated plan for all financial aspects involving the institution.

To that end, the College is conducting a national search for a Chief Financial Officer reporting to the President, serving as his primary financial advisor and working with an already experienced senior management team to manage growth and develop integrated financial systems.

“This is an exciting time at Stockton as our enrollment nears 7,000 students, and our master plan calls for campus expansion, however, we face significant financial challenges,” President Herman J. Saatkamp Jr. said. “I’m confident the successful candidate will provide leadership in planning and coordinating the measured growth and improvement of the College necessary to ensure we are working as a team to achieve our institutional goals.”

President Saatkamp said all five finalists for the position possessed the skills to work with the challenge of declines in state aid among the state's college and university system and had a working knowledge of the various divisions of the College.

Stockton’s marketing partner Commerce Bank will be the lead sponsor of the 25th Silver Anniversary Spring Scholarship Benefit on April 9, 2005. This spectacular evening of entertainment, fine dining and silent auction will feature a performance by Oscar-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch, and a menu designed by internationally famous chef Wolfgang Puck.

“We are grateful for Commerce Bank’s generosity and look forward to our most successful Spring Benefit ever,” said President Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr. “As much as we look forward to the entertainment, the food and the auction, we are mindful that the main purpose of the event is to raise funds to help deserving students. Commerce Bank has certainly helped provide a generous beginning.”

Commerce Bank’s gracious support will also provide assistance for the President’s pre-event reception, Marvin Hamlisch’s onstage performance, signage in the auction program and on campus and other aspects in preparation for this important annual event.

The Richard Stockton College Foundation honored some of its best, brightest and most deserving students at a scholarship reception on Friday, February 4.

There were 202 honored with scholarships totaling $210,507.40, representing the Foundation’s contribution to the more than $1.2 million in annual scholarship funds distributed at the College.

“This is probably one of the warmest events we conduct at the College,” President Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr. said. "It is particularly gratifying when some of our donors have the opportunity to meet the young people who benefit from their generosity.”

Scholarship Selection Committee member Dr. Juanita J. High and Dean of Enrollment Management Sal Catalfamo presided over the event, which also included remarks from Dr. Jo Frances Stow, Foundation Board member, greetings from Dr. Peter Caporilli, President of the College Foundation Board of Directors and a special message from President Saatkamp.

“My interest in photography takes me to beautiful places,” he says. "It is something that challenges ones cognitive and artistic abilities. When you anticipate a shot and compose a picture you are testing both the left and right sides of your brain.”

Dr. Carr’s work has resulted in some remarkable images as seen here. They were made from as far away as Tanzania in the Western Serengiti region of Africa and as close as Lake Absegami, just Northwest of New Gretna, not far from Stockton’s “backyard” in Southern New Jersey.

Dr. Carr’s career at Stockton has been quite a journey as well. In 2004, he was promoted to the new position of Provost. He formerly served as Vice President for Academic Affairs since June of 1998.

The need for the position of Provost was recognized by the Board of Trustees to establish central responsibility for all components of the college’s teaching and research mission. In addition, the Provost’s Office strives to maintain the high academic standards of Stockton, one of the top five public liberal arts colleges in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report magazine’s 2003 and 2004 national rankings.

Dr. Carr served as Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences from his 1992 arrival until his promotion to one of three vice presidential positions. Under his leadership, faculty positions were added, numerous grants were awarded and Carr spearheaded college-wide academic advances including the nation’s first Holocaust and Genocide Master’s program.

When he is not busy performing the duties of an academic administrator or pursuing photography, Dr. Carr enjoys spending time with his wife Beverly and visiting his two grown children and four grandchildren.

Stockton Fun Fact:
In 1969 The Board of Trustees originally voted to give Stockton College this name, before it was changed to Richard Stockton State College (and later explicated to The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey) at the urging of the Board of Higher Education. What was the original name?
(Click here to reveal the answer)
Answer: The Trustees originally wanted to name the institution South Jersey State College and voted to do so. However, the state Board of Higher Education felt that name would confuse the school with Rutgers’ College of South Jersey, so the Board selected the new name to honor the memory of New Jersey’s signer of the Declaration of Independence.