Improve Stockton University's Music Program
Improve Stockton University's Music Program
The Issue
I believe that Stockton University music students of today and the future need your help!
Amongst the list of programs available at Stockton University in Galloway, NJ is the school’s music program. It has a wonderful team of full-time and adjunct professors as well as supportive Arts & Humanities administrative staff. Many talented individuals have come and gone through the doors of Stockton looking to sharpen their skills as a musician and/or learn the ways of being a music educator. During my time attending this university, I have seen a mixed crowd of peers within my program. Amongst the crowd are the three main groups: the people who stick with the major, the people who change their major, and the people who go elsewhere. I fit in amongst the first crowd. I stayed and I graduated, and ultimately I regret my decision. I should've left when I had the chance, but I didn’t. While I cannot go back in time to change that, I want to advocate for the students who will come after me so they do not end up feeling the way I do now.
Despite excelling in my music courses and having some pretty great professors, I believe that I did not receive a university-level education and did not have access to university-level resources applicable to my major. Not only do I believe this for myself, I believe it for other music alumni and current students of the program. I do not believe that it is the fault of the educators within the program, but rather the administrative personnel of the school. I firmly believe Stockton University has failed to invest in their music program, cater to the unique needs of hosting a music program, and offer more resources to music students.
At any educational institution, I think any administration needs to have an all or nothing mentality when deciding to offer music to students. A program cannot grow if an administration ignores or is unwilling to support their program. You cannot just buy some necessities once and create a curriculum, then expect it to grow and continue on to be successful. Hosting a music program is an ongoing investment. Any institution, especially a university, who wants to declare that they offer a music program should acknowledge and commit to that investment. Programs can only grow if the administration is fully willing to commit to investing in the needs of all persons, classes, and overall curriculum offered.
I believe we are in a Catch-22 situation where the music department cannot receive more support from the school because we are struggling to increase numbers, but we cannot increase numbers because there are not enough improvements to the program to make it worthwhile to attend. Rowan University is most definitely our biggest competition in terms of an affordable and quality education in music within South Jersey. What Stockton offers to its music students pales in comparison to Rowan. We have less than five practice rooms (one of which is percussion-only and can only be used in the evening and weekends, plus all of these rooms are shared by people outside of the program as well), no music education-specific courses, fused courses (multiple classes being meshed into one), limited percussion instruments, a very bare-bones curriculum, and probably much more that could be named. Additionally, Ocean County College hosts a very similar curriculum to Stockton for much less of a cost and they have better resources and facilities than Stockton! The University is a business as much as it is an educational institution. No one is going to buy your product when the stores down the road offer a better one or the same thing for less.
Stockton needs to be willing to take the leap in investing in the music program or I fear that soon enough it will be scrubbed from the books as a listed study. More attention is needed from the school's administration aside from just being asked to perform at meetings and the University’s annual Arts & Culture Summit. Innovative ideas need to be put into play to increase the retention rate of students and decrease the amount of transfer-outs. Perhaps, moving the program to Atlantic City could be something to think about! Nonetheless, this is an issue that finally deserves some attention.
They say “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” and that proved to be true after my peers and I spoke up about concerns about the program with the Arts and Humanities staff back in 2025. Looking back, I am appreciative of their help, willingness to listen to us, and the improvements that they made. Still there is work to be done and I believe we need more people to rally behind the needs of the Stockton music students in order for change to occur in the near and far future.
I encourage current Stockton music students and staff to be a “squeaky wheel.” Do not hesitate to advocate for yourself and the program. To my fellow alumni and to the community, I ask you to support the current and future students of the music program. Sharing and signing this petition is a fantastic and easy start! If you have the financial means, donating specifically to the music department could help move the program in the right direction! Change has to start somewhere.
Are you willing to help?
67
The Issue
I believe that Stockton University music students of today and the future need your help!
Amongst the list of programs available at Stockton University in Galloway, NJ is the school’s music program. It has a wonderful team of full-time and adjunct professors as well as supportive Arts & Humanities administrative staff. Many talented individuals have come and gone through the doors of Stockton looking to sharpen their skills as a musician and/or learn the ways of being a music educator. During my time attending this university, I have seen a mixed crowd of peers within my program. Amongst the crowd are the three main groups: the people who stick with the major, the people who change their major, and the people who go elsewhere. I fit in amongst the first crowd. I stayed and I graduated, and ultimately I regret my decision. I should've left when I had the chance, but I didn’t. While I cannot go back in time to change that, I want to advocate for the students who will come after me so they do not end up feeling the way I do now.
Despite excelling in my music courses and having some pretty great professors, I believe that I did not receive a university-level education and did not have access to university-level resources applicable to my major. Not only do I believe this for myself, I believe it for other music alumni and current students of the program. I do not believe that it is the fault of the educators within the program, but rather the administrative personnel of the school. I firmly believe Stockton University has failed to invest in their music program, cater to the unique needs of hosting a music program, and offer more resources to music students.
At any educational institution, I think any administration needs to have an all or nothing mentality when deciding to offer music to students. A program cannot grow if an administration ignores or is unwilling to support their program. You cannot just buy some necessities once and create a curriculum, then expect it to grow and continue on to be successful. Hosting a music program is an ongoing investment. Any institution, especially a university, who wants to declare that they offer a music program should acknowledge and commit to that investment. Programs can only grow if the administration is fully willing to commit to investing in the needs of all persons, classes, and overall curriculum offered.
I believe we are in a Catch-22 situation where the music department cannot receive more support from the school because we are struggling to increase numbers, but we cannot increase numbers because there are not enough improvements to the program to make it worthwhile to attend. Rowan University is most definitely our biggest competition in terms of an affordable and quality education in music within South Jersey. What Stockton offers to its music students pales in comparison to Rowan. We have less than five practice rooms (one of which is percussion-only and can only be used in the evening and weekends, plus all of these rooms are shared by people outside of the program as well), no music education-specific courses, fused courses (multiple classes being meshed into one), limited percussion instruments, a very bare-bones curriculum, and probably much more that could be named. Additionally, Ocean County College hosts a very similar curriculum to Stockton for much less of a cost and they have better resources and facilities than Stockton! The University is a business as much as it is an educational institution. No one is going to buy your product when the stores down the road offer a better one or the same thing for less.
Stockton needs to be willing to take the leap in investing in the music program or I fear that soon enough it will be scrubbed from the books as a listed study. More attention is needed from the school's administration aside from just being asked to perform at meetings and the University’s annual Arts & Culture Summit. Innovative ideas need to be put into play to increase the retention rate of students and decrease the amount of transfer-outs. Perhaps, moving the program to Atlantic City could be something to think about! Nonetheless, this is an issue that finally deserves some attention.
They say “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” and that proved to be true after my peers and I spoke up about concerns about the program with the Arts and Humanities staff back in 2025. Looking back, I am appreciative of their help, willingness to listen to us, and the improvements that they made. Still there is work to be done and I believe we need more people to rally behind the needs of the Stockton music students in order for change to occur in the near and far future.
I encourage current Stockton music students and staff to be a “squeaky wheel.” Do not hesitate to advocate for yourself and the program. To my fellow alumni and to the community, I ask you to support the current and future students of the music program. Sharing and signing this petition is a fantastic and easy start! If you have the financial means, donating specifically to the music department could help move the program in the right direction! Change has to start somewhere.
Are you willing to help?
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Petition created on September 3, 2026