Stockton University is a public university in Galloway Township, New Jersey. It is part of the New Jersey state system of higher education. The university was named for Richard Stockton, one of the New Jersey signers of the Declaration of Independence. Founded in 1969, Stockton accepted its charter class in 1971. At its opening in 1971, classes were held at the Mayflower Hotel in Atlantic City; the campus in Galloway Township began operating late in 1971. Nearly 10,000 students are enrolled at Stockton and it is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.