N.J. university president gets contract extension with $107K raise

Kean University President Lamont Repollet , the state's former education commissioner, has been approved for a new five-year contract to continue leading one of New Jersey's largest public universities.

The Kean University Board of Trustees approved Repollet's contract earlier this week, extending his term until 2029 and giving him a $107,000 raise, campus officials said.

Repollet, who left his role as New Jersey's education commissioner in 2020 to become Kean's president, will now earn $675,000 a year under the new agreement. That is an increase over his current $568,000 salary, a university spokesperson said.

Under Repollet's leadership, Kean has seen three consecutive years of record enrollment, with over 18,500 students at the university's campuses in New Jersey and its satellite campus in China, the school said.

"Kean is now recognized as New Jersey's urban research university, and our community of students, faculty and staff reflects the rich diversity that drives our success," Repollet said in a statement. "I look forward to building on our achievements and continuing to make Kean an international leader in higher education."

The president also pledged to donate $1 million to the Kean University Foundation to support the school's scholarship fund for students, officials said.

"I am deeply invested in the success of each and every student at Kean," Repollet said in a statement. "My family and I are proud to support the Kean University Foundation in advancing opportunities for our students to succeed and thrive."

The university — which has locations in Toms River, Lincroft and Jefferson, along with its main campus in Union — has an international campus in Wenzhou, China. That location now enrolls 5,000 students, according to the university.

Graduation rates and retention have improved under Repollet, the university said. The 2020 freshman class, which started during his first year as president, achieved the highest four-year graduation rate at Kean in over a decade.

Repollet's career in education began as a classroom teacher and a principal. Before Gov. Phil Murphy appointed him state education commissioner in 2018, he was the superintendent of the Asbury Park School District. He is also a Kean alumnus, having earned his master's degree in educational administration from the university.

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