“When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.” – Winston Churchill
SEA YEAR IS INTERTWINED WITH "THE MISSION"
“The Mission of the Merchant Marine Academy is intertwined with this experiential learning program of the Sea Year”. - MSCHE Accreditation Report, Page 28
SEA YEAR IS AN EXEMPLARY/INNOVATIVE PRACTICE
“During their Sea Year, midshipmen work and learn under the mentorship of experienced merchant marine officers...in this exceptional hands-on learning environment, applying their in-classroom knowledge and skills in real situations” - MSCHE Accreditation Report, Page 25
SEA YEAR IS A FUNDAMENTAL PILLAR OF USMMA
"Four fundamental pillars constitute the USMMA educational experience: Academics, Regiment, Physical Fitness, and Sea Year. During Sea Year, a mandated experiential learning component, each student ( “midshipman”) works and learns on board merchant ships..." - MSCHE Accreditation Report, Page 2
SEA YEAR IS RICH, UNIQUE, INVALUABLE & "HANDS ON"
“Sea Year is perceived as a rich and valuable experience. It is considered an invaluable and unique chance to have ‘hands on’ experience that enriches the portfolio of skills of the Midshipmen.” - MSCHE Accreditation Report, Page 19
KP "LEADERSHIP" & MARAD HAVE FAILED SEA YEAR, THE MIDSHIPMEN, THE TAXPAYERS & "THE MISSION"
The lack of confidence in [Superintendent Helis's] leadership was picked up by the MSCHE Team, which made the following damning comments in its report: “the team concludes that the institution is not able to function successfully as it is not properly administered and staffed.” “members of the staff and faculty have concerns with communication flow, leadership cohesion, trust throughout the organization, and low faculty morale”; the Academy “is weak in many of the tenets of integrity as outlined by MSCHE”; MSCHE “did not find any evidence of efforts of the senior administrative structure to be in regular contact with faculty thinking or with students to understand their concerns and perspectives”; MSCHE concluded that there is “a command climate among faculty and staff whereby proactive advice/counsel is rarely offered, inaction is the norm, and quick defensiveness of the status quo stifles any discussion that could lead to change and improvement”. - MSCHE Accreditation Report, Pages 12, 13, 14 & 22