State Maritime Academy Presidents Urge Support of New Program To Combat Sexual Assault at Sea
This week, President Brennan joined the state maritime academy (SMA) presidents in signing a letter to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) expressing support for a new plan, EMBARC, which will combat sexual assault on U.S. flag vessels. If implemented, the program will support safe sea training for cadets and midshipmen.
December 14, 2021
Lucinda Lessley
Acting Administrator
U.S. Maritime Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Administrator Lessley:
The Consortium of State Maritime Academies offers its strongest possible support to the principles established within the Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Climate (EMBARC) guidance, a plan recently developed by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) in response to incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment onboard U.S. Flag merchant vessels. As the Consortium noted in our letter of October 14, 2021, we condemn these reprehensible behaviors and wish to reiterate our collective belief that these incidents are not limited to a single academy or shipping company. Prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment is an urgent matter that needs to be addressed by all members of the maritime industry.
We fully support the Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) Prevention Mandatory Minimum Standards articulated in the Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture (EMBARC standards) for U.S. flag SOLAS vessels engaged in international trade. We believe these standards will help ensure a safe and healthy work environment for our cadets onboard these vessels.
The Consortium of State Maritime Academies fully embraces the core tenets of the EMBARC plan. We are committed to working closely with MARAD and our industry partners in a concerted effort to develop policies and procedures that will apply to all companies that supply berths on board their vessels for cadets and midshipmen enrolled at a state maritime academy. Should an industry partner lack resources to fully participate in the EMBARC program, we will work with them and our Title IX coordinators to develop a plan that addresses our mutual concerns and provides an EMBARC-equivalent standard of cadet care.
Sincerely,
RADM William J. Brennan, Ph.D.
President
Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, ME
RADM Gerard P. Achenbach, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Great Lakes Maritime Academy
Traverse City, MI
RADM Michael A. Alfultis, USMS, Ph.D.
President
State University of New York Maritime College
Bronx, NY
RADM Thomas A. Cropper
President
California State University Maritime Academy
Vallejo, CA
RADM Francis X. McDonald, LPD
President
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, MA
RADM Michael Fossum
Chief Operating Officer
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Galveston, TX
Latest MMA News
- Maine Maritime Academy Training Ship State of Maine Departs for International PortsCASTINE, Maine, Wednesday, April 27—Today, Maine Maritime Academy (MMA), one of the United States’ foremost maritime universities offering degrees in engineering, science, management, and transportation began their annual training voyage on the Training Ship State of Maine (TSSOM). Students, officers, and crew departed Castine’s waterfront at 3:30 p.m. PM for foreign and domestic ports of […]
- Maine Maritime Academy Board of Trustees to Hold Quarterly MeetingCASTINE, Maine – The Board of Trustees of Maine Maritime Academy will hold their quarterly meeting on Friday, April 22, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. This meeting will be held in-person at MMA. This meeting will include divisional reports and actions. Members of the public interested in attending the meeting may do so […]
- Maine Maritime Academy Deepens Commitment to SustainabilityIn an effort to further campus efforts toward building a thriving, equitable and ecologically just world, Maine Maritime Academy has become a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Through membership in AASHE, the academy will receive support in advancing its sustainability initiatives throughout the institution and in the […]
- Maine Maritime Academy to Host Climate Symposium on March 28CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy will host the 2022 Maritime Academy Climate Symposium on March 28. The event will be held in-person for students, faculty, and staff at the college and the public is invited to attend virtually through a livestream on the MMA website. The Maritime Academy Climate Symposium is a student driven […]
- Student Leaders Assume Duties During Annual Change of Command CeremonyCASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy’s Regiment of Midshipmen held its annual Change of Command Ceremony on February 24, transferring authority and responsibilities between two classes of student leaders. Graduating First Class Midshipmen passed their leadership positions to Second Class Midshipmen who will guide the Regiment through the next year. The Change of Command event […]
- Annual Change of Command Ceremony to be Held at Maine Maritime AcademyCASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy President, Dr. William J. Brennan, along with Vice President Dr. Elizabeth True, Captain Gordon MacArthur, Commandant of Midshipmen John D. Cashman, and NROTC Commanding Officer Captain Sean Kearns will preside over the Academy’s Change of Command Ceremony on Monday, February 21, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. This annual ceremony honors […]
