The Academy’s academic and leadership-development programs are rigorous and innovative and include both classroom instruction as well as experiential learning through USMMA’s renowned Sea Year program. The Academy is part of DOT’s Maritime Administration and works closely with partners across the U.S. national-security community.
The Provost is responsible for all facets of the academic development of midshipmen, and for maintaining an educational program that motivates and prepares students to serve as exemplary leaders in the merchant marine and/or U.S. Armed Forces, including the following:
- Ensures USMMA maintains the highest level of academic quality and standards. Prioritizes the scholastic mission of the USMMA and fosters an environment that promotes academic success and a commitment to scholarship, learning, and discovery.
- Sets the strategic direction for the Sea Year training program to ensure that sea time placements required to qualify midshipmen to take the Coast Guard licensing exam prioritize midshipman safety and well-being.
- Works with other Academy senior leaders to ensure that all Academy programming fosters the development of leadership qualities among midshipmen, including strength of character, integrity, and the highest sense of honor. Deals fairly and consistently with all students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders and fosters trust by acting transparently and in full accordance with the Academy’s standards of integrity and honor.
- Ensures adherence to standards, policies, and procedures on the campus and for the Sea Year training program that maintain the Academy’s standards for SASH.
- Supports a proactive program to ensure effective communications regarding the Academy’s mission and operations to Congress, the public, and other stakeholders, including managing effective coordination with DOT and MARAD regarding all such communications.
The Provost is responsible for the following departments and offices: Department of Marine Engineering; Department of Marine Transportation; Department of Mathematics and Science; Department of Humanities; Department of Naval Science; Department of Professional Development and Career Services; Library; Institutional Assessment, Academic Center of Excellence; Academy Registrar and the American Merchant Marine Museum.
Through direction of these departments, the Provost is responsible for assuring the quality of curriculum and instruction to accomplish the following:
- Ensures that the professional licensing program meets the standards prescribed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Ensures that the academic program meets the standards prescribed by the accrediting associations.
- Ensures that the credentials, experience, and teaching ability of the faculty meet the requirements of the curriculum and the needs of the midshipmen.
- Ensures that the midshipmen meet the minimum performance standards prescribed by academic policies.
- Helps ensure that academic facilities and equipment are effectively and efficiently utilized to accomplish the educational objective of the Academy.
- Supports enrollment management initiatives and innovations in programs and methods of delivery that respond in a timely manner to rapidly changing environment.
- Oversees the systematic and routine assessment of all academic and student affairs programs and services to measure and plan continuous improvement.
- Helps ensure that the Academy offers an inclusive environment that celebrates and promotes understanding and respect within a diverse student body, staff, and community.
- Maintains regular communications and working relationships with the six maritime colleges, and other federal service academies, keeping them informed of current activities and working with them to achieve institutional priorities.
- Strengthens diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Academy and supports efforts to combat sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) both on campus and during the Sea Year training program.
- Ensures effective communications with all stakeholders.
The Provost will also work closely with the USMMA, MARAD and DOT leadership to manage ongoing efforts to address operational and programmatic challenges at the Academy, including those identified in the National Academy of Public Administration’s report, “Organizational Assessment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy: A Path Forward.”
Starting at $147,649 Per Year (ES 00)
