Fort Schuyler Magazine Spring 2020

MODERNIZING ACADEMICS: Enhanced Structure Feat BY ODALIS MINO

I mplementation of the College’s strategic plan has been underway for over one year, which prompted Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Joseph C. Hoffman ’75 to conduct a thorough evaluation of programs, departments and the overall structure of academics. “When we examined our strategic goals for the 2019-2020 academic year, it became evident that the current academic structure was not correct and we were simply not poised to meet those goals,” stated Dr. Hoffman, who has participated in six strategic plan processes throughout his decades in academia. By analyzing the ways in which to best execute the strategic priorities of the College, it became increasingly clear that a classic academic structure was needed in which schools would be established to house their respective departments. At the core of establishing the new schools was the training of future mariners. It was key, therefore, to establish a School of Maritime Education and Training. From an academic perspective, the School would house the department of Marine Transportation, the newly named department of Maritime Technology & Operations, the Professional Mariner

Training program, and the licensing and Cadet Shipping programs. In an effort to accommodate the largest group of students at the College – the Bachelor of Engineering students – the School of Engineering was formed to oversee all engine licensing programs. Establishing the third school proved to be a process that required a bit more thought in that the remaining departments would require an amalgamation of the three largest service departments of the College: Global Business & Transportation, Humanities and Science, which generate the most full-time equivalents in the workforce. As there were commonalities in these programs such as general education, the School of Business, Science and Humanities was formed. This School also houses both Masters Degree programs. In the past, each department reported to the Provost. Under the new model, a classic school structure successfully followed by other maritime universities, each school will have its own respective dean to lead the school and focus on its

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