CMA Curriculum Unchanged

California Maritime Academy’s Doug Webster insists, “The Marine Transportation (MT) major program at The California Maritime Academy is alive and thriving and there are no plans for its closure, despite erroneous reports in the media.”

According to Webster, and in a classic example of the old game “whisper,” a recent story in a local newspaper correctly noted that CMA was closing applications to their Maritime Transportation (MT) program for the fall semester of the coming year as commonly happens about this time of year. MT is CMA’s most popular major program and because application volumes are always high, the west coast maritime academy has traditionally cut off further applications for the coming fall about this time each year and then make final selections in the spring. Webster added, “We do so because the specialized faculty expertise, labs, classes and training-cruise resources we need for the program limit the number of students we can effectively train each year.”

Unfortunately, that original story was then picked up by other papers and wire services and an erroneous headline stated that CMA was closing the entire program. Webster reassured MarEx, “Again, we have closed applications for students seeking admission to the program this coming fall. We have NOT closed the program itself.”

Webster went on to say that CA state budget cuts to the university system have had a significant impact on Cal Maritime, including twice-a-month unpaid furloughs for most faculty and staff, and freezes on hiring, travel and significant purchases. Webster tempered the bad news by adding, “However, our prime focus in responding to the challenge has been on sustaining the quality of our programs for our students and that we are continuing to do.”

AT CMA the MT is alive, strong and continues to be the most popular major on campus. The California Maritime Academy also offers programs in Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Facilities Engineering, International Business and Logistics and Global Studies and Maritime Affairs. Applications for other majors remain open at this time. Webster can be reached at [email protected] with questions and/or comments. – MarEx