Page 13: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2019)

“The speed of innovation and change is making things speed up and we must embrace this and move forward accord-

Photo: MarAd ingly. It takes the will to do so.”

Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby,

USN, Ret., U.S. Maritime Administrator, & MRS ’19 keynote speaker from October 27th-29th and the focus will be on challenges facing not only maritime universities, resiliency. but the maritime sector as a whole.

Echoing Alfultis, RADM Francis X. McDonald,

MRS ’19: “The Presidents” Panel President of Massachusetts Maritime Academy, “The decrease in state spending on higher edu- said his state funding for Mass Maritime is in the cation is what keeps me awake at night” is how low 20%. But beyond funding, he sees the big-

RADM Michael Alfultis, President, SUNY Mari- gest challenge for his institution and the maritime time College, neatly summarized the biggest chal- industry as a whole is attracting and educated a lenge he faces as the leader of one of the U.S.’ broader diversity of students, including more leading maritime universities. “With a small stu- women and under-represented minorities. “We dent body (about 1700), the numbers simply don’t have to ? nd a way to diversify our institution and work,” noting that while state funding 15 years our industry,” and the best means he sees to ac- ago covered two-thirds of the college’s operat- complish this is collaboration; collaboration with ing expenses, that percentage hovers at or below other universities, with local communities and 30% today. The 10th Annual Maritime Risk Sym- organizations, and with local schools starting at posium closed yesterday at the Maritime College the earliest ages. Switching gears was RADM

State University of New York feature a panel of Michael E. Fossum, Superintendent, Texas A&M three presidents of leading U.S. Maritime Acad- Maritime Academy, a veteran of three space emies: RADM Michael Alfultis, President, SUNY ? ights who took up his post after retiring from

Maritime College; RADM Michael E. Fossum, NASA. He sees a top challenge to the industry

Superintendent, Texas A&M Maritime Academy; as a whole, and in fact the nation, is fortifying the and RADM Francis X. McDonald, President of Jones Act. “The Jones Act is about our nation’s

Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Moderating security, and you have seen a degradation of sea- the panel was RADM Fred Rosa (USCG, Ret.), lift capacity since Desert Storm,” said Fossum.

Johns Hopkins APL, who discussed with the Uni- “We need those U.S. ? ag vessels because we need versity leaders and the audience of nearly 200 the that capability which is ours.” “The decrease in state spending on higher education is what keeps me awake at night”

RADM Alfultis

SUNY Maritime “The Jones Act is about our nation’s security”

RADM Fossum

Texas A&M Maritime Academy www.marinelink.com 13

MR #12 (10-17).indd 13 12/6/2019 10:21:14 AM