Maritime College Family,

It was another action-packed week, as we celebrated a tremendous $900,000 raised at our Admiral’s Scholarship Dinner to support our students, advanced our priorities through the Foundation Board Fall Meeting, officially opened the new Weight and Cardio Rooms (courtesy of FSA and the Foundation), and reflected on Constitution Day and the principles that define our nation. On Saturday, we hosted our friends from Mass Maritime, Maine Maritime, Cal Poly Maritime, and KP for the George C. Previll Memorial Inter-Maritime Academy Monomoy Races, sponsored by the Marine Society of the City of New York. Congratulations to the MUG Boat for beating KP!

There is still no final decision by the federal government on when Empire State VII will be activated or depart Olivet Pier. Scheduled maintenance continues and based on the absence of a decision and current contract timelines, I do not expect the ship to depart this week.

Additional highlights and many new updates from around campus:

Athletics Hall of Fame. Our 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees are Larry Calame ’80 (football/wrestling), Dave Starck ’90 (sailing), Rick McClain ’14 (football), Brian McLaughlin ’17 (baseball),and Coach Roy Larson (swimming and diving). Our Annual Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner will be held October 22 in the MAC MPR as a kick-off to homecoming. Event registration will be available next week.

Spring 2026 President and Provost Lists. The Fall 2026 Academic Recognition Ceremony, celebrating the academic achievement from the Spring Semester, will be on Tuesday, September 22, at 3:00 PM in the Riesenberg Gym. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Academic Recognition Spring 2026

Messdeck Ribbon Cutting. Tomorrow, September 22, from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM, join the celebration and grand opening of the new Messdeck! Every 15 minutes, our Chartwells teammates will introduce a new menu item and award a prize to a lucky student in attendance. Come early and stay for a chance to win. Five lucky students will also win a free Spring meal plan compliments of Chartwells.

Fall Athletic Sports Pep Rally. The Fall Athletic Sports Pep Rally is Thursday, September 24, from 3:00–4:00 PM on Reinhart Field, bringing the campus community together to celebrate the start of the fall athletic season and recognize our student-athletes and teams. The event will highlight the dedication, teamwork, and spirit of our fall sports programs while building excitement and momentum for the season ahead. All members of the Maritime community are encouraged to attend, show their support, and help cheer our student-athletes on to a successful year.

Midnight Run. Our annual Midnight Run is next Wednesday, September 30, from 8:30 PM to midnight. The Midnight Run is a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting unhoused individuals living on the streets of Manhattan by providing essential items/food, and, most importantly, a compassionate human connection. If you have any questions or want to participate, please contact Tina at housing@sunymaritime.edu.

El Faro Memorial Ceremony. Next Thursday, October 1, at 0715, we will gather in the quad to remember those lost in the tragic sinking of the cargo ship El Faro. Please join us in paying tribute to Rich Pusatere ’03 and the 33 souls who were lost that day. I encourage everyone to read, Into the Raging Sea by Rachel Slade, a 2017 nonfiction book about the loss of the American cargo ship El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin in October 2015.

Open House. Mark your calendars, we will have over 300 prospective students and their families on campus next Saturday, October 3, for our first Open House of the year! Please plan to attend and show them what the Maritime Family is all about!

Presidents Council on Campus Climate and Culture (PC4). PC4 meets periodically throughout the Academic Year charged to discuss ways and provide advice on how to better foster a campus environment that is open, safe, respectful and inclusive for all. The members are Tony DiPiazza, Stacy Evans, Mike Sobkow, Dr. Bob Kidd, Pat Norman, Adam Grohman, Lu Plaisance, Kieran Barrett, Justin Manjares, Rainer Santos Nunez, and Robert Wieczorek. Attached is the charter for the Council. We have two unfilled student spots on the Council. If you are interested, please contact Ms. Plaisance.

New Student Code of Conduct. The 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct is available. Dean Grohman and Dean Romeo will host information sessions on September 29 (Student Union MPR) and October 6 (Special Events Room) during College Activity Hour, 3:00-4:00 PM. I recommend that students read it in its entirety.

Residence Hall Naming. Be part of history! The Student Government Association (SGA) is leading a campus-wide solicitation of name suggestions for the traditional/GH residence hall. The process will engage the Maritime College community in identifying and vetting naming options that reflect the spirit, history, and future of Maritime College. SGA will present the options to the Cabinet, which will provide a final recommendation to the College Council for consideration and approval. Submit your nomination by October 5 (in the student affairs initiative tab, select "new dorm naming recommendation" in the drop-down).

Title IX and Title VI Responsible Employee Training. All employees are required to complete 2026-2027 SUNY Employee Title IX and Title VI Training by October 31, 2026. The 20–25 minute training encourages reflection on how our actions contribute to an inclusive community, reinforces expectations for respectful engagement, and shares information about resources available if concerns arise. The training is a mandatory component of our compliance and fulfills the UUP Collective Bargaining Agreement. Upon completion, you will be designated as a responsible employee who is required to report perceived discrimination or harassment to the appropriate office on campus. The training is in Brightspace under My Courses/Professional Development. Access the training here.

Student Success Center (SSC). Dean Grohman is developing a cross-campus steering group to begin shaping the programs, services, and student supports that will be housed in the SSC, which will be based on the feedback provided through the Feedback Form over the past 5 months. The group will bring together representatives from across campus to identify priorities and move the SSC from concept to implementation this year. If you have any additional questions or comments, please contact Dean Adam Grohman.

Digital IDs. The Digital ID is here! To get started, download the TouchNet 360u app on our website and follow the setup instructions. Once activated, your Digital ID can be used anywhere your Maritime ID is accepted and will replace the physical card. Over the coming months, we will transition away from physical ID cards as the Digital ID becomes our standard campus credential. Download your Digital ID today and make the switch to a faster, more convenient way to access campus services.

APL Scholarship. APL is offering students at the State Maritime Academies a $25,000 one-year scholarship for eligible educational expenses for Fall 2027. Juniors and seniors in good standing enrolled in an unlimited-tonnage Deck or Engine license program, with strong academics, leadership, faculty recommendations, and a commitment to sailing commercially as a U.S. Merchant Mariner. Active-duty military commissioning students are not eligible; Navy Reserve SSO participation is permitted. Complete scholarship packages must be submitted directly to Klaus Luhta and Luc Saintgenies no later than October 31.

Scholarship Form Scholarship Rules

Athletics. It was an action-packed week as Football, Women's Soccer, Men’s Soccer all won this weekend, and Sailing had a strong 2nd and 5th place finishes at the COHO Memorial and the Jack Boehringer ’52 Open Invite, respectively! Check out the latest results and full schedule for the upcoming week on the website.

With utmost respect,
John