California Maritime Academy hits rough waters

Luigi59

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California Maritime Academy hits rough waters

The smallest Cal State University school has been spared the severe budget cuts affecting other campuses, but it still faces the elimination of a training cruise for students seeking sea experience.


By Carla Rivera, Los Angeles Times
August 30, 2011

Matthew Pinhey spent much of the summer studying in California State University's most unusual classroom.

On board the 500-foot training ship known as the Golden Bear, Pinhey and more than 300 other California Maritime Academy students were responsible for steering the vessel and plotting its course. They operated radios and radar, read charts and repaired engines while cruising to ports of call in New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa and Hawaii.

With about 850 students, the Maritime Academy is the smallest Cal State school. It's also unusual in that it has largely been spared the severe budget cuts that have hit the system's other campuses. That is partly due to its size — it receives less of its funding from tuition than the others — and to its distinctive mission.

The academy's leaders have less leeway to save money by cutting classes; specific courses are required for students to obtain their licenses as deck officers and engineers.

Still, the academy is navigating turbulent waters as the new school year arrives: The state budget crisis, along with high fuel costs, may force elimination of one of two eight-week summer training cruises for students seeking sea experience.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-calstate-maritime-20110830,0,6080000.story
 
That's really too bad that they are facing the possibility of losing cruises. I'm at Maine Maritime for school now and we have the sister ship of the Golden Bear. Now I've only been doing training relating to the ship for about a week and a half but it's already been a great experience.
 
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