New USMMA Superintendent Announcement

Ashore

You should check your facts when posting. The most recent superintendent at KP was RADM Phil Greene KP 78. He held a US Coast Guard License as Unlimited Master, and spent his career active duty navy. He also worked as chief of staff at the Naval Academy. The man knew KP, he knew the industry, he knew the navy. He was great for KP, however due to politics he was forced out. Prior to that was Captain Allen Worley, USN (ret). He was ok, he was superintendent at Texas A&M at Galveston, (Maritime Academy). He at least went to the Naval Academy and besides being a pilot had time aboard surface ships. He was not the best choice but had at least a maritime background and had a vision. He wanted to focus on brown water education for midshipman. Prior to that was Maj. Gen Stewart USMC (ret). Many did not like Stewart, he was loved by midshipman but his vision was not one of being a premier maritime school. He was known for saying sea year is meaningless and that the maritime courses were not important. Stewart also did a lot of damage to the academy. His policies currently set up all the problems at KP. Let's be honest the man did a lot of damage.
Finally the new pick is nothing more than a puppet for MARAD, if you knew what is going on you'd see that.
None of this is in the best interests of the students.
 
Navy4Ever

First, Oh yes, the head of the parents assoc. is happy, because ignorance is bliss. That individual is not in the industry and does not know the industry, or what it takes upon graduation to go into the industry and all the new STCW rules and regulations that are going into effect to be in the industry.
Second her post is propaganda nothing more to post it as fact is something else.
Third the post states that Matsuda interviewed him personally, well of course he did. MARAD wants to make sure that there is someone there they can control.
Finally, your defense of the new superintendent shows a lack of knowledge on what is going on. Take the time to read and understand the industry. Take the time to know what is going on, for if you did you wouldn't be so quick to blindly support.
 
Like it or not, this place is a military academy that produces active duty and reserve military officers upon graduation, many of whom serve our nations merchant marine with distinction and honor. It's mission first and foremost is to produce leaders for this country. The acceptance of a reserve commission does not take a back seat to your license requirements.

It is not a trade school and the appointment of the superintendent is not open to vote. Unless some disgruntled alumni accept the fact that you don't need to hold a union card to be a great leader or patriot, this instutution will become second-rate.
 
Navy1987

I suggest you take the time to understand the Merchant Marine Academy. No where have I suggest that you need a "union" card to run or understand the school.
Let's start by understanding the Merchant Marine Academy;
(from the catalog)
The Mission of the United States Merchant Marine Academy
To educate and graduate merchant marine officers and leaders of honor and integrity who serve the maritime industry and armed forces and contribute to the economic, defense, and homeland security interests of the United States.

Please notice what it states, it's mission is to graduate merchant marine officers and leaders, notice it's first mission is to graduate merchant marine officers. That is it's primary mission everything else is secondary.
If it were to just graduate leaders then there is no need for the academy. The maritime trainging goes hand in hand with it's degrees. Please note that gradutaes get either a marine engineering degree (Sweat hog, systems or shipyard management) and the deckies get Marine Transportation (Shopper, straight deck or logistics), but the maritime courses are a large part of that. You can't graduate without the license but you can graduate without the commission.
With regards to having a superintendent that does not know the industry it hurts the students and it hurts the industry.
The school needs someone that at least knows the industry to lead it into the future. Dr. Kumar is far more qualified to be superintendent and at this point it is a shame he is not.
 
Happy but also apparently Slightly Uniformed and Pollyana-esque

Re: Navy4ever's post
Navy4ever said:
:thumb:
To all USMMA Parents: PLEASE forward this exciting news to all your membership immediately! <snip>

... Please read the bio completely and carefully and notice that for the first time that I know of in the history of USMMA, we will have a Superintendent who is also a Kings Point parent! He has already made it clear that he will be an "active" member of our USMMA Parents Association. I have been told by Mr. Matsuda that I am allowed to tell you that I have interviewed Col. Helis personally and found him to be a capable, communicative and personable fit for our Academy. <emphasis added> ... <snip>

Mary Jane Fuschetto, USMMA National Parent Association Chair
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1) The first USMMA Superintendent to also have been the parent of a USMMA Midshipman and or graduate was also the first USMMA Graduate to have been Superintendent - the Late RADM Tom King, USMS; USMMA Class of 1942 and father of Thomas King USMMA Class of 1975.

2) While we can and it is often debated as to whether VADM Stewart was or was not good for the Academy, his background as a retired General Officer from the Marine Corps with a background and world class experience in logistics and transportation, albeit in the military and the graduate of the US Naval Academy was frankly far more impressive and appropriate for a Superintendent of an institution that DOT is purportedly trying to position to be a jewel in Maritime and Transportation education than the cameo of Dr. Helis' CV in the official DOT announcement, again IMO.

I am not bashing Dr. or is it Col (ret) (I'd suspect he prefers Dr. I know I would - it's far more relevant to and is, IMO, far more notable and applicable that Col. USA Retired to his new position) at all. But seriously let's be open, honest and forthright. Calling the selection of a retired 0-6 from a non-seagoing service "the perfect choice" to be the Superintendent, in the announcement, was a stretch and likely to do nothing but further exacerbate the mediocre, at best, relationship between the Maritime Industry in general, and the USMMA Alumni in particular and DOT/MARAD.

Sure it's stud poker right now and MARAD in Washington, in general, and seemingly Administrator Matsuda, in particular, seems to have wanted to position things so that he would be in a position to drive things and force through additional changes when Secretary LaHood leaves the Administration this fall. However, clearly the choice of Dr. Helis, after forcing out someone who a lot more people thought was the perfect choice and who's CV is far more impressive and relevant, and the additional organizational changes, just announced, do nothing but further weaken the institution and the position that Dr. Helis now assumes. That's probably not a good thing, after all at this juncture, IMO, the USMMA needs a strong visionary leader, and it deserves a better Strategic Plan than the draft one now circulating. The current draft SP is great marketing and nice top top over the top general objectives but totally insufficient substance to start to justify continued additional funding for Capital Improvements/Rehab/Repairs - making me wonder is this by design from MARAD?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, so I'm largely just chalking all this up to the continued erosion of Industry Leadership and awareness at MARAD and hoping that for whatever reason this, and Administrator Matsuda's tenure will soon end. Though I'm particularly impressed that our current Maritime Administrator, a self professed unabashed "train buff", had a person who's own relevant qualifications consist of having parented four graduates and having put together a lovely coffee table book of photographs of the Academy participate in the interview process for the Selection of the Superintendent of the USMMA. :redface: No small wonder the guy doesn't understand why or is oblivious to the fact, every time he has to testify in front of Congressional Committees, he leaves both Members and Professional Staffers (of which he is one) shaking their head at his lack of the ability to cogently speak on pretty much anything in his purview. It's merely reflective of the problems this creates and continues to exacerbate for the USMMA in particular and the US Flag Maritime Industry in general.

That said, Dr. Helis could end up being the best superintendent ever and he needs all our support there are far bigger and more relevant challenges facing the USMMA than whether a retired Army Col with a Phd in International Relations is "the best choice" for the job. He has the job and it has oodles of challenges, it's my Alma Mater and I want it to continue to exist and to address the issues. It's not his fault he went to West vice Kings Point - how many excellent 50 somethings didn't make sub-optimal choices when they were 18? ... but that's another story/thread ... It is promising that Dr. Helis only allowed one of his two sons to repeat the mistake. Seriously, he has his work cut out for him and until he proves otherwise, I'll assume he is competent and desires to move the institution forward not fuel his ego. After all he had an excellent position at a prestigious Government run institution of higher learning and that is "not nothing."

I'll keep the rest of my thoughts on the subject to myself and try to stay away from this thread from this point on...
 
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tankercaptain..it wouldn't matter how much I understood or how much I read about the maritime industry, like you, I have no voice when it comes to choosing the Superintendant of USMMA. What I do understand however, like it or not, for the next four years this man will be my DS's leader and as such has my support!:smile: Only time will tell if either or both survive the rigor of the Academy:thumb:
Let's hope it's both!!!
 
Navy4Ever

That is untrue with regards to a voice at the Academy. Everyone has a voice, every tax payer has a voice, and every parent has a voice. The most important thing is instead of accepting this, you do something about it. You call your representative, you call your senator, you voice your opinion to the Academy.
If you want the best for your DS, then you work towards making sure that the best is at the academy and that your DS is set up for success. This is not success, I feel for your DS because the next year will be rough.
Sources say that Dr. Helis won't last more than 11 months.
 
Navy1987 said:
Like it or not, this place is a military academy
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Like it or not, this place (USMMA/KP) is NOT a military academy.

It is a service academy.

The mids are not on active duty while at USMMA (like they are at the 4 military academies). They are not paid (like they are at the 4 military academies). They are not subject to the UCMJ (like they are at the 4 military academies). They have no active duty military commitment (like they do at the 4 military academies).

And although they were the ONLY academy (military or service) to send their mids/cadets into a war, and the 142 on the battle standard sets them apart, it doesn't make them a military academy.

But you already knew that.

PS - Go Bears, Beat KP.
 
Yes Kings Point is a fine service Academy with a very rigorous academic program as well as offering a full year at sea. You just need to go to Kings Point Spotlight, What is next 2012 to see all the varied options available after graduation, including military. I saw many new Coast Guard officers in the video. I am very pleased that a new Superintendent has been selected after these many months. I think he has fine credentials and I say welcome aboard!:smile:
 
I am somewhat new to the USMMA experience, but I submit this for consideration:

In Jim Collins Best Selling Book "Good to Great", he tells this true story:

(Paraphrasing)

A CEO of a paper products company was looking for a new VP. He interviewed many candidates and could not find anyone perfect for the job. In walks a fella, with virtually no experience in the industry, and on paper was the least qualified of all. During the interview, the candidate's military service was discussed, and he humbly shared that he escaped a Vietnamese POW camp...TWICE.

The CEO hired him. His explanation: If that guy can figure out how to escape a POW camp twice, he can figure out what it takes to be my VP.


I know nothing of Helis' background, but perhaps you need not be a sailor to run KP. Maybe a good military resume, and the ability to lead people below you is good enough.

Just sayin....
 
Let it ride

I'd rather have a grad as Supt, my daughter, 2014, would rather have a grad, 95% of the people that read this post would rather have a grad as Supt.

We don't. Give COL Helis your support, and wish him your best. We're not in this for bragging rights over who can better skewer each other on-line.

That said, continue to raise hell with your elected leaders to better fund USMMA.
 
First and foremost I am not ccaptain from the gcaptain forums. No where in my posts do I bash KP. I am a grad and only want the best for KP. I want everyone here to read this "I have graduated from KP, I have a career I love and enjoy, I am in a place I want to be, I have nothing at this point to gain from what goes on at KP, except I want the place to be the best place it can be and for those that go there to excel and have every chance they can at success."

With that being said, I have to laugh at the analogies and stories that well he's a leader, he's an educator, his son will be going there. I have this to to say, I know for a FACT that his son did not get in to West Point and Kings Point was his second choice, or fall back school. His son wants to be in the army!

Second an educator and leader does make for a good resume but it does not help in the very technical and specific field of KP. Remember this KP is here to create merchant marine officers. Should it stop focusing on this one important thing, then the question is why keep KP open. I want to see it stay open, I want graduates to be the best graduates that they can be. However, should the KP focus on graduating naval reserve grads or active duty grads what would keep congress from saying why do we have this place if ROTC does the same thing and for cheaper. If it becomes a second rate maritime school because becoming a merchant marine officer is no longer a priority, congress would say why keep KP open, we have the state maritime schools, and they are cheaper.
Again, I graduated! However, I don't want to see the place close and it kills me to hear the Cadet/Midshipman complain about what is going on and how they are having a difficult time there.

I want to ask the parents on this site this, why doesn't every deckie graduate with their Tankerman PIC? Why doesn't KP make every student take fast rescue boats? Why are students able to take the junior DPO course and then during their sea year get on a DP ship? Why aren't deckies getting to take electives for their Chief Mate/Master's exam? Why isn't their any classes for a towing endorsement? Why can't engineers get sea time on drill ships? Why is KP falling behind in meeting IMO requirements?
Most will say well they don't need any of that, they are their to go to college and get a degree or they are going to be leaders or officers in the military. I want to remind you of this, KP exits because it's job is to create Merchant Marine officers, should that change then there is no reason to keep the place open, (not my opinion) that is a fact. Reminder of when Vice President Al Gore wanted to close KP down and then when that back fired he wanted to charge tuition.
So why did I mention that list of training, because all of that is what is being taught at the state schools, these things are the basics to set graduates up for success at sea, in the merchant marine and in the shore side industry.
Does a retired army colonel understand all of these things? Does an army colonel understand the requirements placed up the students at KP? Are we setting him and KP up for success.
The easy answer is no.
I would like people to look at this objectively and think do I want KP to be around when my child graduates and do I want KP to give them the tools, education and training to succeed?
If you want that, then I suggest that you look to make your voice heard to make a change at KP.
Again, I wear the ring, I'm long gone from KP, I have nothing to gain, but I hear the students voices and I see what is going on, and it makes me sad.
 
Iv got a head ache

This thread has run its course.

This and every other thread that reminds us that the US Merchant Marine academy exists to develop merchant mariners. Got it
 
Bugsy
I don't appreciate your post. Trying to educate individuals on the state of KP to ensure that the place stays open and continues to be a great institution. Just because what KPs real mission is not what you want it to be there is no reason to dismiss this thread.
 
You have no idea what I want the institution to be for my DS currently attending. Do you worry about the future of institution which currently houses one of you kids, who's future may be effected by the vitriol spewed on this forum.

Your concerns are valid, the depth at which you go to are getting on my nerves. If I have offended you by my 2 line post then that says alot about you, I stand by my words.

I am amazed at the concerned folks on this site that choose this forum to action their concerns, as tho decision makers will read their posts and be convinced to change. Stone throwers are a dime a dozen, brick layers are worth their wieght in gold.

You are frustrated thats obvious, so am I, but this discussion will have no positive outcome on the state of our academy.
 
bugsy said:
This thread has run its course.
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You're entitled to your opinion. Many here would disagree with you.

If you feel that way, don't read anymore. Pretty simple concept, like changing the channel of a show you don't want to watch.

bugsy said:
This and every other thread that reminds us that the US Merchant Marine academy exists to develop merchant mariners. Got it
Click to expand...

And as soon as that is forgotten it will disappear. I often listen to the "KP sales talk" at college fairs I attend, and the "you can go active duty to any branch" speech seems to be a prominent selling point of their admissions reps. IMHO this is wrong-headed, as they need to attract and retain mids who are seeking employment as merchant marine officers.

KP admissions seems to have an identity crisis. By continuing to "sell it" by always telling every possible applicant about all the "great options, including active duty" as an advantage, they are hastening its demise. When those numbers approach 50% of the graduating class, you can wave bye bye to this federally funded merchant marine academy, because there will be no need for it. We already have military academies, we already have ROTC, and we already have state maritime schools where the students are paying tuition.
 
Bugsy

Let's begin with, I'm not posting on this site with the hopes that "administrators" are reading it and will make decisions from this site. The goal was to have another avenue to get people together to make a difference at the school.

Your line about brick layers show your own arrogance. You have no idea what I do or do not do behind the scenes. You do not know who I know or who I don't know. I will say this it is a small industry and a smaller alumni base.

To think that we should sit by accept this is a poor attitude. I'm surprised that someone who has 26 years in the air force and is a professed O-6 would even say that.

To say that not to worry KP will be around, is a naive thing to say at best.
I'll finish with this, it is obvious what you want from the institution, you have 147 posts that show it and if you can't stand this thread then you need to stop coming to it.
 
tankercaptain said:
Bugsy
I don't appreciate your post. Trying to educate individuals on the state of KP to ensure that the place stays open and continues to be a great institution. Just because what KPs real mission is not what you want it to be there is no reason to dismiss this thread.
Click to expand...

You appear to be posting out of both side of your keyboard. You rave about what the school is, and supposed to be, then kill the choices being made. Did your graduation not result in what you hoped?

I am not a service member or KP grad, but I can come to this thread and in 15 minutes have a good idea of what KP Grads need. I am comfortable that a retired Army colonel can figure it out. Its unfair to be dismissive of this choice because you personally dont agree with it. Perhaps Mr LaHood has a clue. Especially when he interviewed the candidates and you did not
 
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