by John Konrad (gCaptain) Several resources inside SUNY Maritime College have actually alerted gCaptain that the institution President, Rear Admiral Mike Alfultis held a conference with senior citizens at the College to talk about an exterior testimonial board record. Alfultis informed trainees he would certainly not share the record due to “legal concerns” and also due to the fact that the record “might be damaging to the college.”

The record concerned asserts the Regimental and also Cadet Officers– that report to the dean of management and also Commandant of Cadets Captain Catie Hanft— “lead through fear” instead of via regard, penalize unwanted sexual advances sufferers, and also rinses an overmuch high percentage of ladies and also minorities. “Due to infractions against female Cadets,” claims the record.“Some participants stated they would never recommend that younger females attend Maritime College.”

Dr Michael A. Alfultis has actually been President of Maritime College since 2014 and also is a Rear Admiral in the UNITED STATE Maritime Service offering for the united state Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD).

“A senior member of the college administration offered that the perception of the Regiment is that they are second class citizens and that the college doesn’t care about them.”

The record was composed by a board of recognized graduates and also scholastic leaders entrusted with considering liability, management, discrimination, Sexual Assault and also Sexual Harassment (SASH) on university (plus various other locations of worry like institution satisfaction and also camaraderie).

Why did Admiral Alfultis reject to launch the record?

“The admiral had a meeting with seniors on the external report on the regiment, stating that he would not be releasing the report as promised for ‘legal concerns’ and that the report might be ‘damaging to the college’ out of context,” stated one cadet that asserts he went to the conference. “Admiral Alfultis said he was afraid to release it because people external to the college, and Fort Schuyler Shipmates Alumni, in particular, would take these parts out of context and run with them and do “irreparable harm” to the university’s track record that would certainly establish the institution back instead of move on.”

After Alfultis reduced the record trainees and also some professors gathered to social networks to share their outrage and also frustration over Alfutis’ activities. The basic agreement of cadets there was that the institution has an obligation to launch the record as long as they are legitimately permitted to, stated one cadet throughFacebook “The admiral wasn’t happy about it.”

We do not understand the complete degree of Alfutis and also Hanft’s inspiration for concealing the record however a single person near the circumstance informed gCaptain that the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is taking all records on SASH and also DEI seriously and also the institution is afraid that MARAD might not enable the institution to take distribution of their brand-new training ship unless issues revealed in this record are attended to.

gCaptain has actually connected to MARAD and also is waiting on remarks.

The External Review Report

gCaptain has actually gotten a dripped variation of the record which can be downloaded and install right here. Large areas of the record have actually been redacted however what’s left plainly reveals that little progression has actually been made by the institution on Sexual Assualt and also Harassment concerns given that Midshipman X rumor shook the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 2014.

Issues that connect to the society of SUNY Maritime College were additionally checked out. During the meetings with the Cadets, the External Regimental Review Committee (ERRC) listened to often times that unwanted sexual advances and also racial harassment do not obtain the appropriate therapy from either the Regiment or the management, and also individuals aren’t held liable for their actions.

“This creates a lack of trust on the part of Cadets who believe the administration is supposed to have an immediate response to these types of issues and concerns,” claims the record. “The ERRC heard that Cadets feel things are never going to change or nothing is ever going to be done.”

The ERRC reported that the management does not manage the “real issues. Again, the Cadets feel like things are said but nothing happens, or the wrong thing happens, in their opinion. Sometimes, the wrong people are held accountable. For example, the Regiment says you won’t get in trouble (i.e., alcohol amnesty) if you make a report but then when the Cadets do make a report, they still get in trouble. In some instances, it was reported to the Committee that the offender doesn’t get in trouble, but there are ramifications for the person who made the report.”

SASH At SUNY Maritime College

One 4/C pupil meeting by the ERRC stated he had a women schoolmate that went to MARITIME for just 3 months prior to she started obtaining sexually bothered. He asserts that Cadets have actually not reported these events due to the fact that they listened to exactly how comparable events were dealt with in the past– safeguard the lawbreaker, however not shield the Cadet or their legal rights– and also hesitated of the routine’s feedback.

Racial Inequity At NY Maritime College

In enhancement to sex-related harrasement the record pointed out many methods the university has actually fallen short minority candidates, trainees, and also graduates.

“As discussed later in this report (redacted), there was a concern expressed several times that when DEl incidents recently occurred, MARITIME was not as prepared to appropriately deal with them.”

“The voiced concern among many Cadets is that currently being a Cadet Officer (i.e. the student regimental officers appointed by Captain Hanft) ‘is a joke’,” claims the record. “For minority cadets, the feelings are even more deeply held. These cadets expressed that there was no system in place to support or protect them. They indicated that if they voiced their concerns too loudly, there would be retribution and that they feel like they were given leadership positions in the Regiment only because it looks good on paper.”

Other trainees talked about a racist case that took place throughoutSummer Sea Term The size of the examination, which is still recurring, causes the understanding that absolutely nothing is being done regarding it. “Leadership, at all levels, was not prepared to deal with a significant racial incident,” claims the ERRC. “Maritime College must rectify the perception that they are not adequately trained and prepared to deal with such difficult and sensitive matters by improving the communication with students. For Cadets who have been subject to racism, discrimination, harassment, or abuse, they feel that the deafening silence is dehumanizing.”

No Fair Recourse For Cadets

The disappointment amongst cadets spoken with by ERRC is apparent and also lines up with the comments gCaptain has actually obtained from cadets after years of university gos to and also digital interaction. Any university setting can be limiting however it’s the regimental nature of SUNY Maritime’s certificate program that makes it so uncommon and also discouraging to those looking for fair therapy.

The university head of state, Mike Alfultis, is a Rear Admiral in the United States Maritime solution, a ranking and also consistent licensed by the Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and also US Maritime Administration (MARAD) acting manager Lucinda Lessley, however the Commandant of Cadets, that supervises of the institution’s uniformed routine (which is the emphasis of this record), is a retired United StatesNavy Captain Historically that placement is held by a United States Merchant Service captain that is additionally the Captain of the MARAD-owned training ship however Hanft does not hold the certificate demand to grasp a ship that dimension. The routine itself is mandated by United States Coast Guard (USCG) certificate and also training needs however the USCG jobs MARAD with providing the program. MARAD additionally aids several of the training.

Normally the United States Merchant Service has a Commandant leading the solution however President Biden’s visit for that placement, previous United States Navy Rear Admiral Ann Phillip, has actually been obstructed by Republican legislators.

Midshipman X– MARAD’s Unbalanced Treatment of Federal And State Students

Despite being mandated to produce and also oversee the routine MARAD has actually taken a hands-off technique to controling state run colleges. Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley took solid and also positive activity following the Midshipman X rumor and also has actually collaborated with the institution and also congress to resolve SASH concerns at the government US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), however has actually retreated from SASH concerns at state colleges and also aboard MARAD had institution training ship.

MARAD has both leaned right into SASH concerns at the government academy and also retreated from concerns at the state academies although that the company that initially alerted Lessley Midshipman X rumor, Maritime Legal Aid, has actually released numerous uncomfortable records of supposed rape and also harassment at SUNYMaritime

“He was walking up and down the rows, and when he came to me he leaned down to my ear and whispered in my ear “I wish my head was where that phone is right now.” What the fuck? I went and also reported it to the Deputy Commandant, a female called Captain Hanft.”Reported MLA last year “She told me that if I didn’t want negative attention from the mates on the training ship, then I shouldn’t wear tight khaki pants. That’s a direct quote. And she told me there was nothing she could do.”

In October gCaptain called MARAD for discuss the MLA post title “I Was Raped on Campus at SUNY Maritime, And Also Sexually Assaulted on Senior Cruise. After I Graduated I Never Looked Back” and also was refuted an on-the-record feedback. Off the document, one high-level DOT authorities informed gCaptain that MARAD thinks that the examination for rapes and also attacks that take place aboard MARAD-owned ships under the command of a MARAD uniformed police officer are the duty of SUNY and also the United States Coast Guard.

gCaptain has actually connected to the United States Coast Guard for remark.

MARAD’s Other State Academies Face SASH Issues Too

In enhancement to SASH concerns at SUNY, MARAD has actually done little to resolve issues at various other state academies also after a sex-related assault scandal at Maine Maritime made headlines and also the regimental Commandant of Cadets at Cal Maritime was put on hold after speaking up versus sex-related and also racial harassment at that institution. Both of these state maritime academies run MARAD-owned training ships, approve MARAD taxpayer aids, and also fulfill MARAD consistent needs.

“In the approximately 1,000 pages of documents turned over to MLAA by the U.S. Coast Guard, which date back more than 30 years, there are ZERO reports of complaints of sexual offenses that have been submitted to the United States Coast Guard by the master of a (MARAD owned) academy training ship,” says the Maritime Legal Aid website “Either, In the past 30 years, not a single person working or training aboard a USCG documented, (MARAD owned), training ship has made an allegation of sexual assault that occurred onboard the vessel or ashore, or state maritime academies have been willfully violating the federal shipboard sexual assault allegation reporting requirement defined in 46 USC 10104.”

A Confluence of DOT, MARAD, DHS, USCG, State, Local, Academic, Regimental Regulations Leaves Cadets Confused And Worried

The outcome of this dilemma of beurocracy is a sensation of complication and also unreasonable therapy amongst cadets that are simply trying to find a reasonable and also assault-free university experience.

“A concern expressed by several Cadets and staff is their belief that there are significant inconsistencies in the administration of discipline,” claims the record. “The inconsistencies are believed by some to be rooted in confusion regarding the interrelationship of the College’s Judicial Board, the Regimental Suitability Board and Captain’s Mast for various violations of the Rules and Regulations for Cadets and/or Code of Conduct for all students.”

What is MARAD’s uniformed United States Merchant Service?

Students are not the only one. gCaptain has actually spoken with admirals, state education and learning authorities, leading government managers, graduates, teachers, and also trainees. Everyone concurs the routine is needed by MARAD however no one actually comprehends what the United States Merchant Marine is or what tasks and also obligations are needed by those putting on the attire of the United States Merchant Service (which drops under MARAD) today.

“There are officers walking around Kings Point and several of the other State Maritime Academies wearing USMS uniforms with all sorts of ranks and insignia, said Mark Buzby the former head of MARAD to gCaptain in 2019. As ‘Commandant’ of the ‘service’, I’ve even commissioned officers in the USMS with fancy certificates and great ceremony… I commissioned Capt Morgan McManus as CAPTAIN, USMS and Master of TS EMPIRE STATE VI.  I have no idea how ‘legal’ that was, but as a licensed Master Mariner, at least it was justifiable.”

If the head of MARAD does not comprehend what lawful duty it plays in the United States Maritime Service which is mandated by government legislation to manage the routine at SUNY Maritime College, exactly how could the ordinary pupil, or perhaps State University of New York (SUNY) authorities in Albany?

“The inconsistencies are believed by some that the Committee spoke with to be rooted in confusion regarding the interrelationship of the College’s Judicial Board, the Regimental Suitability Board and Captain’s Mast for various violations of the Rules and Regulations for Cadets and/or Code of Conduct for all students,” claims the ERRC record. “Add to this, the Cadets believe that the administration of justice is a system of ‘double jeopardy’ as Cadets are now subject to both a Captain’s Mast and a Hearing with the Judicial Board, outside of the Regiment, for certain infractions… It is vital that MARITIME have a single code of conduct and judicial process for all students, regardless of whether they are Cadets or Interns.”

The suggestions of the record are solid, and also much required, additionally partly flawed considering it does not discuss the duty of MARAD or the obvious absence of security, oversight, and also worry, MARAD programs for state institution cadets that seemingly use the very same United States Merchant Service, MARAD licensed, attires as USMMA Midshipman.

Report Redactions

MARAD’s clear eluding of lawful responsibilities to regulate the routine of cadets is not one of the most uncomfortable element of this record, neither are the insurance claims of unfair therapy of minorities, or records of messed up Sexual Assault and also Sexual Harassment situations. Nor is the truth that MARAD is investing over $300 countless taxpayer cash on a training ship it intends to turn over to an institution without appropriate SASH and also DEI oversight in position. Most uncomfortable is the truth that public institution authorities at SUNY Maritime thought it was okay to conceal such a damning record from the general public which a lot of the record was redacted.

In light of this record, it is clear that the United States Coast Guard and also MARAD require to examine the regimental system which Congress should consist of the state maritime universities in the upcomingSafer Seas Act It is not ok for USMMA to obtain every one of MARAD’s assistance. MARAD should deal with all marine cadets using its attire– both state and also government– just as.

gCaptain gets in touch with the State University of New York in Albany and also MARAD to launch the complete unredacted record and also perform a joint examination of their very own of pupil security and also equal rights at SUNY Maritime College.

You can discover the dripped variation of the record right here.