Statement by SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher on the Need for a New SUNY Maritime College Training Vessel
August 10, 2015
“Today, as President Alfultis and members of the SUNY Maritime community welcome home nearly 600 cadets from the College’s popular ‘Summer at Sea’ term aboard the 53-year-old Empire State VI, we are reminded of the pressing need the College faces for federal funding to support the design and construction of a new ship.
“As one of only seven institutions that train licensed mariners nationally, SUNY Maritime plays a significant role in maintaining an educated marine workforce. In addition to serving as the training vessel for this vital economic resource, the Empire State VI has provided much-needed humanitarian relief for New York State in the wake of natural disasters, such as Superstorm Sandy. The College simply cannot continue to provide these essential tasks using yesterday’s technology or infrastructure.”
“The vast accomplishments of SUNY Maritime students, faculty, staff, and alumni – highlighted by a near 100 percent job placement rate within three months of graduation – speak volumes about the quality of the College and its service to our economy. Together with campus and state officials, I urge the federal government to secure funding for a new state-of-the-art Empire State VII.”
About SUNY Maritime College
SUNY Maritime is a four-year college located at historic Fort Schuyler in Throggs Neck, New York, which offers a solid academic program coupled with a structured cadet life in the regiment for both men and women. Maritime College prepares students for careers through a content-centered curriculum and a hands-on, team building approach to learning. Maritime offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, 18 varsity athletic teams, summer training cruises to Europe, five ROTC options, and US Coast Guard license and intern programs.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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