Office of the President

 

Dear Members of the Cal Maritime Community,

As I begin my tenure as the 15th president of this esteemed institution, I am honored to join you in advancing Cal Maritime together. I eagerly look forward to meeting you on campus, in the community, and at alumni and industry events over the coming months. I also extend my thanks and appreciation to President Cropper for his dedicated service to Cal Maritime and wish he and his family fair winds and following seas.

To our cadets, graduate students, faculty, and staff—I am excited to work alongside all of you to ensure Cal Maritime is a place where everyone can grow, learn, and make an impact. To do this, we must bring our diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to reinforce a campus environment grounded in mutual respect, support, and inclusion for all. It requires each of us to listen to one another, understand each other’s position, and actively reach out to those who may not always feel connected. We all come from different paths to be a part of this fabulous institution, and we need to be mindful that some have overcome enormous obstacles to be here. Collectively, we can be a force for positive change at Cal Maritime and the maritime industry, and I expect all of us to be accountable to one another in strengthening the fabric of our community for everyone to thrive and succeed.

My leadership team will be focused on the work ahead to tackle the hard decisions necessary given our challenging fiscal environment and a decline in enrollment. Like many institutions of higher education, we face decreases in public funding, increasing labor costs, and greater need for campus and facilities upkeep. On the path ahead we will keep our focus on strengthening the cadet and graduate student experience and preparing them for fulfilling careers, all while putting the institution on a more sustainable trajectory going forward. 

Because of our world-class faculty, Cal Maritime is known for graduating some of the best and brightest leaders in the world and providing life-changing opportunities for graduates who become leaders in the maritime industry, business, public service, and beyond. Similarly, our dedicated staff are focused on making the campus a welcoming place of pride and safety for all. It is my intent that our cadets, graduate students, faculty, and staff are treated with kindness and respect, so everyone is in an environment where they can perform their important work – regardless of their role on campus – with purpose and meaning. I am excited to be joining you on this journey as we shape the future of Cal Maritime.

Respectfully,

Mike Dumont, JD
Interim President
California State University Maritime Academy