U. S. Merchant Marine Academy Strategic Plan (2024-2030)
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Empowering the Nation’s Premier Maritime Service Academy
through Revitalization and Innovation
INTRODUCTION
The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA or Academy) is entering its ninth decade of service to the United States as one of our Nation’s five Federal Service Academies. Our mission to educate and graduate exemplary leaders to support the economic, marine transportation, and national security needs of our great Nation is no less significant today than it was in 1943. As we navigate an ever-changing and unstable global environment, it is essential that we reinforce our mission, emphasize our standards and values, have a clear vision with a well-defined strategy, and execute a robust plan to achieve our goals. The 2024-2030 Strategic Plan outlines our organization's purpose, values, and goals for the next seven years as we look to provide licensed Merchant Mariners and Commissioned Officers that are selfless leaders well versed in their craft, deep thinkers, and strong communicators. This Plan provides a roadmap to guide our decision-making, resource allocation, and actions, to ensure that the Academy will achieve our desired outcomes.
At its core, this Strategic Plan is about positioning USMMA for success both near- and long term. It charts a clear path by identifying the key priorities and initiatives with associated measures that we need to pursue during this time of committed revitalization at the Academy. Through this Plan we intend to build a sustainable, resilient, and innovative learning organization that delivers value to our students, faculty, staff, external stakeholders, and the Maritime Administration.
Throughout this Plan, we focus on delivering superior results while maintaining our commitment to our values and our people. We operate in a complex and rapidly changing environment as both an institution of higher education and as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. We know we need to be agile and adaptable to navigate inevitable challenges, but we are confident that this Plan marks the best channel for our institution. We look forward to embarking on this journey and working together to achieve our goals to deliver the exceptional leaders that have served the Nation so well for nearly eight decades.
USMMA MISSION
To educate and graduate leaders of exemplary character who are inspired to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces.
USMMA VISION
To be a diverse and welcoming community of leaders, professionals, and scholars who are dedicated to collaboration inside and outside of Vickery Gate. To live and work in a place where everyone is inspired to give their best every day. To be known as a center of excellence for midshipman development and maritime innovation.
USMMA CORE VALUES
Respect. Promote an environment where inclusion, multiculturalism, and diversity are encouraged and valued. Communicate effectively and engage in healthy relationships. Maintain the highest level of professionalism as it relates to behavior and interpersonal skills.
Honor. Be honest and trustworthy and maintain the highest level of integrity. Take responsibility and accountability for your actions and for those you lead. Demonstrate courage and stand up for the honor of others.
Service. Generate the highest levels of trust, unity, and pride in all Academy undertakings. Consider the needs of others before your own self-interest. Engage in leadership opportunities that contribute to our Nation’s maritime and military interests, and our community.
USMMA 2024-2030 PRIORITIES
The first step in development of this Strategic Plan was a reorganization of the priorities. The Academy also used this review to establish key performance indicators that will be essential for successful adherence to the Academy’s accreditation bodies, some of which were not accomplished during the last Strategic Plan due to the shifting needs of the Academy. In this Plan, the interconnection of each individual priority with the others is emphasized—creating an ecosystem of priorities that demonstrates how a failure to track and report on any single priority will place the others at risk of failure. The Plan calls for priority-responsible parties comprised of Academy senior leaders who will facilitate coordination with appropriate entities across the institution to address objectives that are supported by members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. The expectation is that each priority lead will provide the Institutional Effectiveness Steering Committee (IESC) with quarterly executive summaries and matrix progress updates. The reports and tracking will be maintained in a digital repository for external reports and will be the legacy of this Plan.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Develop a 21st century Academy INFRASTRUCTURE that supports student learning and engages faculty, staff, coaches, and students not only to sustain the Academy but to inspire innovation at USMMA while promoting the safety, health, and wellness of all.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Promote the RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT, and
RETENTION of a highly-qualified and diverse population of students, faculty, and staff that demonstrates and PROMOTES the Institution’s values, as well as CULTIVATES an institutional culture in which every Academy COMMUNITY member is respected, valued, and can fulfill their maximum potential as a leader of exemplary character.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Enhance shared GOVERNANCE, trusted and empowered LEADERSHIP, and an invested ADMINISTRATION to promote prolonged success as an institution of higher education.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Invigorate the Academy’s EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM while promoting student SUCCESS, experiential learning in the regiment and at sea, and professional expertise both ashore and afloat.
2024-2030 Strategic Plan
Ecological System
The Strategic Plan can be viewed as a system of interrelated activities that maximize USMMA’s mission accomplishment. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory on Human Development, this Strategic Plan uses reverse engineering to identify what it takes to develop a successful Kings Point Graduate. This ecological system provides a visual explanation of how each strategic priority contributes to the creation of a graduate that reflects the values of the institution. It also demonstrates how each strategic priority helps the Academy meet its mission.
2024-2030 Strategic Plan
Assessment Cycle
The assessment cycle supports the execution of our Plan as illustrated above. Defining the evaluation cycle for the seven-year Plan creates a system of accountability where responsible parties will inform our stakeholders of progress at multiple check points over our ninth decade in the service to America as a Federal Service Academy. This cycle promotes not only a successful strategic plan that measures progress, but also supports the gathering of data points for USMMA’s multiple accreditation activities. In a regularly monitored process, the Plan will be introduced, quarterly reviews will be conducted, and the campus community and other key stakeholders will be updated on progress. When appropriate, the IESC and Academy leadership may refine measures and timelines to ensure optimum results.
CONCLUSION
The vital role that the USMMA plays in the Nation’s economic growth and sustainability, as well as our Nation’s defense and strategic sea lift capabilities are as important today as they were at the institution’s inception in 1943. This Strategic Plan will help set the forward-leaning foundation for our institution and the talented and diverse leaders that we will produce. The plan also reflects our firm commitment to inspire all students who enter Vickery Gate, and provide them with innovative, immersive, state-of-the-art maritime education, training, and athletic experiences. We will position our graduates for success as licensed Merchant Mariners and commissioned officers in their chosen branch of the United States Military. Their achievements will build upon USMMA’s distinguished and enduring legacy as a renowned U.S. service academy, which develops leaders who pursue and achieve excellence throughout their lives in the maritime industry, U.S. Armed Forces, and beyond.
_____________________ ____________________
Joanna M. Nunan Ann C. Phillips
Vice Admiral, USMS Maritime Administrator
Superintendent
USMMA’s 2024-2030 STRATEGIC PRIORTIES
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: ACADEMY INFRASTRUCTURE
Develop a 21st century Academy INFRASTRUCTURE that supports student learning and engages faculty, staff, coaches, and students not only to sustain the Academy but to inspire innovation at USMMA while promoting the safety, health, and wellness of all.
Lead: Deputy Superintendent, Director of Facilities and Infrastructure Management
Supporting Staff: Infrastructure Planning Committee Members
Goal 1: All existing physical infrastructure must be maintained in a safe and good state of repair, and in full compliance with applicable standards and regulations. To support this goal, USMMA will create and implement a Campus Deferred Maintenance Plan that is updated annually, as well as a Campus Equipment Inventory Management Plan. These plans will include a listing of priority maintenance and repair requirements as well as milestones for their accomplishment.
Key Performance Indicator
Execution of Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance Projects on a Timely Basis.
Performance Measures
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- Campus Deferred Maintenance Plan approved by Director, Facilities & Infrastructure Management no later than one year after approval of the Strategic Plan. It must provide criteria for setting priority levels (e.g., high, medium and low) with timeframes to address projects within each priority group; include milestones for the remainder of the Strategic Plan; and be published on the USMMA intranet.
- Commit 30 % of current fiscal year FMRE funding to deferred maintenance projects identified in Campus Deferred Maintenance Plan. Identified projects will be initiated within one year of final annual appropriations.
- Implement a Campus Equipment Inventory Management Plan approved by the Director, Facilities & Infrastructure Management no later than six months after approval of the Strategic Plan. The Campus Inventory Management Plan will establish performance measures and milestones for the remainder of the Strategic Plan and will be published on the USMMA intranet.
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Additionally, the Academy will develop a comprehensive security plan that will be updated annually and that will include response-time targets and prioritize and address timelines for the execution of upgrades of security-focused infrastructure.
Key Performance Indicator
Enhancement of Security Infrastructure and Timely Response to Security Incidents.
Performance Measures
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- Establish a comprehensive security plan approved by Director, Facilities & Infrastructure Management not later than one year after approval of the Strategic Plan.
- Address 80 percent of all imminent safety and security deficiencies within the timeframes established in applicable DOT policy.
- Respond to 95 percent of reported security incidents within three to five minutes of notification to Public Safety.
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Goal 2: Modernization of the Academy’s facilities and infrastructure is critical to its ability to achieve its strategic goals. USMMA must engage in effective planning and timely execution in order to successfully advance its Capital Improvement Projects. An essential precursor to success is the effective prioritization of projects that will enhance the Academy’s mission-effectiveness and promote the recruitment and retention of the best and brightest midshipmen, faculty and staff – these projects must focus upon on campus buildings, grounds, utilities, vessels, and equipment as quickly as possible, and in full compliance with applicable standards and regulations.
To support this enterprise, USMMA is creating a Campus Facilities Master Plan to prioritize and delineate the path forward for the execution of Capital Improvement Projects. This plan will incorporate a capital investment plan with an aggressive but achievable timeline for the completion of projects. A principal aim is to properly prioritize and use funding to complete those projects that have a direct effect on campus buildings, grounds, utilities, vessels, and equipment as quickly as possible, and in full compliance with applicable standards and regulations.
Key Performance Indicator
Timely execution of USMMA Capital Improvement Projects based on priorities established in a Campus Facilities Master Plan addressing facilities and infrastructure needs.
Performance Measures
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- Complete a Campus Facilities Master Plan incorporating a Capital Investment Plan with realistic, achievable project completion dates not later than one year after the Strategic Plan is enacted.
- Obligate 70% percent of appropriated Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds within three years of Congressional enactment of the appropriations.
- Complete an average of 75 percent of Capital Improvement Projects within four years following contract award.
- Distribute Capital Improvement Program Annual Report to internal stakeholders via USMMA intranet within 30 days of submission to Congress.
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Goal 3: The Academy’s ability to successfully educate and graduate midshipmen and to thereby fulfill its national-security-focused mission is dependent upon the effective deployment of information-technology resources—including systems, networks, hardware, software, equipment, and support-services that facilitate USMMA’s ability to function as an academic institution, considering its unique operating environment (including Sea Year) as well as relevant security requirements.
During the period covered by this Strategic Plan, USMMA intends to substantially upgrade its infrastructure to support its unique academic and operational requirements, with the goal of deploying technology in all areas (including classroom education, research, sports/fitness, library, communications, etc.) that is on par with other Federal Service Academies and top-tier public and private four-year colleges and universities.
Performance Indicator
Assessment of Academy IT Environment and Associated Gaps and Deployment of Fit-for-Purpose Networks, Equipment, Technology, and IT Services to support the USMMA mission and Academy stakeholders, including midshipmen, faculty, and staff.
Performance Measures
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- Completion of Comprehensive Assessment of USMMA IT environment and a unified Academy IT Framework and Implementation Plan approved by the Superintendent—addressing networks, technology, hardware, software, equipment, support-services and recommended upgrades and strategies in each of these areas (including recommendations regarding 24/7 connectivity on a global basis, taking into account Sea Year operations)—within 12 months of issuance of this Strategic Plan.
- Deployment, within nine months of completion of the IT assessment, of technology and systems enabling 24/7 mobile connectivity for all USMMA midshipmen, faculty, and staff to Academy networks and systems and to one another, including during Sea Year sailings (as practicable in view of cybersecurity requirements).).
- Expand Help Desk Hours and Resources to ensure the ability to respond to and address 95 percent of Help-Desk service-requests within three hours.
- Increase the on-campus availability of replacement/“loaner” equipment to ensure that a user reporting broken or malfunctioning equipment (e.g., phone, tablet, laptop, webcam) can receive a replacement device within four hours of the issue being reported.
- Maintain availability/connectivity of 95-100 percent of Academy IT equipment, networks, and systems on an annual basis.
- Up-to-Date Technology: Ensure that Information Technology and Equipment in use at the Academy—including educational technology and classroom equipment is refreshed on a recurring basis—with at least 90 percent of the Academy’s stock of equipment and technology being refreshed within a 48-month or shorter lifecycle, as applicable.
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STRATEGIC PRIORITY: INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE
Promote the RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT, and RETENTION of a highly-qualified and diverse and qualified population of students, faculty, and staff that demonstrates and PROMOTES the Institution’s values, as well as CULTIVATES an institutional culture in which every Academy COMMUNITY member is respected, valued, and can fulfill their maximum potential as a leader of exemplary character.
Lead: Deputy Superintendent and Commandant
Supporting Staff: Culture Steering Committee Lead
Goal 1: Instill a sense of personal responsibility and build shared ownership across the Academy for contributing to the desired institutional culture where all members of the community are respected and valued and have an opportunity to contribute. In so doing, the Academy plans to evaluate the results of the Federal Employees Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), Service Academy Gender Relations (SAGR) Survey, National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and Campus Culture Committee Event Surveys; create a process for academy members to provide and evaluate feedback outside of surveys; and track participation in diversity-related education opportunities, SASH-related education opportunities, and midshipman participation in extra-curricular activities.
Key Performance Indicator
Expansion of – and diverse and inclusive participation of Academy stakeholders (e.g., faculty, staff, midshipmen) –– in cross-Academy committees, working groups, clubs, and associations focused on building connections, culture, and furthering the Academy’s institutional interests.
Performance Measures
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- Participation or involvement of 80 percent of faculty and staff in at least one Academy working group, committee, student club or athletic program, or the Employee Association.
- Extra-curricular tracking system established within eight months of the approval of this Plan; annual data provided to Institutional Effectiveness Steering Committee (IESC) within two years of Plan approval; benchmark study of best practices completed within six months of this Plan’s approval.
- Development of at least two new affinity groups, clubs, extracurricular activities, or programs promoting diversity and inclusion, annually.
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Goal 2: Implement and actively pursue Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) goals and plans, including by establishing the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and creating and maintaining an Academy-wide inclusivity plan with goals objectives, and needed staff; by evaluating the number of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints and number substantiated; evaluating retention and graduation rates (overall, minorities, and women); tracking participation in diversity-related education opportunities; creating surveys or other assessment tools to evaluate the office’s effectiveness; creating and executing of a comprehensive campus climate study and evaluation of its results; and tracking participation in professional development trainings pertaining to diversity and creating and evaluating post-training surveys.
Key Performance Indicator
Percentage of women and other under-represented students among those seeking admission to USMMA.
Performance Measure
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- Increased percentages from year-to-year of female and other under-represented applicants for admission.
- Increased capacity to advance an inclusive culture, including through the conduct of applicable studies and tracking relevant programming for faculty, staff, and midshipmen.
- Draft and implement an Academy-wide DEIB plan within one year and three months of the onboarding of the DEIB office-head.
- New DEIB staff member hired in the AY2024-2025 academic year; Equity Scorecard analysis complete by June 2025.
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Goal 3: Provide effective and progressive prevention training, a bystander intervention program, and a robust victim advocacy system to ensure the safety of midshipmen, building an Academy culture that supports victim-survivors and does not tolerate gender-based violence.
Key Performance Indicator
Improved confidentiality measures to protect the identities of reporting parties. Level of trust in the system of reporting, investigation, and adjudication of complaints.
Performance Measure
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- In concert with a long-term SAPRO strategic plan to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, maintain a high-level of trust in SAPR reporting/investigations processes, as reflected in the SAGR survey, among at least 90 percent of the student population surveyed.
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Goal 4: Establish a baseline USMMA branding platform with core and consistent messaging across all marketing and communication efforts. This will include a centralized USMMA branding platform; a refreshed website to reflect new branding guidelines and core messaging that effectively tells the USMMA story and informs visitors. The branding platform will also facilitate recruitment and retention of diverse, highly qualified faculty, staff, and midshipmen. Benchmarks and goals will be established for the branding platform by 2026. Every year thereafter a report detailing problems, solutions, and progress will be sent to the IESC.
Key Performance Indicator
Effectiveness and reach of the branding platform upon completion of the branding plan roll-out.
Performance Measures
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- Five percent or greater year-over-year increase in the number of members of target-audiences reached with newly-branded USMMA outreach products and messaging. Target audiences include high school guidance offices; Members of Congress and congressional staff; high-school students; industry members and unions; academic professionals; and others to be determined by the USMMA Office of External Affairs, Office of Admissions, Office of the Provost, and Offices of Shipboard Training and Career Services).
- Five percent or greater year-over-over-year increase in numbers of positive actions taken by members of target-audiences receiving re-branded USMMA materials or messaging. Positive actions may include numbers of congressional nominations, invitations for USMMA to participate in engagement events or other public forums, applications for admission, and/or other actions to be determined by the USMMA Office of External Affairs, Office of Admissions, Office of the Provost, and Offices of Shipboard Training and Career Services).
- Measure progress through tracking of admissions events/engagements, social-media engagement, quantity of incoming inquiries from relevant stakeholder groups, and other metrics to be developed.
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In addition to the above actions, the Academy plans to conduct a full review of its Communication Capacity, and from this review establish a comprehensive communications plan for both internal and external stakeholders. The plan will promote a clear and consistent message that effectively communicates the organization’s vision, mission, values, and objectives—and that enables proactive crisis-communications planning and response. The Plan will also focus on building trust and credibility with stakeholders through transparent, honest, and timely communication—and the expansion of avenues for USMMA to receive stakeholder feedback directly. USMMA will conduct focus groups annually and leverage other measurements to assess the levels of trust and credibility the organization holds with stakeholders, as well as the accessibility of communication to diverse groups.
Additionally, comprehensive e-mail lists will be compiled and maintained to effectively communicate with internal and external target audiences—media, policymakers, parents, and alumni. Standard Operating Procedures will be established to guide the timing of communication, responses to USMMA media inquiries and rapid response team/procedures to correct public misinformation about the institution; calendar developed for proactive communication, and the Academy will benchmark best communication practices for an institution of higher education within six months.
Furthermore, the Academy will create an assessment tool for yearly evaluation of the communication plan within six months of its completion. Every year thereafter for the duration of the Strategic Plan assess communication practices and provide a yearly report to the IESC.
The Academy will continue to work within its Regimental and varsity and club-level athletics programs to promote inclusion and cultural competencies and, in the case of the Athletics program, to contribute to the recruitment and retention of a diverse community of midshipmen. Standards will be developed to define success in these arenas and progress will be appropriately benchmarked.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, and ADMINISTRATION
Enhance shared GOVERNANCE, empowered LEADERSHIP, and an invested ADMINISTRATION to promote prolonged success as an institution of Higher Learning.
Lead: Superintendent
Supporting Staff: Governance Steering Committee Lead, Institutional Effectiveness Steering Committee
Goal 1: Determine whether USMMA’s governance structure is in line with those of peer institutions and benchmark best governance practices. Propose adjustments to relevant entities if deemed advisable. Additionally, continue to pursue a sustainable number and mixture of external oversight and advisory bodies, enabling valuable guidance from these external bodies and needed oversight and support from the Secretary of Transportation and Congress, while also fostering a level of onsite leadership-autonomy commensurate with the Academy’s institutional mission and authorities. Create an easily comprehensible and explainable image of governance structure
Key Performance Indicator
Governance structures aligned with best practices of successful, peer institutions of higher education operated by an Executive Branch of the Federal Government.
Performance Measures
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- Create a chart of all Academy internal and external governance committees and how they relate to one another by February 2025. Any modifications to committees and relationships should be updated as they occur. Publish on intranet.
- Complete a benchmark study of the governance structure and oversight practices of the other four federal service academies and the six state maritime academies by March 2025 and revise MAO-150 to align with relevant practices by June 2025.
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To support effective oversight and governance, the meetings and recommendations of the Academy Board of Visitors, METER-B, the Academy Advisory Board, and the USMMA Advisory Council will be recorded and the Academy’s progress in addressing these recommendations will be closely tracked and reported.
Goal 2: Strengthen faculty governance, including earlier-stage involvement in developing Human Resources strategies and formal involvement in major purchases affecting day-to-day workflow, generally aiming to trust faculty with shared governance when appropriate/applicable.
Key Performance Indicator
Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey regularly-convened Strategic Workforce Planning Meetings and meetings of supervisors and other officials responsible for the development and execution of budgets across the Academy; semiannual Human Resources Report to the Faculty Forum providing data on faculty hires; creation of a Faculty Forum Committee on Purchasing; semiannual fiscal report to the Faculty Forum providing data on purchasing.
Performance Measure
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- Survey of Faculty Hiring Managers (to be developed) reflects strong understanding (among more than 90 percent of respondents) of Academy hiring processes, thereby strengthening governance. Develop a Standard Operating Procedures document to clarify parameters for faculty involvement in hiring. Create survey and benchmark within one year of the approval of the Strategic Plan. To support this measure, a Standard Operating Procedure document focused on Faculty and Staff hiring will have been distributed to all personnel not later than one year after approval of this Strategic Plan.
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To further support the engagement of faculty members in decisions impacting their work environment and educational outcomes for midshipmen, a Faculty Forum Committee on Purchasing will be established by December 2024, and a semiannual fiscal report will be provided to the Faculty Forum.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Invigorate and advance our EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM while promoting student Success, experiential learning in the regiment and at sea, and professional expertise both ashore and afloat.
Lead: Provost and Commandant
Supporting Staff: Education Steering Committee Lead
Goal 1: Implement a Midshipman Educational Program that fulfills the mission of the Academy, establishes the foundation for life-long professional growth for graduates, provides education and training across the Academy’s Four Pillars (Education, Regiment, Sea Year, and Athletics & Waterfront), and creates global leaders who are experts in the maritime field.
Key Performance Indicator
Academic performance (e.g., GPAs, academic honors, deficiency rates, summer school attendance); success rates for midshipmen on academic alerts, retention, and graduation rates; evaluate USCG license pass rates and the assessment of Institutional and Program Learning Outcomes; strengthen the ethics and leadership training; use the Alumni survey to evaluate how many graduates upgraded their licenses, followed advanced degrees, and obtained a professional engineering license.
Performance Measures
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- Increase freshman retention rate by 5 percent by July 2026.
- Increase the 4-year graduation rate to 80 percent by 2026 and increase the 4-year graduation rate to 82 percent by 2030.
- Increase first-attempt passage rate on the USCG license exam to 80 percent by June 2026, with continued increases year-over-year from 2027-2030.
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Goal 2: Create a culture of continuous integrated assessment and assessment-driven improvement in educational effectiveness and midshipman development to demonstrate achievement of institutional learning goals across the educational programs.
Key Performance Indicator
Evaluation of survey results (e.g., Graduate, Alumni, National Survey of Student Engagement, Student Ratings of Instruction); assessment of course evaluations from midshipmen; review of course evaluations with instructors to suggest improvements for future courses; provide seminars on pedagogy for instructors to assist in honing their craft; use the Alumni survey to evaluate how many graduates upgraded their licenses, followed advanced degrees, and obtained a professional engineering license; Department heads annually note individual faculty members participation in assessment, as well as the department’s data driven discussions and changes based on assessment; assessment is key to a culture of teaching and learning and should be part of the teaching performance of each professor; Faculty members also add to their portfolio of teaching development annually through participation in Academy workshops and outside conferences.
Performance Measures
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- Track resolution of the Program Learning Outcomes Committee recommendations across assessment cycles to reach 100 percent by AY2028. Utilize data analytics and insight tools as applicable to assist in this effort.
- Set goals and metrics for the use of assessment data for improvement of teaching and learning within one year of the approval of the Strategic Plan and enfold into the reporting structure of educational assessment.
- Year-after-year improvement in average level of student satisfaction and student-perception of learning outcomes, based upon course evaluation results.
- Create tool for the assessment of actions taken by academic departments in the use of assessment data for teaching and learning within one year of the approval of the Strategic Plan.
- Set goals and metrics for faculty member participation in teaching and/or assessment workshops and conferences both in-house and external for the duration of the Strategic Plan within one year of its approval.
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Goal 3: Provide innovative programs that are continuously improving and aligned with emerging industry trends and technology.
Key Performance Indicator
Instructors teach courses consistent with their expertise; evaluate the KP Scholar program and the Alumni Survey (employment statistics); program reviews done every five years with benchmarks; industry feedback is assessed and implemented; academic program review timeline established; career placement success.
Performance Measures
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- Decrease the average classroom student to faculty ratio for freshman courses –– within three years of the approval of the Strategic Plan in order to improve first year retention rates.
- 100% placement of academy graduates in maritime industry and/or armed forces.
- Subject to availability of resources, increase numbers of USMMA faculty by 10 percent by 2027 and establish within two years of the approval of the Strategic Plan a faculty human capital plan within each Academic department to allow for sabbaticals, course releases for curriculum development, and the integration of industry initiatives in the curriculum.
- Within two years of approval of the Strategic Plan, each academic program has conducted a program review with goals and metrics established for the duration of the Plan. Academic program reviews with appropriate assessment tools conducted every five years after initial review.
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Goal 4: Devise and implement a road map for the development of our Midshipmen into leaders of exemplary character as they experience various levels of challenging leadership opportunities.
Key Performance Indicator
Improved long-term retention and critical-thinking capacity within the Sea Year, Athletic, Regimental and Honor training program.
Performance Measures
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- Benchmark the academic course learning outcomes that link to the Leadership Development Program Learning Outcomes within one year of the approval of the Strategic Plan. Set goals and metrics for meeting the benchmarks and achieving the learning outcomes over the course of the Plan with yearly updates to the Program Learning Outcomes Committee.
- Establish and benchmark the Leadership development Program Learning Outcomes ----- for each class year within one year of approval of this Strategic Plan (if not earlier).
- Establish workshops and professional development plan for the company and battalion officers (the employees) by July 2025
- At least 90 percent of USMMA faculty and staff (including company and battalion officers) undergo professional-development training on at least an annual basis, beginning no later than Academic Year 2028.
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Last updated: Wednesday, December 18, 2024