President's Log
Greetings to all alumni/ae from WHQ. It is an exciting and beautiful time here in Woods Hole, as we enjoy some weather more like summer than fall. We have two classes here on shore raising the energy level on campus while two other classes are doing well at sea, as they sail the ships south from Woods Hole and San Diego. As I write this, the Patriots are undefeated and the Red Sox have won the World Series so there are more than enough reasons to smile!
SEA’s enrollment picture is improving. We will enroll more students this year than last and last year brought more than the year before. Progress is steady and deep seated. The enrollment team has been led for the past year by PJ Petrone, Maryanne Richards, Dr. Gary Jaroslow and Capt. Virginia Land McGuire, and we are all now delighted to have Glen Thomas here as our new Dean of Enrollment. The counselors, many members of the faculty and other staff are on an unprecedented travel schedule this fall, visiting all of our 49 priority schools. The early returns from this travel and other improvements we have made are very encouraging and bode well for the future. We are not where we want to be, with full ships and waiting lists, but we are heading in the right direction.
Exciting developments continue in the academic arena. The two new courses are going well. The response to Oceans and Climate is such that we are offering it twice this year. SEA will also offer for the second year, SEA Expeditions, a 10-day adult trip onboard the Seamans in January, sailing in French Polynesia. The members of the faculty are as engaged as I have ever seen them and it is a very creative time here. We have just signed an agreement with BU to provide part of their reconfigured marine program. The custom programs we do with Stanford, Williams, WHOI/MIT, Harvard, Chicago and now BU offer testimony to quality of SEA Semester. They also are a chance for our faculty to share ideas and research in a wider academic community.
We are also undertaking a strategic planning process. We are looking 10 years down the road to assess how we can continue to meet the needs of changing student bodies in a rapidly changing world.
The financial picture continues to improve. Last year we performed a remarkable turnaround and were finally able very modestly to address some salary issues in recognition of the tremendous work and sacrifice put forth by our faculty and staff. Again, we aren't where we want to be but we are now headed there. Sustainable financial health is an essential goal and we are all dedicated to meeting it. Our annual appeal is getting ready to go out and we need everyone pulling on the line again this year.
Staying constant is our commitment to take students safely to sea. The Corwith Cramer and the Robert C. Seamans completed their fall yard periods with no unpleasant surprises, save for a lighting strike on the Corwith Cramer while she was hauled in Rockland (no significant harm done). I hope you follow their voyages on our web site and listen to the audio casts to get news straight from the ships.
We are working hard to increase involvement by you, our alumni/ae. We are setting up regional chapters around the country as a way to increase your enjoyment and the contact you have with each other and with SEA. We need you to stay connected to SEA in every way you can. Can you give to the annual appeal? Even a small gift means a lot. Can you steer a student our way? Can you organize an alumni event? There are so many ways you can help. And you know, we're not allowed to take passengers -- everyone is on the crew.
Fair winds,
John
