News From Fort Schuyler

August 9, 2002 - Volume 6, No. 25

DEPARTMENTAL CHANGES - The Fall 2002 Semester will see additional changes in academic leadership, continuing a process first initiated in June with the appointment of RICHARD BURKE as head of the Engineering Department (See NFFS - June 21.) The newly appointed chairman of the Science Department is Dr JOSEPH HOFFMAN, Class of 1975. He succeeds Dr. PAUL LEVY who will return to full-time teaching. Joe will continue his duties as Associate Provost and Dean of Freshman Programs. He writes "My main goals are to 'grow' the Marine Environmental Science program and to make the Science Department the 'premier' service department on campus, both inside and outside of the classroom." [Humanities Department faculty, take note !] Meanwhile, across campus, CAPT RICHARD SMITH, Class of 1981, Master of the Training Ship and Commandant of Cadets, has been appointed chairman of the Marine Transportation Department.

NEWEST ACQUISITION - Author Neil Steinberg has donated to the Luce Library two signed copies of his cruise memoir, 'Don't Give Up the Ship,' first noted in the July 14 NFFS. The book has enjoyed good reviews, with Adam Gopnik of the New Yorker calling it "funny, dark and uncompromising." In a recent e-mail from Mr. Steinberg he notes that: "Sadly, the first draft of the book had much more about Ft. Schuyler and the dynamics of school life than did the final draft (they kept wanting the book to be shorter) but I do think it presents a positive picture of the school and shipboard life."

TOM DARCY, Class of 1979, writes: "I live in Madison, WI and had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Steinberg at a recent book signing session. He is a big fan of the school and training ship. I hope the school follows up and tries to get him to come for a visit sometime. (Good idea. Neil visited Maritime in December 1998 for a Luce Library Lecture where he "...provided an appreciative cadet audience with some welcome humor before they trooped off to final exams."- NFFS December 11.) Time for a return visit.

STAN LLOYD, Class of January 1944, is one step ahead of Tom. He writes: "Already had the pleasure of reading 'Don't Give Up the Ship' and loved it although intercourse between father and son tough to handle. I was lucky to hear NPR interview of Neil Steinberg (excellent listening.) Where else could I read names like JERRY DOYLE, 'JUNGLE' JIM MALEY, all the DE SIMONES, and even actual dialogue from GEORGE RISER, our now fully appreciated MAA [not that much during 1942-1944 -(Jan.)] During our wonderful 18 months at NYSMA our cruising was limited to L.I. Sound although we were on 3 different ships if memory serves me and then we shared with Maine and Mass. But it did include the grounding of the AMERICAN PILOT during a stormy night off New Bedford when we almost 'abandoned ship.' The next day found us on the dock at New Bedford trying to sleep and keep warm buried in our seabags on a very freezing December day. Like the 'old salt' says: 'Those were winters !'" [Mr. Steinberg was interviewed about 'Don't Give Up the Ship' by Diana Nyad on the June 7 edition of the Savvy Traveler radio program. Go to this link to listen: http://www.savvytraveler.org/show/features/2002/20020607/interview1.shtml]

OUTSIDE INTERIM - An administrator from SUNY HQ in Albany, Dr. ROBERT A KRAUSHAAR, has been appointed Interim Provost and Vice President at Fort Schuyler. According to a memo circulated to the Maritime College community on 02 August, "Dr. Kraushaar assumes this position effective today, and will serve until a successor is appointed following a national search. Dr. Kraushaar is currently the Associate Provost at State University of New York, System Administration. He is the SUNY-wide campus liaison for engineering and technical education..." Dr. Kraushaar succeeds JEFFREY WEISS, Class of 1978, who is also Director of the our Graduate School of International Transportation and Management. Jeff served as Interim since January.

CROSSING TO THE OTHER SIDE - Several long-time members of the Maritime College community have recently signed on at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, right across the Long Island Sound from Fort Schuyler. ELMO BAUMGART, Class of 1976, is now Associate Professor at their Engineering Department, JOHN RYAN, Class of 1989, is Assistant Professor in the Marine Transportation Department. Dr. HOWARD L. ENGLISH, Jr, who served many years at Maritime as Registrar and was Vice President for Academic Affairs until 1999, is now Registrar at Kings Point.

FORTY-NINE AND COUNTING - Responding to the recent bittersweet posting about the Class of 1947 mini-reunion (NFFS Special, July 15), STUART H. FITZ, Class of 1953 writes: "...very appropriate. As we, the class of '53, approach our 50th reunion, HOSS MILLER, BOB FEY and I (the reunion committee) are noticing the changes in health and attitude of our surviving classmates brought about by the aging process. The three of us remain 'tight' and even 'tighter' as times goes on. Many thoughts and feelings usually go unsaid among us but they are felt and understood."

A graduate from a more recent class, PAUL AMRHEIN, Class of 1985, was also struck by ED LEDOGAR's posting: "...it definitely makes me think some changes are necessary. Thanks for not only the great advice, but also for being a catalyst."

KEEPING UP WITH JERRY - A recent email update from CAPT GERARD J. NOLAN, Class of 1956, finds him recently returned from a trip to England, Scotland and Ireland with his wife, Joan, to visit relatives and friends. Jerry, who served as Executive Officer and then skipper of the EMPIRE STATE during his 12 year stint at Fort Schuyler, writes that : "To my sorrow, peace remains a dream in Ireland. I am not sure when the treaty kicks in, but, due to the higher birthrate, Catholics may well have reached the point where they exceed the non-Catholic population. The flag of Israel can be seen alongside of the Union Jack just about everywhere. The tricolor of Ireland can be seen throughout the North. This was true in Belfast, Portadown, Derry, etc."

Upon his return to the States, Jerry took his grandson, Michael, to visit Civil War battlefields at Antietam and Gettysburg, with a side trip to Fort McHenry. "I want Michael to know something about the origins of his family and, above all, that freedom was bought at a price."

BE PREPARED - A recent e-mail from ERIC G. BENSON, Class of 1990, brought news of his firm's homeland defense capabilities to help "corporations assess their vulnerability and risks, prevent or deter attacks, plan for incidents, respond adequately to an event, & mitigate the short- and long-term consequences of an attack." For more on the General Physics Corporation's 'Business Solutions to Potential Terrorist Threats' go to http://www.genphysics.com/market/government/dom_prep.asp