News From Fort Schuyler

December 19, 1997 - Volume 1, No. 8

THAT'S NO MICKEY MOUSE JOB! Peter Scott James, '79, Master of the TS EMPIRE STATE VI, has resigned in order to accept appointment as Chief Mate aboard the Disney Cruise Lines ship DISNEY MAGIC. Scott leaves in January for two months of familiarization and training of a multinational crew in Italy, where the ship is under construction at Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali Italiani. The Bahamian-registered DISNEY MAGIC, 964', 85,000 tons, diesel-electric propulsion, 2,400 passengers, and 900 crew, will arrive at its Port Canaveral homeport in March and commence its maiden voyage on April 30, 1998. Its itinerary will be Port Canaveral - Nassau - Castaway Cay (formerly known as Gorda Cay, Bahamas). For those interested in trivia or who wonder about this marriage of Disney and ships, a New York Times article by Julia Iovine (1/16/97) pointed out that "... Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928 as a lowly sailor in a cartoon about an uppity rodent who accosts a riverboat captain." Bon voyages, Scott.

RESEARCH CENTER AT FORT SCHUYLER? According to the latest edition of The New York Mari-Times, published by the Office of College Relations, Senator Alphonse D'Amato (R-NY) is pursuing legislation to establish a center on campus to conduct research associated with maritime and maritime-related intermodal transportation. The director of our graduate program, Dr. Samuel Yahalom, estimates that establishing this proposed National Port and Maritime Research Center would require federal support of $1 million per year. Stay tuned.

SOME WENT ON TO OTHER ENDEAVORS - Attrition at Maritime has always been significant. Records dating back more than 100 years to the days of the New York Nautical School, show that 30% - 40% attrition was not unusual. People leave for many reasons - change of career goals, financial, health, academics, disciplinary action, family concerns, the regimental system - to name but a few. Some, like Geraldo Rivera, who recently signed a $30 million contract with NBC News, leave for fame and fortune in totally different fields. Others pursue non-maritime careers while retaining strong links to things nautical. One such person is the new president of the Board of Directors of the well-regarded Seafarers & International House in Manhattan, James H. McKinley. In the Fall 1997 issue of SIH News, Reverend McKinley, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Dumont, New Jersey, is quoted as follows: " I was born in the Bronx. My first college experience was at the State University Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, so I have background in the maritime industry."

If you have friends who attended Fort Schuyler but did not stay, and who might enjoy reading this newsletter, please forward it to them and cc me so that I can add them to the e-mail list for future issues of "News from Fort Schuyler."

LIBRARY HOURS CURTAILED DURING WINTER LEAVE PERIOD - The college will continue the practice of shutting down most offices during the winter break in order to save money on heat and salaries. The Luce Library Reading Room, therefore, will be closed from Sunday December 21 through Sunday January 4.

SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM ALL OF US HERE AT FORT SCHUYLER