Dr. Shashi N. Kumar, Ph.D., Master Mariner ousted from Kings Point

Rumor is Dr Shashi Kumar Dean and Master Mariner is being outed from Kings Point.

Yes, they do not want anyone with a maritime background in leadership there.

appears to me that Kumar might be abandoning a sinking ship

[B]Update on Vacancies at USMMA[/B]

The Merchant Marine Academy may lose its highly respected Academic Dean, Dr. Shashi Kumar, who holds a Ph.D. in Maritime Economics, is a Master Mariner and a Fulbright Senior Specialist and has stepped up to serve as interim Superintendent three separate times. As a recognized maritime policy expert, he writes the “U.S. Merchant Marine and World Maritime Review” published annually in the Naval Institute Proceedings magazine. A recent article in the Charleston, South Carolina, Business Journal reported that Dean Kumar is one of three finalists for the position of Provost at The Citadel military college. He was selected from a field of over 130 qualified candidates.

The potential departure of Dean Kumar follows other high level departures from USMMA:

>Commandant John Kennedy will be leaving March 6, 2015 after beginning his job search at least a year ago.
>Athletic Director Susan Petersen-Lubow stepped down in March 2014 and only now is that position being filled.
>Waterfront Director Chris Gasiorek vacated his position in February 2014. His position remains unfilled.
>The Sexual Assault and Response Coordinator (SARC) left last spring and was not replaced for six months resulting in a deficiency in a recent Inspector General Audit.
>Four vacancies in Admissions include the Assistant Director of Admissions Michael DeRosa who left last summer, and the Diversity Recruiter position, vacated in July, 2014 as well as Admissions Officer Norm Johnsen who left in 2013. The class of 2019 will be the first plebe class in memory to have no foreign students because the Admissions Department is functioning at 50% staffing.
>Tactical Officer, Regimental Logistics Officer and Student Activities Director vacancies exist in the Commandant’s Division.
>External Affairs Director and assistant in Administration have been vacant since 2013.

There are currently seven vacancies in the academic departments, some of which have been vacant for six months or longer.

The departure of Dean Kumar would leave the Academy in an unusual position, as Kumar is the only mariner at the senior administrative level. Unlike the other Service Academies who have administrations comprised almost entirely of graduates who are experts in the mission of those Academies, USMMA has only Kumar. This means that the nation’s only federal Merchant Marine Academy, whose mission is to educate and develop the next generation of maritime professionals, will be fully under the leadership and guidance of non-mariners.

When advertised, Academy vacancies are posted on USMMA-AAF social media portals and can be found on USMMAAF.com. Qualified Kings Pointers are encouraged to apply.

what ultramaroons, what imbezzels, what nincompoops!

I have heard that Dr. Kumar might actually be forced out because he will not approve leadership classes for the Superintendent. The scuttlebutt is that the superintendent is offering leadership classes as new electives that he wants approved for college credit but Dr. Kumar won’t approve them because they don’t meet ciriculum standards.

I’m not sure how I missed this thread from back in August. I remember Shashi Kumar very well from when I had him as a professor up at MMA. He was a highly respected professional with a commanding intellect, polished deportment and kind disposition. He contrasted sharply with some of the other ego-maniacal “leaders” whom we have all witnessed at some time, or another… the type of men (or women) who think running their mouths 24x7 is an acceptable substitute for experience and genuine expertise.

It troubles me to think that some MarAd political hack or n’er-do-well thought USMMA could possibly do better without Shashi. Any college, be it The Citidel, or any other, would be lucky to get a man of his calibre.

Shashi is an absolutely brilliant and very capable guy.

I seem to recall a news article awhile ago about him becoming a senior administrator for maritime education at MARAD.

Shashi ought to be the Secretary of Transportation.

Late in responding sorry.

The superintendent Jim Helis has no desire for a dean. He wants to be dean himself and thinks he is the best qualified. He has done a wonderful job at being hostile to nearly all of the faculty at the forums and other meetings. He has almost no support on campus as people realize he is not a mariner or an educator. At his last town hall he yelled at the students and told everyone that he inhabited the world between the political and practical and they couldn’t understand. He arrogantly thinks he knows best.

He orchestrated Shashi’s departure and is quite happy with Dave Palmer as the acting dean. He hopes he can get all of his personal desires implemented before it becomes impossible to delay a dean any longer. Helis feels he is the best qualified at everything really.

The employees are so demoralized and he and his deputy are the source of the problem. They both need to go regardless of their huge egos and oversized sense of importance. Shashi knew maritime and these two don’t know that, management, or leadership. Helis had one responsibility and that was accreditation which he failed. He is blaming everyone but himself. They’ll leave him in place until his five years are up but there is no one who wants him or his deputy to stay.

[QUOTE=Denrs;187225]Late in responding sorry.

The superintendent Jim Helis has no desire for a dean. He wants to be dean himself and thinks he is the best qualified. He has done a wonderful job at being hostile to nearly all of the faculty at the forums and other meetings. He has almost no support on campus as people realize he is not a mariner or an educator. At his last town hall he yelled at the students and told everyone that he inhabited the world between the political and practical and they couldn’t understand. He arrogantly thinks he knows best.

He orchestrated Shashi’s departure and is quite happy with Dave Palmer as the acting dean. He hopes he can get all of his personal desires implemented before it becomes impossible to delay a dean any longer. Helis feels he is the best qualified at everything really.

The employees are so demoralized and he and his deputy are the source of the problem. They both need to go regardless of their huge egos and oversized sense of importance. Shashi knew maritime and these two don’t know that, management, or leadership. Helis had one responsibility and that was accreditation which he failed. He is blaming everyone but himself. They’ll leave him in place until his five years are up but there is no one who wants him or his deputy to stay.[/QUOTE]

What are Superintendent Helis’s plan or agenda? Are you able to give specific examples?