Cal Maritime Academy in Vallejo may soon integrate with Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
VALLEJO – California State University officials are backing a move to integrate the California Maritime Academy with Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, as the institution in Vallejo faces financial challenges.
According to the university system, Cal Maritime students would become part of the Cal Poly student body at the start of the 2026-27 school year if the proposal is approved. The Vallejo campus, which is among seven maritime academies in the U.S. and the only one on the West Coast, would continue to offer its specialized degree programs.
"The recommended integration of Cal Maritime and Cal Poly is an innovative and vitally necessary strategy with benefits that will be felt throughout the CSU, the state of California and our nation," CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia said in a statement.
"It provides a long-term solution to Cal Maritime's untenable fiscal circumstances, preserves its licensure-granting academic programs so key to the maritime industry and our state's and nation's economy and security, and leverages academic and operational synergies between the two universities that will benefit California's diverse students, families and communities for generations," the chancellor went on to say.
According to university officials, enrollment in Cal Maritime has dropped 31% in less than a decade, from 1,100 students in 2016-17 to just over 750 in the 2023-24 school year. Along with fewer students, rising employment and operational costs have contributed to a fiscal crisis at the school, raising questions about its viability as a standalone institution.
"Cal Maritime has been part of Vallejo's rich history and a source of pride for eight decades," said Michael Dumont, the school's interim president. "An integration with Cal Poly is an amazing opportunity to honor that legacy by preserving one of the nation's premier maritime academies."
Cal Poly president Jeffrey Armstrong said, "I am optimistic and confident that we can leverage these and our other collective strengths to build upon and ensure our future success."
Founded in 1929 in Tiburon as the California Nautical School, the school adopted its current name in 1939 and moved to Vallejo in 1943. Cal Maritime became part of the CSU system in 1995.
The CSU Board of Trustees is expected to consider the plan at its November meeting. Information sessions will be held at board meetings in July and September.