Another probe into misconduct at Kings Point

Aerial view of USMMA campus, Kings Point, NY

OCTOBER 12, 2016 — As the Logistics Management Institute (LMI) begins to perform an independent cultural assessment of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY, on behalf of the Department of Transportation, another consultancy, Self Solutions, is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of sexual misconduct at the Academy.

Self Solutions has been retained by the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment just created by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (see earlier story).

Self Solutions is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned small business that specializes in investigating behaviors and culture aboard ships and at academies, and has developed programs that have helped college and university officials predict and prevent sexual assault.

Its study will investigate:

• best practices that can immediately impact sexual misconduct prevention and response at USMMA
• better implementation of existing strategies to eliminate sexual misconduct at USMMA
• the effectiveness of the suspension of Sea Year core curricula as a means of eliminating sexual misconduct at USMMA
• increasing the transparency of the Academy’s efforts and rationale for implementing specific sexual misconduct policies

The Task Force is confident that Self Solutions’ findings will be crucial in implementing evidence-backed solutions to mitigate the Academy’s challenges related to sexual misconduct.

“We stand ready to support the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in developing a facts-based plan for eliminating sexual misconduct and ensuring that current and future midshipmen are effectively trained in a safe environment,” said Captain Eileen Roberson, USNR (Ret.). “Self Solutions is the right company for the job given their extensive experience analyzing behaviors on ships and academy campuses.”

Self Solutions will immediately begin the process of conducting its investigation and will release its report in its entirety upon completion