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June 8, 2005

Semester at Sea Loses Academic Port

Semester at Sea may no longer have a campus port.

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The University of Pittsburgh has been the academic sponsor of the program for more than 20 years. So the students — only a small minority of whom are from Pitt — have received credit through the university. But Pitt has announced that because of its concerns about the program’s management, it is cutting off ties to the program.

Semester at Sea, meanwhile, is suing Pitt, charging that the university’s contract with the program requires a longer transition period for either party to sail away.

About 650 students each term participate in Semester at Sea, in which they travel to various locations around the world and complete academic assignments under the supervision of faculty members, and earn 12-15 credits. Several hundred others participate in a shorter summer session.

In a statement, Pittsburgh criticized the program for switching to a new entity to provide its ship, about a year ago. The statement noted that the program’s new ship “suffered significant damage” in the Pacific this spring. “The incident triggered questions, by knowledgeable third parties, both of the ship’s design and of the route chosen for the voyage,” the statement said.

The university went on to say that it was “NOT saying that upcoming voyages will be unsafe.” However, it said that Semester at Sea should provide potential participants with better information to “enable them to assess the involved risks.”

Paul H. Watson, a spokesman for Semester at Sea, said that the program expects Pitt to remain as the academic sponsor until a smooth transition can be arranged. But he said that the program could easily find other academic sponsors, and that participants will not be affected.

Watson said that the ship used by the program is in “full compliance” with U.S. and international safety standards and that there was “no reason” for anyone to worry about the safety of students on the ship.

Noting that program staffers and their families frequently travel with the students, Watson said, “safety is our first priority. We would never put our students or faculty in danger. That’s our first priority, unequivocally.”

— Scott Jaschik

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Comments

Semester at Sea

I served as Assistant Executive Dean on the Semester at Semester Spring 2003 voyage and I am greatly saddened by the present dispute between our program and the University of Pittsburgh. Semester at Sea is a fabulous — and for most students a life changing program — with real academic rigor. (For example, how better to learn about international business than to meet with chief executives of such firms as Hyundai— in Korea — to discuss current issues.) It’s faculty includes university professors from all over the world, plus experts on the various countries to be visited. Semester at Sea has given thousands of students a better perspective of global social and economic issues as well as a look at the realities in emerging, third-world, and Pacific-rim nations. Each student leaves with a better understanding of her or his own country.

To suggest that that the SAS itinerary should be changed for safety reasons is to ignore the fact that the routes of the voyage have remained unchanged for a number of years, without incident until last fall. Yes, there can be rough seas and, rarely (as last year), there’s a rogue wave to deal with. I can personally vouch for SAS’s overriding concern for the safety of students and staff. No shortcuts are taken.

I did not sail on the new ship and am not a marine engineer so I cannot comment on the seaworthyness of a vessel built less than 5 years ago for the dual purpose of cruising and trans-oceanic crossings. (The ship on which I sailed was built in the early 1950’s.) Let’s leave that up to the experts. But, no one should suggest that the SAS staff has not considered, as its first priority, the safety of propgram participants.

George M. ShurDeKalb, IL

George Shur, at 1:05 pm EDT on June 8, 2005

I say that it is about time that the University of Pittsburgh thinks about the safety of the students that they place in this program. The problems with SAS’s ship this past year, is not the first dangerous situation that they have placed these students in. In 1996 four students were placed on a bus traveling late at night on the most dangerous road in the world in India and were killed. How the University continued to be affiliated with a program that was not firstly concerned about safety is something that boggles my mind. I am not saying that study abroad programs are a bad idea, in fact there are many benefits to traveling. I am simply stating that Universities, travel abroad programs and Insurance companies should be more concerned with creating a safe environment for the students.

Lissy, Ship problems have not been SAS’ only problem, at 8:02 pm EDT on June 9, 2005

Institute for Shipboard Education/U of Pitt Split

I am a 35 year Alumna of ISE and I have seen this program through all those years perform with safety as it’s first concern.I have sailed many times on every vessel the program has used with the exception of the latest and newest ship and have never felt that my safety was at risk. Yes, I have been through storms of the magniture of the most recent one. Acts of nature are not under human control and this is something that Semester at Sea and ISE are better prepared to handle than any other program in the world.

This program has been the leader in the area of safety for all students choosing to study abroad as an education option and I actively recruit students to attend this program. I could not do that if I did not have full confidence in the leadership of the Institute for Shipboard Education and it’s position as one of the largest, oldest and most respected programs in international study abroad.

The Institute has moved twice before when academic affiliations were changed and the program became stronger and more vital each time as a unique and valuable global study abroad program.

I am sorry to see that the University of Pittsburgh has taken this abrupt move and the legal process will determine the final outcome. If the decision is made to move the program to another academic sponsor, the largest loser will be the many faculty and students in this region of the country who will not have the benefit of this outstanding academic opportunity.

Mary Thielemeir, at 11:25 am EDT on June 11, 2005

This appears to be what we like to call a “teachable moment.” I can’t imagine parents or students themselves expecting to spend an academic term sailing around the world, while being protected from nature and traffic by the omnipotent hand of the sponsoring university.

Faculty Traveler, at 4:40 am EDT on September 17, 2006

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