Maritime faculty speak out again

The faculty at SUNY Maritime have taken a vote of no confidence in a top administrator — the second in a year — as the college prepares to welcome a new president.

The faculty voted no confidence in Kimberly Cline, vice president of administration, by a 43-24 tally. There were three abstentions. Cline was brought to Maritime about three years ago to address fiscal and budget issues on the Bronx campus.

“There is general dissatisfaction with her performance. She has kept the faculty in the blind on budget and other issues,” said Barbara Warkentine, vice president for academics at Maritime’s UUP chapter and the current presiding officer of the faculty’s governing body. Warkentine became presiding officer when her predecessor, UUPer Charles Munsch, was suspended and escorted off the campus the day before the vote on Cline was scheduled to be held.

Reached by The Voice, Munsch declined comment, citing upcoming hearings on his suspension.

According to the vote-of-no-confidence resolution, Cline has created a hostile working environment, lowered morale and made unsound financial and personnel decisions.

Last year, Maritime’s faculty voted no confidence in its president, Rear Adm. David Brown, saying he had failed to create an endowment, increase enrollment and promote harmony on campus. Not long after that vote, Brown announced his intention to retire.

Since then, Vice Adm. John Craine, recently retired as chief of naval education and training for the U.S. Navy, has been appointed Maritime’s interim president. He will serve until June 15, when Vice Adm. John Ryan will take over. Ryan is currently superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Warkentine, who was on the presidential search committee, expressed guarded optimism that the new president will ease tensions on the campus.

“I believe the man has the ability to see what’s going on here, to evaluate things and to put this ship back on the right course,” she said.

— Frank Maurizio