This message originally appeared as an email from President Jeffrey D. Armstrong to students and employees on November 21, 2024. For more information, please visit https://www.calpoly.edu/maritime

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Dear campus community,

I am writing to provide you with an update on the CSU’s proposal to integrate Cal Poly and Cal Maritime. Today, the CSU Board of Trustees voted in favor of integrating our universities.

This is exciting news for both of our campus communities — a change that will provide the necessary financial and administrative support and enrollment and admissions expertise to stabilize and strengthen the critical Cal Maritime resource while augmenting Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing education and providing new and expanded opportunities to even more students.

The integration timeline includes two major milestones: First, effective July 1, 2025, the two universities will begin operating as a single institution: Cal Poly. I will continue to lead the university as president. The 92-acre Cal Poly, Solano Campus in Vallejo (the current site of Cal Maritime) will be overseen by a vice president and CEO, while a superintendent will oversee the Cal Poly Maritime Academy.

The second milestone is the beginning of the Fall 2026 semester, when full integration of academics will be completed. All degree options and services will be provided by Cal Poly, and all Cal Poly Maritime Academy and Cal Poly, Solano Campus students will be enrolled as Cal Poly students.    

The Solano campus will retain a maritime focus as part of Cal Poly, and degree programs associated with USCG licensure programs will continue to be offered. Furthermore, students at the Solano campus will benefit from Cal Poly’s strong reputation as a comprehensive polytechnic institution and gain access to a broad range of academic facilities and student services.

The joining of two universities is a complex endeavor, and the foundational work is underway, with contributions from both campus communities as well as the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

The effort is being supported by Baker Tilly, a consulting group with extensive national experience in this highly specialized area.

Seven teams of university and Chancellor’s Office employees and Baker Tilly representatives are discussing how the integration affects these critical areas of operation: academics; enrollment; student affairs; advancement, communications and external relations; financial, administrative and human resources; technology; and legal, regulatory and accreditation matters. Those discussions will lead to the creation of an implementation plan. Students, faculty, staff and collective bargaining will have opportunities to provide input and engage as the process moves forward.

For a press release with additional information about the integration from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, please visit: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/maritime-cal-poly-integration-vote.aspx.

We are undertaking this endeavor at a time of great change for Cal Poly, as the integration with Cal Maritime is intertwined with two other major changes: Cal Poly’s semester conversion (Q2S) and our plan to significantly expand Year-Round Operations (YRO).

Jessica Darin, Cal Poly’s vice president for strategic initiatives and advocacy, will lead the integration at both the strategic and implementation levels as the Chancellor’s project sponsor for the integration effort. In her role, she will work with both university president’s as the implementation of the integration moves forward. Jessica will evaluate, make, and escalate decisions to leadership as required.

In addition, Rachel Fernflores, our director of our semester conversion, will work with faculty at both campuses throughout the integration and planning of Year-Round Operations, to ensure that curricular considerations are thoughtful, informed and transparent. All three of those endeavors (Q2S, Integration and YRO) have a significant impact on our academic offerings.

Please join me in thanking Jessica and Rachel for their work on this project.

This is important work that will have impacts throughout our campus operations — and I am committed to keeping you all up to date as details become available. For additional information and to stay up to date on progress of the integration, please visit calpoly.edu/maritime.

I am proud to work with you all as this new chapter in Cal Poly’s history begins.

Go Mustangs!

Jeffrey D. Armstrong
President