In a move to rescue its smallest campus from financial turmoil, the California State University (CSU) system has approved a groundbreaking merger between Cal Maritime, the state’s smallest public university, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, one of its most selective and financially secure institutions. This merger, expected to take full effect by 2025, aims to preserve Cal Maritime’s legacy and enhance opportunities for both campuses.
(credit: Cal Maritime)
Cal Maritime, a Bay Area campus specializing in training students for maritime careers, has faced severe enrollment declines, dropping 31% since 2016/2017. With only 761 students enrolled last fall, the campus has struggled to cover operational costs, requiring an estimated $30 million annually in additional funding to sustain itself.
Cal Maritime is one of only seven maritime academies in the U.S. and the only one on the West Coast. Its programs are critical for training Merchant Marines, who play a vital role in global trade and national security. “Without the civilian mariners who operate these ships, the United States’ ability to project military power would suffer,” CSU officials noted.
The financial strain on Cal Maritime was exacerbated by maintenance issues, frozen hiring, and staff reductions, prompting the CSU system to consider closing the campus entirely. However, leaders saw the merger as an opportunity to preserve Cal Maritime’s unique programs while leveraging Cal Poly’s resources and stability.
Starting July 1, 2025, Cal Maritime will operate as a subsidiary of Cal Poly under a new name: Cal Poly Solano Campus for its land-based programs and Cal Poly Maritime Academy for its maritime training programs. By fall 2026, all students will officially enroll as Cal Poly students.
Cal Poly’s president, Jeffrey Armstrong, will oversee both campuses, while leaders from each will report to him. The merger also promises new financial resources for Cal Maritime, including $5 million annually for seven years to ease the transition and support financial aid. Officials project that Cal Poly’s larger infrastructure and financial support will help grow Cal Maritime’s enrollment, making its programs more sustainable in the long term.
The merger has sparked excitement about new opportunities for students at both campuses. Cal Maritime students will retain access to their specialized programs, including summer apprenticeships and semesters at sea on a federally funded $360 million training vessel arriving in 2026. Meanwhile, Cal Poly students could gain exposure to maritime studies and unique engineering pathways.
Industrial engineering student Trevor Knotts sees the merger as a chance to diversify Cal Poly’s offerings: “Cal Maritime offers niche career paths that could bring exciting new dimensions to our College of Engineering.”
Not everyone is entirely optimistic. Faculty unions have raised concerns about potential layoffs, increased workloads, and program quality during the transition. Professors are also navigating Cal Poly’s shift from a quarter system to a semester calendar by 2026, adding complexity to the merger.
Students, however, are largely focused on the potential benefits. Cal Maritime sophomore Gary Saunders sees the merger as a positive step toward ensuring the campus’s future. “You’re almost guaranteed a really high-paying job after college, and this merger doesn’t change that,” he said.
Cal Maritime’s traditions, including its uniformed cadet program, will remain, though adjustments are being made to accommodate non-cadet students. The merger also aims to improve diversity and inclusion efforts at Cal Maritime, with hopes of fostering a more welcoming campus environment.
“This merger is about more than saving money,” said Michael Dumont, Cal Maritime’s interim president. “It’s about preserving our mission and ensuring that maritime education thrives on the West Coast.”
The Cal Maritime-Cal Poly merger could serve as a model for addressing financial challenges across the CSU system. As trustee Jack McGrory noted, the merger showcases how smaller campuses can integrate with larger ones to share resources and reduce costs.
For now, the merger represents a lifeline for Cal Maritime, ensuring that its legacy of maritime excellence continues while opening new doors for students across the state. As Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis put it, “This is, without question, the most exciting thing that has happened in my six years on the board. This consolidation will elevate both campuses.”
For more information on Cal Maritime, please visit https://www.csum.edu/index.html.
