John Ekelund

Interview Outline

• 00:00:48     Can you share a little bit about your career before you came to Cal Maritime?
• 00:01:39     Did you know Admiral Rizza before you started at Cal Maritime?
• 00:02:20     What were the circumstances that brought you to Cal Maritime?
• 00:03:26     What did you know about the academy at that point?
• 00:04:10     Who did you talk with to find out more about the institution?
• 00:05:40     What were your initial goals when you assumed the presidency?
• 00:07:02     Was the transition from steam to diesel done by the time you started?
• 00:08:05    What obstacles did you face in your efforts to get a replacement vessel?
• 00:10:58     What was the training cruise schedule when you were at Cal Maritime?     
• 00:12:31     With the new majors that were added, was everybody going on the training cruises?
• 00:13:32     What were the employment prospects for graduates at that time?
• 00:15:35     What was the relationship between the industry and the Academy at that time?
• 00:16:59     How was your relationship with the state legislature for funding support?
• 00:21:32     There was a lot of new construction on campus during your time there. Did you struggle to secure funding for these projects?
• 00:22:57     Did any construction work happen during the school year? If so, where did you house cadets during construction?
• 00:23:31     Can you talk about the process of adding the Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration degree programs in 1985 and 1986?
• 00:26:21     What were some initial challenges you faced in terms of accreditation for the new programs?
• 00:27:30     What challenges did you face in recruiting faculty who had both industry experience and an academic background?
• 00:30:16     What was your relationship with the Vallejo community?
• 00:32:48     The Academy was already admitting women before you started. How was the integration of women during your time?
• 00:35:43
  Do you remember the number of women who would typically be on the ship?
• 00:42:17     Can you talk about the King Neptune tradition during equator crossings?
• 00:43:39     The school changed the old equatorial crossing ritual to the Sinbad Games, which they have now. Was that change a result of any complaints during your time?
• 00:45:40     What was John Keever's role at Cal Maritime when you were President?     
• 00:49:21     What was your relationship with the California State University system?
• 00:51:01     Were there any discussions during your tenure of the idea of joining the CSU?
• 00:52:45     What opposition did you face from the state legislature in Sacramento?
• 00:54:29     During your time at Cal Maritime the age limit increased from 26 to 35. What was the background on that decision?
• 00:56:20     During your time, did Cal Maritime have compact agreements for students from other states?
• 00:57:33     Did Cal Maritime undertake any specialized recruitment efforts to get more women to attend?
• 01:01:49     What was the biggest challenge you faced during your time at Cal Maritime?
• 01:03:42     Were you trying to transition the Commandant staff to a new way of doing things?
• 01:08:34     What were your proudest accomplishments of your time at Cal Maritime?
• 01:09:07     What do you wish you had accomplished, but weren't able to?
• 01:11:08     How did you and your wife like living on campus?
• 01:12:42     What were the most enjoyable moments of your presidency?
• 01:13:54     Is there anything else you want to add to help people understand your time at the academy?