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The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point.

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point. Credit: Howard Schnapp

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy violated a congressional directive by failing to properly protect complaints about sexual harassment and assaults, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general.

The watchdog report, released in December, found the Kings Point academy uses a spreadsheet system, which has limited security controls in place, to manage its Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program instead of a more secure information management system.

The inspector general found, for example, that a host of people not associated with the program, or who don't work for the academy, could have access to sensitive information, such as a sexual assault victim's claims, while USMMA officials concede they cannot verify if data has been altered in an unauthorized manner.

"The program’s spreadsheet system lacks the cybersecurity controls … to properly secure and protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the program’s sensitive data and information," the report states.

USMMA, which trains cadets to work on deep sea vessels and in the military, has been the subject of years of complaints of sexual abuse and harassment, Newsday previously reported. Those complaints twice prompted the suspension of its Sea Year program, which requires cadets to complete more than 300 days of work on commercial vessels in international waters.

The recent watchdog report indicates Merchant Marine Academy Superintendent Joanna Nunan acknowledged the spreadsheet doesn't meet the school's needs and the academy plans to purchase an information management system — although timing is dependent on congressional funding.

But in her response to the report, Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips, the federal transportation official who oversees USMMA, defended the current tracking process, arguing the spreadsheets used to track sexual assaults and harassment are formatted to avoid the inclusion of personally identifiable information.

"The Academy's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office diligently works to protect the personal privacy of all parties and ensures records are appropriately maintained in its current reporting system," Phillips wrote.

The U.S. Department of Defense's 2023 annual spending bill mandated USMMA adopt an information management system to track and store sexual assault or harassment claims involving cadets. The academy was required to record the number of incidents reported annually, details about the claims and whether the allegations were substantiated. 

But the inspector general found other mandated details, including the at-sea job title of the alleged perpetrator and copies of any investigative reports, weren't included in the spreadsheet.

"As a result, SAPR Program officials may not capture data needed for reference and use in the creation of new policy and regulation or changes to existing policy and regulation in the areas of sexual harassment or sexual assault," the report states.

The most recent suspension of the Sea Year program, lifted after a month in December 2021was prompted when then-cadet Hope Hicks reported, anonymously at the time, to a whistleblower website that an engineering supervisor 40 years her senior plied her with alcohol, waited until she was incapacitated and raped her on a commercial ship.

Hicks disclosed her identity after filing a lawsuit against shipping giant Maersk. She settled the suit in 2022, with terms of the agreement undisclosed, Newsday previously reported.

Hicks' disclosure prompted implementation of a federal program that dictates policies that vessel operators must implement before USMMA cadets come aboard to help prevent and respond to sexual misconduct on commercial vessels at sea.

In June, USMMA, one of the nation's five federal service academies — and the first to admit women — issued a report to Congress showing the academy received nine reports of sexual assault from female cadets and three from men during the 2022-23 academic year. There were six such reports in 2021-22; nine in 2020-21; and six in 2019-20, according to an earlier report.

Meanwhile, an anonymous cadet survey included in the June report to Congress indicates the percentage of midshipmen alleging sexual assaults may be higher than the reported allegations.

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy violated a congressional directive by failing to properly protect complaints about sexual harassment and assaults, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general.

The watchdog report, released in December, found the Kings Point academy uses a spreadsheet system, which has limited security controls in place, to manage its Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program instead of a more secure information management system.

The inspector general found, for example, that a host of people not associated with the program, or who don't work for the academy, could have access to sensitive information, such as a sexual assault victim's claims, while USMMA officials concede they cannot verify if data has been altered in an unauthorized manner.

"The program’s spreadsheet system lacks the cybersecurity controls … to properly secure and protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the program’s sensitive data and information," the report states.

USMMA, which trains cadets to work on deep sea vessels and in the military, has been the subject of years of complaints of sexual abuse and harassment, Newsday previously reported. Those complaints twice prompted the suspension of its Sea Year program, which requires cadets to complete more than 300 days of work on commercial vessels in international waters.

The recent watchdog report indicates Merchant Marine Academy Superintendent Joanna Nunan acknowledged the spreadsheet doesn't meet the school's needs and the academy plans to purchase an information management system — although timing is dependent on congressional funding.

But in her response to the report, Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips, the federal transportation official who oversees USMMA, defended the current tracking process, arguing the spreadsheets used to track sexual assaults and harassment are formatted to avoid the inclusion of personally identifiable information.

"The Academy's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office diligently works to protect the personal privacy of all parties and ensures records are appropriately maintained in its current reporting system," Phillips wrote.

The U.S. Department of Defense's 2023 annual spending bill mandated USMMA adopt an information management system to track and store sexual assault or harassment claims involving cadets. The academy was required to record the number of incidents reported annually, details about the claims and whether the allegations were substantiated. 

But the inspector general found other mandated details, including the at-sea job title of the alleged perpetrator and copies of any investigative reports, weren't included in the spreadsheet.

"As a result, SAPR Program officials may not capture data needed for reference and use in the creation of new policy and regulation or changes to existing policy and regulation in the areas of sexual harassment or sexual assault," the report states.

The most recent suspension of the Sea Year program, lifted after a month in December 2021was prompted when then-cadet Hope Hicks reported, anonymously at the time, to a whistleblower website that an engineering supervisor 40 years her senior plied her with alcohol, waited until she was incapacitated and raped her on a commercial ship.

Hicks disclosed her identity after filing a lawsuit against shipping giant Maersk. She settled the suit in 2022, with terms of the agreement undisclosed, Newsday previously reported.

Hicks' disclosure prompted implementation of a federal program that dictates policies that vessel operators must implement before USMMA cadets come aboard to help prevent and respond to sexual misconduct on commercial vessels at sea.

In June, USMMA, one of the nation's five federal service academies — and the first to admit women — issued a report to Congress showing the academy received nine reports of sexual assault from female cadets and three from men during the 2022-23 academic year. There were six such reports in 2021-22; nine in 2020-21; and six in 2019-20, according to an earlier report.

Meanwhile, an anonymous cadet survey included in the June report to Congress indicates the percentage of midshipmen alleging sexual assaults may be higher than the reported allegations.

FAA data analyzed by Newsday shows the number of bird strikes voluntarily reported by airports in New York City and Long Island has increased by 46% between 2009 and 2023. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.  Credit: Newsday/File Footage; Photo Credit: AP Photo/Steven Day, Bebeto Matthews; Getty Images

'A different situation at every airport' FAA data analyzed by Newsday shows the number of bird strikes voluntarily reported by airports in New York City and Long Island has increased by 46% between 2009 and 2023. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

FAA data analyzed by Newsday shows the number of bird strikes voluntarily reported by airports in New York City and Long Island has increased by 46% between 2009 and 2023. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.  Credit: Newsday/File Footage; Photo Credit: AP Photo/Steven Day, Bebeto Matthews; Getty Images

'A different situation at every airport' FAA data analyzed by Newsday shows the number of bird strikes voluntarily reported by airports in New York City and Long Island has increased by 46% between 2009 and 2023. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

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