Brandon Wiggins
After years of fiscal challenges and declining admissions, Cal Maritime faced two options: integrate with another institution or be forced to shut down. The choice was fairly clear.
On November 21, 2024, the CSU’s plan to integrate with Cal Poly SLO was approved, and the two institutions would officially operate under the Cal Poly name as of July 1, 2025, marking the beginning of the integration process.
By merging with Cal Poly, Cal Maritime won’t be forced to disappear; it’s securing a future that keeps a part of Vallejo’s maritime history alive. Given that Cal Maritime is the only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast, it’s the only realistic option for many seeking a specialized education on this side of the country. Ensuring the ongoing operation of Cal Maritime should be, and is, a priority of the CSU.
For students of Solano Community College, Cal Maritime represents more than just a neighbor. It’s a potential transfer destination, a pathway into maritime-related careers, and a source of opportunity close to home. Programs in marine transportation, mechanical engineering, and oceanography equip students with vital skills to keep California’s maritime economy moving.
In Vallejo, the future of Cal Maritime Academy matters to locals who want to preserve a historic institution of the city. Vallejo doesn’t exactly fit the stereotypes of a little beach town or a bustling port. However, Vallejo’s maritime culture has been present throughout the city’s entire history.
Mare Island held the first naval shipyard on the West Coast, opening in 1854, three years after the city’s founding. With the looming threat of World War 2, Cal Maritime relocated from San Francisco to Vallejo in 1943. With the move, the creation of the new Maritime Academy in Vallejo would lead to the city becoming a nautical hub for California.
Even after the shipyards closed, Mare Island and Cal Maritime kept Vallejo’s maritime identity alive. Today, the city’s waterfront, ferry services, and naval legacy all serve as reminders of its lifelong connection to the water.
Vallejo has always been an ocean-oriented city. Preserving Cal Maritime ensures that a major piece of the city’s history will live on. More importantly, it ensures that opportunities will be kept afloat for future generations of Solano students.
The CSU’s decision shows a commitment to specialized higher education in California and its recognition that California’s economy depends not just on tech and agriculture, but maritime trade and transportation as well.
By following through with the integration, Vallejo and the CSU have invested in a source of local history and global opportunity.