Students weigh in on sexual misconduct

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy students participated in focus groups in 2013 and 2015, responding to questions about the academy’s handling of sexual assault and sexual harassment, its culture and USMMA’s leaders. Participation by midshipmen, as students at the Kings Point school are known, was voluntary and all responses were anonymous.

Focus group responses were summarized in reports about the 2012-13 and 2014-15 school years. Data on the 2013 focus groups do not indicate exactly how many students participated, but said between nine and 12 students took part in each of six sessions. Forty-three students participated in the 2015 focus groups.

The Defense Manpower Data Center, a military contractor, conducted the focus groups at USMMA, the only federal service academy operated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Similar focus groups have been held at the other four service academies, all run by the U.S. Department of Defense. The reports on USMMA said the findings were illustrations of themes to be considered as the school reviewed its programming and could not be generalized to all midshipmen.

Read the full focus group reports | Read the Newsday/News 12 Long Island report