---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51326"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51326"
heading: "Student advisory board at the United States Merchant Marine Academy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51326"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 513 — United States Merchant Marine Academy"
---

# §51326. Student advisory board at the United States Merchant Marine Academy

- (a) **In General.—** The Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) shall establish at the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) an advisory board to be known as the Advisory Board to the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation (referred to in this section as the “Advisory Board”).
- (b) **Membership.—** The Advisory Board shall be composed of not fewer than 12 midshipmen of the Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) who are enrolled at the Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) at the time of the appointment, including not fewer than 3 cadets from each class.
- (c) **Appointment; Term.—** Midshipmen shall serve on the Advisory Board pursuant to appointment by the Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2). Appointments shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of the swearing in of a new class of midshipmen at the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1). The term of membership of a midshipmen on the Advisory Board shall be 1 academic year.
- (d) **Reappointment.—** The Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) may reappoint not more than 6 cadets from the previous term to serve on the Advisory Board for an additional academic year if the Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) determines such reappointment to be in the best interests of the Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1).
- (e) **Meetings.—** The Advisory Board shall meet with the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation not less than once each academic year to discuss the activities of the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board shall meet in [person](/usc/46/53101.md?p=6) with the Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) not less than 2 times each academic year to discuss the activities of the Advisory Board.
- (f) **Duties.—** The Advisory Board shall—
  - (1) identify health and wellbeing, diversity, and [sexual assault](/usc/46/2101.md?p=47) and harassment challenges and other topics considered important by the Advisory Board facing midshipmen at the Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1), off campus, and while aboard ships during Sea Year or other training opportunities;
  - (2) discuss and propose possible solutions, including improvements to culture and leadership development at the Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1); and
  - (3) periodically review the efficacy of the program in [section 51325(b)](/usc/46/51325.md?p=b), as appropriate, and provide recommendations to the Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) for improvement.
- (g) **Working Groups.—** The Advisory Board may establish one or more working groups to assist the Advisory Board in carrying out its duties, including working groups composed in part of midshipmen at the Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) who are not current members of the Advisory Board.
- (h) **Reports and Briefings.—** The Advisory Board shall regularly provide the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation and the Maritime [Administrator](/usc/46/53701.md?p=2) reports and briefings on the results of its duties, including recommendations for actions to be taken in light of such results. Such reports and briefings may be provided in writing, in [person](/usc/46/53101.md?p=6), or both.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–263, div. C, title XXXV, § 3531(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3085.)