Star Fleet Academy

The Federation's primary academic and leadership center of higher education for its Star Fleet officer corps is based at San Francisco, Earth, with additional campuses and annexes located on additional member worlds and stations.

Founded in 2161 (the same year as the Federation), Star Fleet Academy bears the motto "Ex Astra, Scientia"—"From the stars, knowledge"—and its cadets wear a uniform similar to but distinctive from the current Starfleet design. A training program for enlisted personnel is also offered. The overall institution is overseen by a Star Fleet officer dubbed the "superintendent", generally an admiral, although the term "commandant" has been used in the past. It offers a full four-year curriculum of traditional higher learning as well as the cultural, scientific, personal development and strategic needs required for future Star Fleet officers. A newspaper, yearbook, sports teams (including wrestling, boxing, precision flying, track and field, and Pareses squares), and other extra-curricular activities typical of universities are all offered. Typically, cadets also undergo a field training assignment in their second year.

Admission is open to any Federation citizen, or non-citizens by sponsorship of a Star Fleet command-level officer; minimum entry age for Humans is 16. Admission tests are required for final consideration but may be taken remotely; a psych test is also required and may be administered at satellite centers or any Star Fleet base upon arrangement.

History

Star Fleet Academy was authorized by Article 52, paragraph 4, of the Articles of Federation, signed in 2161. As stated, the purpose of the academy was to train "officers and personnel for Star Fleet duty". An educational subcommittee of the Military Staff Committee to the Security Council was established early in 2162. Its responsibilities were to develop a curriculum and recommend suitable faculty and staff members. An interim program (located on the training grounds for United Earth Starfleet) was instituted to provide personnel for Star Fleet until the developing one became operational. Graduates of established universities and colleges were screened and sent to San Francisco to attend transitional training. This six-month "boot camp" developed the prospective officers in a manner that would allow them to function within the parameters of a para-military organization.

The subcommittee completed its work in 2165. The academic program would produce a graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Military Operations ready for starship or base duty in all respects. After careful review and minor changes, the plan was approved by the Security Council in 2166. Construction in support of the campus expansion began immediately and was completed in 2168; students were accepted the same year. The initial program—under the aegis of Logistics Command—remained relatively static until 2180, when Star Fleet's Research & Development Command issued its famous white paper: "The Future Fleet: A Blueprint for the 23rd Century".

The report laid out the goals of Star Fleet as an instrument of exploration, research, and defense. Although increased exploration and research were the central themes of the report, the specter of another interstellar war, like that of the Romulan conflict, was an ever-present influence. As additional planets joined the United Federation of Planets, increased security concerns also assumed greater importance. Among the goals included in the white paper was a greatly enlarged fleet by the year 2200. This would severely impact the academy's ability to supply sufficient graduates to man the new ships and bases envisioned. The Academy commandant began his own investigation of how the institution could respond to the projections. The final report, entitled "Educational Paradigms for the Future Fleet", was released in 2181 and submitted to the Security Council for approval.

The report addressed not only the impact of the white paper on Star Fleet Academy, but also laid out an expansion program to include advanced degrees at the Masters and Doctorate levels. The primary conclusion of the report was that the current campus in San Francisco possessed inadequate facilities to absorb the projected increase in the numbers of students. Two alternatives were offered: move the campus to another location to accommodate more students or build additional Academy campuses and annexes in other locations. Increasing the number of campuses was Star Fleet's preferred solution.

The ramifications of these alternatives were hotly debated in the Federation Council. Earth, as a founding member of the UFP, wielded great influence on both councils (Federation and Security) and pushed to retain (and enlarge) one campus on the planet. Several other planets, recognizing the advantages of having their own Academy campus, formed a caucus to lobby for the establishment of more than one location. The acrimonious debate lasted over a year, preventing the Defense Commissioner from taking any action.

In 2184, the Security Council decided to authorize additional campus and facilities off-world of Earth. Initially, four additional campuses, each with a four-year undergraduate capacity of 2,400 students, would be constructed over the next five years; the original campus would retain the office of the Star Fleet Academy Commandant and would be enlarged to support an equal number of cadets. Additionally, the "home" campus on Earth would also host the graduate colleges offering the advanced degrees called for in the commandant's report. The member worlds of Arbaza, Binderia, Ithen, and Monchezke were chosen for the new locations, with construction completed and the first class matriculating in 2187, 2188, 2188, and 2190 respectively.

Locations

• Star Fleet Academy, Earth
  • Annex Annapolis
  • Annex Marseilles
  • Annex Tempe
• Star Fleet Academy, Beta Aquilae II
• Star Fleet Academy, Arbaza
• Star Fleet Academy, Beta Ursae Minor II
• Star Fleet Academy, Binderia
• Star Fleet Academy, Psi Epsilon III
• Star Fleet Academy, Ithen
• Star Fleet Academy, Monchezke

Organization

See Also: Academic Schedule; Academic Catalog

Campus

When first constructed, every new campus for the Academy is geared to providing an undergraduate degree to up to 2,400 students across the four-year academy experience. When additional colleges are added (for the various Master & Doctorate degrees), they are added on to the existing undergraduate campus.

Undergraduate

• Administration Building: 20,000 sqft of administrative & leadership offices, security (and brig), and a few conference rooms.
• 4x Lecture Hall Buildings: Each is comprised of 10,050 sqft, has 5 125-student lecture halls with associated lobby and other infrastructure.
• 5x Class Buildings: Each is comprised of 11,655 sqft and 15 classrooms of varying sizes (but averaging 25 students) with associated lobby and other infrastructure.
• 3x Laboratory Buildings: Each is comprised of 14,216 sqft and 8 class labs of varying size (but averaging 25 students) with associated lobby and other infrastructure.
• Faculty Office Building: A 17,008 sqft facility with 100 150-sqft faculty offices, 4 conference rooms and associated lobby and other infrastructure.
• Training Simulation Building: a four-story (one underground), 16,000 sqft facility holding 8 differing spaces for the purpose of training environments.
• Library: a grand 3-story building spread over 15,000 sqft.
• Arts Center: a sweeping auditorium with a 1300-seat capacity, support infrastructure, 2 rehearsal studios, crafting and conference rooms, with associated lobby and other infrastructure within 60,260 sqft.
• Athletics Stadium: 150,000 sqft devoted to a 1700-seat competition gym, 3,750 sqft indoor pool, fitness center, dance studio, auxiliary gym, classroom, meeting room, locker rooms and offices, with associated lobby and other infrastructure.
• 7x 1st & 2nd Year Dormitory Buildings: Three floors (three wings each) with 12 5-person suites of 600 sqft each, holding 180 students.
• 8x 3rd & 4th Year Dormitory Buildings: Three floors (four wings each) with 28 2-person suites of 250 sqft each; holding 168 students.
• Infirmary: 3,000 sqft holding 10 overnight beds with 3 first aid trauma rooms.
• Student Union: 55,000 sqft of sustenance and entertainment facilities.
• Visitor Center: 3,000 sqft area processing visitors, with a security substation.
• 157x Senior Officer Family Homes: 4,400 sqft, with 4 bedrooms.
• 20x Junior Officer Family Duplexes: 7,000 sqft, with 3 bedrooms, for 2 families.
• 5x Enlisted Staff Family Apartment Buildings: 9 2-bedroom apartments over 3 floors, providing 3,000 sqft each.
• Visitors Quarters Building: Three floors (four wings each) with 28 suites of 250 sqft each.
• Physical Plant: 40,000 sqft providing backup battery power, water pumping and air conditioning, as well as other campus physical needs.
• Shuttleport: has 6 hangers for Academy or long-term shuttle support and four external shuttle pads.