OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY Office of the President Koch Hall Norfolk, Virginia 23529 ‘Telephone: (757) 683-3159 AX: (157) 683-5679 May 15, 2019 ‘The Honorable Richard V. Spencer Secretary of the Navy 1000 Navy Pentagon Washington, DC 20350-1000 Admiral John M. Richardson Chief of Naval Operations 2000 Navy Pentagon ‘Washington, DC 20350-2000 Vice Admiral Robert P. Burke Deputy Chief of Naval Operations 701 South Courthouse Road Arlington, VA 22204 Dear Sirs: ‘As members of a university with a long history of engagement with and service to military personnel and their families, my colleagues and I read with great interest your memo dated February 5, 2019, addressing “Education for Seapower Decisions and Immediate Actions.” We have closely followed announcements of the National Defense Strategy (NDS), the Naval Sustainment Campaign, and the Naval University System to censure that our university is closely and agilely aligned with Navy transformation especially as regards learning as a warfighter enabler. Therefore, we propose that senior ‘Navy leadership consider partnering with Old Dominion University to locate a Naval University System — Naval Community College (NUS - NCC) Center of Excellence here in Hampton Roads ~ as part of Naval Education Enterprise planning -- to optimize our ‘unmatched maritime intellectual development resources for maritime individuals and organizations. As Secretary Spencer stated in his memo Education for Seapower Decisions and Immediate Actions, “... the intellectual development of our naval leaders in the most critical warfighting capability for our national security.” In this region’s naval support ecosystem, many of our academic institutions, businesses and local governments have anticipated the need for advanced technical competencies and capabilities through innovative, agile programs to accelerate improvements in shipbuilding and repair, with emphasis on workforce development to integrate high priority technology skills (e.2., artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, digital characterization and assessment) into maritime and naval training. (Old Dominion University isan equal opportunity, affirmative action institution,Locating a NUS - NCC Center of Excellence here in Hampton Roads, as a keystone in the NUS institutional complex, will repay the Navy’s investment with 21 Century advanced knowledge availabilities for sailors and officers alike, tailored to NDS priorities ‘that already drive maritime training here. A regional NUS Center of Excellence, built on existing Hampton Roads maritime program resources and proximate to an unmatched ‘Naval presence, would help “... align and orchestrate the academic efforts and resources of all naval education activities...” as the Education for Seapower memo’s purpose statement cites. With our proposed Center of Excellence co-located with the Navy’s largest operational complex, it would be well positioned for “... enabling the integration of naval technical and strategic education so keenly needed to compete and win in a new age,” as the memo states. Old Dominion University (ODU) will provide leadership to a consortium of institutions that will leverage curriculum and facilities, both existing and potential, in support of the proposed NUS - NCC Center of Excellence. For example, within Hampton Roads is the Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education, established nearly 50 years ago, reflecting the growing resource and program collaboration among thirteen institutions of higher education, cach committed to providing first class education and research with an international reach. In addition, the Joint Forces Staff College, an integral component of the National Defense University system, is located within Hampton Roads only minutes from the ODU main campus. These institutions have worked together serving the development of leadership among the services. There is potential to further leverage these existing relationships, facilities, and expertise in support of the emerging NUS - NCC concept. ‘The City of Norfolk is also home to NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (ACT). ACT is responsible for the planning and delivery of NATO education and training programs as well as Institutional Accreditation. ‘This close proximity provides ‘unparalleled opportunities for additional synergies that would evolve from a co-location of the NUS - NCC Center of Excellence in Hampton Roads. Addressing specific curricula, Tidewater Community College and Thomas Nelson ‘Community College offer Associate Degrees in a multitude of programs for those personnel who may not be seeking higher level degree attainment. In addition, ODU offers undergraduate and graduate curricula in critical need areas such as maritime trade and supply chain management, modeling and simulation, cybersecurity, computer science and engineering, and occupational and technical studies in industrial technology, among others, to provide more advanced strategic studies for Naval officers. Faculty members in our consortium also stand ready to quickly develop specialized curricula to meet the needs of Naval personnel at all levels. Furthermore, ODU currently houses specialized facilities such as VMASC (Virginia ‘Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center), a global research leader for computer ‘modeling, simulation, and visualization. Research at VMASC spans a variety of topics and includes adaptation to RSLR (Relative Sea Level Rise), warfighter readiness relative to facility and program investments, maritime critical infrastructure dependencies, shipyard scheduling, digital shipbuilding, quality of life and evacuation behaviors of Navy families, joint land use studies, and offshore wind energy‘There is also teaching and leaning space available at our university's Tri-Cities and Peninsula Centers that could be repurposed to support the effort. ‘There is land located next to ODU’s Virginia Beach Higher Education Center and owned by ODU available to be developed to meet the needs of the proposed NUS - NCC Center of Excellence. ‘We are assisted in this proposed endeavor by a broad range of stakeholders in the Hampton Roads region, some of whom have written letters in support for our proposal. We hope you are persuaded by these arguments to give your most serious consideration to locating a Naval University System — Naval Community College (NUS - NCC) Center of Excellence here in Hampton Roads. We look forward to an opportunity to visit with you soon in response to our proposal. Sincerely, Lhe LBpredivitt pa John R. Broderick, President cc: General Robert B. Neller ‘Commandant of the Marine Corps Headquarters, US Marine Corps 3000 Marine Corps, Pentagon. Washington, DC 20350-3000 Rear Admiral Kyle J. Cozad ‘Commander, Naval Education and Training Command 250 Dallas Street Pensacola, FL 32508-5220 Rear Admiral Charles W. Rock ‘Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic 1510 Gilbert St Norfolk, VA 23511 MCPON Russell Smith, Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy 2000 Navy Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20350-2000