(a) The immediate supervision of the Academy shall be resident in the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall be appointed by the Board of Governors of the Academy who shall be assured that the appointee possesses the following qualifications: he or she shall be currently qualified to be the master on any vessel of any gross tons acquired for training purposes, and should be an educator with five or more years experience in marine engineering, merchant ships, fire fighting, crane operations, navigation, radar, life boats, and other nautical sciences. Additionally, he or she shall have earned a master's degree or higher, with qualifications to teach radar and navigation according to the Coast Guard license requirements for Master of ocean or near coastal steam or motor vessels of any gross tons.
(b) The Superintendent of the Academy shall not only have complete charge and management of the Academy, but, in cooperation with the Commissioner of Education, shall be charged with the direction of the education of all cadets in attendance, as well as the evaluation and improvement of the Academy staff and educational program. He shall be the chief appointing authority for all employees, subject to the approval of the Board of Governors, as may be deemed necessary to properly conduct and operate the Academy. In addition, he shall have such additional powers and duties as provided by the Board of Governors of the Academy.