“First Vulcan to graduate at the head of her class”

[Shamrock Holmes]

The rationale I came up with for my Star Trek Timeline* is that Valeris was the first Vulcan to graduate at the top of her class at Starfleet Academy's command school, which fits well with her drive and ambition, IMO. I figure that most Vulcans wouldn't be too interested in command (as we saw with Spock on TOS).

*Valeris' mention is in the "2289-2299" section, towards the end of the timeline.

That makes a lot of sense.

One thought that I had is that the specific "top of the class" could be based on something of comprimise negociated between the four founding races that each race contributed a number of points to. For instance:

Vulcans insist that they demonstrate exceptional academics, including a good grasp of logic.
Andorians insist that they are physically fit and demonstrate (branch appropriate) grasp of military principles.
Tellarities insist that they are good debaters and don't accept something "must be true".
Humans (and Alpha Centaurans) value role-specific excellence and a sense of adventure.

Humans generally do better because a human can be all these things (though many aren't), whereas a Vulcan could easily satisfy the first and last categories, but might struggle to excel in the Andorian and Tellarite ones.

YMMV.

 

[Jarvisimo]

I always wondered why there was *one* Starfleet Academy - it seems incredibly miniature, the equivalent of a small university providing all the staff of a massive space organisation's state military-cum-exploration cadre-cum-police-cum-[insert descriptor here]. This in itself feels colonial in nature (like an Oxbridge campus providing all the officers and civil servants of the empire). Nevermind that it would be pedagogically and culturally limited. Why aren't there academies on every major world, why not multiple streams and entry points and so on?

I just find it such a failure of imagination (nevermind perpetuating both the America-centric and human-centric nature of Trek)!

 

[Tuskin38]

I always wondered why there was *one* Starfleet Academy

It had annexes on other planets
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Starfleet_Academy#Starfleet_Academy_training_bases_and_annexes

San Francisco had the main campus, but you could attend classes and graduate from those other annexes.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

This in itself feels colonial in nature (like an Oxbridge campus providing all the officers and civil servants of the empire).

While most civil servants, particularly high-ranked ones like Permenant Secretaries (roughly the equivalent of a US Departmental Chief of Staff) are university graduates, and a slight majority attended Oxbridge, it is extremely unlikely that even a plurality of those attended one particular college (not "campus" which is a different academic creature entirely) of the 70 or so. I think that it's even less likely a plurality of military officers attended a particular Oxbridge college as unlike in the US, a degree isn't even a requirement for a commission in Britain (the RN did waive the "time in service" requirement for commissioning as Sublieutenant for graduates for a while, but that's no longer the case). The only "universities" that would be common to most officers would be the service academies like Sandhurst (Army), Cranwell (RAF), Dartmouth (RN & RM), all of which more comparable to a beefed-up version of US OCS programs as they run for between 30 and 65 weeks (Reserve, Professional Qualified and Late Entry Officers attend more usual 2-8 week courses).

 

[Jarvisimo]

While most civil servants, particularly high-ranked ones like Permenant Secretaries (roughly the equivalent of a US Departmental Chief of Staff) are university graduates, and a slight majority attended Oxbridge, it is extremely unlikely that even a plurality of those attended one particular college (not "campus" which is a different academic creature entirely) of the 70 or so. I think that it's even less likely a plurality of military officers attended a particular Oxbridge college as unlike in the US, a degree isn't even a requirement for a commission in Britain (the RN did waive the "time in service" requirement for commissioning as Sublieutenant for graduates for a while, but that's no longer the case). The only "universities" that would be common to most officers would be the service academies like Sandhurst (Army), Cranwell (RAF), Dartmouth (RN & RM), all of which more comparable to a beefed-up version of US OCS programs as they run for between 30 and 65 weeks (Reserve, Professional Qualified and Late Entry Officers attend more usual 2-8 week courses).

I am British too (and work in HE), so I know a lot of this - but I was more meaning the role of elite schools and institutions during Imperial times, sending their graduates across the globe to perpetuate a "civil" code of being. There is something strangely colonial about the idea of one central university, even with - bare mentioned - annexes.

It had annexes on other planets
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Starfleet_Academy#Starfleet_Academy_training_bases_and_annexes

San Francisco had the main campus, but you could attend classes and graduate from those other annexes.

The only issue is the two sourced alternatives - Beta Ursae and Psi Epsilon - were only mentioned on okudagrams. While it was great the designers were thinking about this, it only occurred twice (in the same episode, see X and Y). It is a real shame the television writers never realised how limited their view of a sole San Francisco campus was.

The proof of this is the pudding of the article, which is all about getting to SF.

 

[Christopher]

There is something strangely colonial about the idea

Welcome to a science fiction franchise created in the 1960s.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

It is a real shame the television writers never realised how limited their view of a sole San Francisco campus was.

On that we can agree.

 

[Jarvisimo]

Welcome to a science fiction franchise created in the 1960s.

An entirely fair point, Christopher!

 

[JonnyQuest037]

That makes a lot of sense.

Thanks!

One thought that I had is that the specific "top of the class" could be based on something of comprimise negociated between the four founding races that each race contributed a number of points to. For instance:

Vulcans insist that they demonstrate exceptional academics, including a good grasp of logic.
Andorians insist that they are physically fit and demonstrate (branch appropriate) grasp of military principles.
Tellarities insist that they are good debaters and don't accept something "must be true".
Humans (and Alpha Centaurans) value role-specific excellence and a sense of adventure.

Humans generally do better because a human can be all these things (though many aren't), whereas a Vulcan could easily satisfy the first and last categories, but might struggle to excel in the Andorian and Tellarite ones.

That is a very interesting idea!

I always wondered why there was *one* Starfleet Academy - it seems incredibly miniature, the equivalent of a small university providing all the staff of a massive space organisation's state military-cum-exploration cadre-cum-police-cum-[insert descriptor here]. This in itself feels colonial in nature (like an Oxbridge campus providing all the officers and civil servants of the empire). Nevermind that it would be pedagogically and culturally limited. Why aren't there academies on every major world, why not multiple streams and entry points and so on?

Yeah, I agree. There should at the very least be an Academy branch at each of the four founding worlds.

Welcome to a science fiction franchise created in the 1960s.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

Thanks!

That is a very interesting idea!

Thanks.

It's mostly based on a combination of a particular speech by Soval in Enterprise, and the basic notion that apart from humans, most races are kinda "Planet of Hats", which means that it's easier for humans to be "all things to all people" than most.

 

[Yistaan]

There’s no evidence to suggest Spock was even the first Vulcan to join Starfleet.

And there's already canonical evidence that he isn't: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Terral

 

[Ronald Held]

How do we know Terral went to SFA and did not get a commission?

 

[Greg Cox]

Welcome to a science fiction franchise created in the 1960s.

And at a time when westerns were the most popular genre on TV . . . .

 

[Christopher]

And at a time when westerns were the most popular genre on TV . . . .

I think Jarvisimo (being British) was using "colonial" more in the sense of how the British Empire was organized, with a strong central state that's seen as the heart of civilization and everything else being treated as subordinate or remote. Earth and San Francisco are to the Federation what England and London were to the British Empire. I don't think there's really an analogy for that in the Old West -- there was just "the East" generally rather than any single centralized focus of political and cultural power.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

How do we know Terral went to SFA

Because there's no evidence to indicate he didn't.

 

[Yistaan]

How do we know Terral went to SFA and did not get a commission?

Fair enough, there's no indication Burnham went to the Academy either right? She somehow jumped from Vulcan Science Academy to Starfleet?

 

[Christopher]

Fair enough, there's no indication Burnham went to the Academy either right? She somehow jumped from Vulcan Science Academy to Starfleet?

Hmm, interesting. So if VSA credit counts as equivalent to Starfleet Academy training, that raises questions about why Spock felt he had to choose Starfleet instead of the VSA. Maybe it was more about making a break from his father's ambitions and influence.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Maybe it was more about making a break from his father's ambitions and influence.

Definitely.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

Spock felt he had to choose Starfleet instead of the VSA.

I thought that Spock chose Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Expeditionary Group, the issue of attending the VSA wasn't mentioned IIRC.

 

[Yistaan]

I thought that Spock chose Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Expeditionary Group, the issue of attending the VSA wasn't mentioned IIRC.

It's always said that Spock turned down attending the Vulcan Science Academy in favor of Starfleet Academy. The Vulcan Expeditionary Group wasn't even mentioned until Discovery, and it's said to be a post-Vulcan Science Academy career.

Journey to Babel:
Sarek: I gave Spock his first instruction in computers, Captain. He chose to devote his knowledge to Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Science Academy.

Star Trek 2009:
Minister: Logical but unnecessary. You're hereby accepted to the Vulcan Science Academy. It is truly remarkable, Spock, that you have achieved so much, despite your disadvantage. All rise!
Spock: If you would clarify, Minister. To what disadvantage are you referring?
Minister: Your Human mother.
Spock: Council, Ministers, I must decline.