Dear Mariner Parent,

As we begin the third week of remote instruction at Maine Maritime Academy, I hope you and your family are safe and adjusting to the new circumstances brought about by COVID-19 and the need for social distancing. We certainly could not have imagined that this is how the spring semester would end when we welcomed students to campus this fall.

Mark Coté, our Interim Provost, has been in frequent communication with students. By now, your son or daughter should have a clear understanding of the path forward for their courses that moved to remote instruction, with revised schedules and dates for final exams. Because of the staggered start to remote learning, there will be a staggered end to each class, but all final grades will be in by May 8, 2020.

For a limited number of classes where labs or practical STCW assessments cannot be done remotely, students will have to return to campus to complete that work. Students will receive a grade of Incomplete for these courses this semester, which will remain on record until the follow-on session is completed.

If your student is struggling with their studies, they can reach out to their professors, their advisor, or the Buoy House staff to get the help they need. Help is also available outside of the classroom by contacting Dean Davis or Mr. Ferreira in the Counseling Office. We want all of our students to succeed, so please encourage your son or daughter to ask for help if they need it.

Many students have had questions about summer internships and cadet shipping assignments. We have developed a policy that Professor Coté shared via email last week. The key is for each student to work with Ms. Harman or Mr. Easley in the Career Services Office to coordinate anything they do with regard to internships and cadet shipping.

For the license-track students who will have in-class assessments or a training cruise that needs to be completed this summer, we plan to give students at least two weeks’ notice of when we can return to campus to complete in-person assessments and at least one month’s notice before the start of cruise. In either case, students will have the option to decline participation in this summer’s sessions and we will work with them to complete those requirements in the fall of 2020 or the summer of 2021. Though we do not yet know what the summer and fall will bring, we will plan for a transition from the current stay-at-home order for once restrictions are lifted, and will keep you informed as plans develop.

If you have questions, I encourage you to visit the dedicated COVID-19 Information and Updates page of our website for the latest news (follow the link from the top of the home page at mainemaritime.edu). There, you can also subscribe to our current parent email list to receive updates. In the meantime, please know that every MMA student’s education and safety are my top priorities.

Sincerely,

Dr. William J. Brennan
President

We’ll be posting updates regarding Maine Maritime Academy’s response to COVID-19 here and on the MMA Parents Association Facebook Page. If you would like to join an email distribution list for immediate family members of current students, please fill out the form below. Thank you!