MMA has begun a slow, phased return of some employees to campus, with the goal to create the safest possible environment in which to work given the COVID-19 situation. We are implementing greater social distancing measures and cannot yet welcome visitors to campus. Admissions tours are canceled until further notice.
Maine Maritime Academy is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and working proactively to minimize any risk to our community.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions | Updated May 29, 2020
Dear Students,
As you know, the CARES Act passed by Congress and signed by the President on March 27, 2020 included $438,284 for Maine Maritime Academy to provide emergency financial aid grants to our students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus. I’m writing to report on how the funds were distributed.
Maine Maritime Academy determined that the first priority for funding would be for need-based requests, especially from those who are Pell-eligible. In addition, the Academy has a small group of seniors in the majors tied to an unlimited U.S. Coast Guard license who were required to return to campus in late May to complete course requirements as required under U.S. Coast Guard regulations. We reserved funds from the CARES Act allocation to reimburse these students for travel expenses. It was the Academy’s intent, once these funds were disbursed, to divide any remaining funds between all other eligible students who did not already receive a grant. However, need-based requests exceeded the total amount of funding provided by the CARES Act.
To ensure funds were provided to students quickly, a priority deadline for the first round of applications was set for May 20, 2020 (14 days from MMA’s initial announcement). Students were informed of the opportunity to apply via an email sent on May 5, 2020; social media posts on both the main Academy Facebook page and the Parent Association Facebook Page; and a posting on the Academy’s website under both the Financial Aid and COVID-19 Response pages.
The Emergency Relief Fund Committee, chaired by the Director of Financial Aid, reviewed each application and determined the allocation of grants based on the total amount of funds requested as well as the circumstances of each student. The Committee included the Dean of Student Services and the Student Accounts Manager. In addition to eligibility, priority for student emergency funds were based on:
Only students who are or could be eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), may receive emergency financial aid grants. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 the HEA. Students who had not filed a FAFSA but who were eligible to file a FAFSA also could receive emergency financial aid grants. As the committee did not have a way to assess need without the FAFSA, applicants for the need-based grants were encouraged to file a FAFSA to be considered. A total of 953 students enrolled in MMA at the time of the transition to remote learning in March of 2020 were eligible to request/receive an emergency financial aid grant. The maximum amount of grant funds allocated to an individual student was capped at $6,000. Awards ranged from $500 to $6,000.
By May 27, 2020, 185 applications were received. The Emergency Relief Fund Committee met and reviewed all of the applications. The committee prioritized the applications: first, applications from Pell recipients, then from those who had financial need but did not receive the federal Pell grant, and then all other applicants.
Each individual application was reviewed based on the student’s current financial aid situation, whether a refund was currently listed on their student account, and on the individual’s situation or extenuating circumstance as described in the application.
The committee analyzed each category the student was requesting funds for and their reason for why they needed it. The committee took loss of work study opportunities, loss of summer co-op earnings, having to travel back to campus to complete a final senior course, unexpected travel arrangements to return home on short notice and other factors into account in determining the final award amounts. A total of 176 requests for financial aid grants were approved. The award amounts did vary from the request in some cases. Nine requests were denied. Students were notified by email regarding the response to their application and checks were sent directly to students beginning May 21, 2020.
Please contact me if you have any questions regarding the CARES Act fund distribution.
Sincerely,
Kathy Heath
Director of Financial Aid
Maine Maritime Academy is creating an email distribution list for immediate family members of current students. This list will be used for communicating updates on the current response to COVID-19. We also encourage you to follow the MMA Parents Association Facebook Page for regular updates and communications.
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!
The most up-to-date and relevant health resources can be found on the CDC website. Please refer to their site when seeking COVID-19 information and revisit often for updates.
MMA community members are encouraged to follow these CDC guidelines regarding general hygiene and good health:
Watch for symptoms:
If you are sick, to keep from spreading respiratory illness to others, you should:
If you have traveled out of state recently or have been exposed to someone diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus and get sick with fever (100.4 F or higher) or cough, or have trouble breathing:
MMA Updates
The CDC includes information for U.S. travel and other information, including an FAQ on their website.
If you have read the FAQs and cannot find your question answered there, please use the following contact information for these offices. Please note that email is the preferred mode of communication at this time. Thank you!
Academics: Cindra Leeman, cindra.leeman@mma.edu, 207-326-2485
Admissions: admissions@mma.edu, 207-326-2207
Athletics: Steve Peed, stephen.peed@mma.edu, 207-326-2451
Business Office (including refund questions): Alice Herrick, alice.herrick@mma.edu, 207-326-2445
Cadet Shipping: Deb Harman, deborah.harman@mma.edu, 207-326-2650
Co-ops/Field Experience: Chuck Easley, chuck.easley@mma.edu, 207-326-2652
Financial Aid: Kathy Heath, financialaid@mma.edu, 207-326-2339
Residence Life (including room selection for next year): Janice Folk, janice.folk@mma.edu, 207-326-2280
Student concerns: Deidra Davis, deidra.davis@mma.edu, 207-326-2138
TSSOM Cruise – Regimental Office: commandantsdivision@mma.edu, 207-326-2250
All other questions: Casey Littlefield, casey.littlefield@mma.edu, 207-326-2620
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