COVID-19 and Summer 2020
COVID-19 has defined and impacted the summer of 2020 in countless ways. Faculty and staff committees across the campus community have worked together with leadership and President Brennan to discuss, plan, and implement actions and policies to address COVID-19 and the multiple impacts on our education and training. All efforts are guided by an approach that includes our shared commitment to protect students, faculty, staff, and our community while carrying out MMA’s educational mission and a supportive and meaningful student experience for the fall.
Plans for traditional training cruises were canceled in May. Working with the U.S. Coast Guard and MARAD, however, graduating seniors in the unlimited license programs who had final sea-time hours to be accrued in order to complete their requirements for their licenses and degrees had two unique experiences to participate in this summer.
Graduating engineering students were given the opportunity to participate in a “Fast Cruise”—as in held fast to the pier—aboard the TSSOM in Castine. Learn more about the Fast Cruise and the COVID-19 testing partnership with The Jackson Laboratory and Puritan Medical that made it possible here. The TSSOM cruise blog includes a few interesting details of this experience.
Concurrently, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) began operating the TS Kennedy (Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s ship) for a transit from Mobile, Alabama to Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. They operated the transit as a limited training cruise to provide shipboard training opportunities to a total of 50 cadets enrolled at federal and state maritime academies. Maine Maritime Academy was able to have 13 students and one faculty member join their peers from across the country to earn sea time and complete credentialing competencies as required by the USCG while the vessel transited from Mobile to Buzzards Bay this month. Read the TS Kennedy cruise blog posts on this experience at the MMA website.
Meanwhile, Fall 2020 plans have been taking shape. We have the following news to share regarding health, safety, the fall academic calendar, fall courses, reporting dates and other information on the upcoming semester.
Maine Maritime Academy will reopen campus, holding in-person courses beginning August 31.
This will be a very different fall term and academic year. Faculty and staff are focusing on the best ways to deliver a successful academic experience while also prioritizing the health and safety of our community. Preparations continue as we get ready to resume on-campus classes.
Also, we are very interested to learn how alumni are being affected by the pandemic. Share your story and images for inclusion in Mariner magazine “Class Notes” by sending an email to alumni@mma.edu.
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