MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION
MEETING MINUTES - December 2, 2009

The following people attended the December 2, 2009 MMAPA meeting:

Admiral Gurnon
Sonny and Debbie Eddleston
Bob and Carole Courcy
Ruth and Paul Govoni
Liz and Tim Olsen
Bob and Liz Knott
Pam Kuzia
Wes Lohr
Ellen Robery
Alice and John Welch
John and Kathy Clarkeson
Christine Gilbert
Donny and Sheleen Austin
Jane and Gary Rabesa
Captain Bushy
Captain Rozak
Andrew and Tricia Topoulus
Christine Mucceazone
Mona Afiendo
Cindy and Ken Snow
Kevin Owens
Andrea and James Killion
Julie Bonina
JoAnne Flemming
Laura Brady
Beth Sobiloff
Bonnie Mann
Karen Nahigian
Lori and Eric Guillette
Suzette and Kevin Kelleher
Mike Gunniffe
James Nigrelli
Bob Corso
Michael and Julie NcNally
Lynda Braley
Tracy Doyle
Marie Birchfield
Lynne Zusch
Cindy Webster

Admiral Gurnon, Captain Bushy and Captain Rozak spoke about sea term.

Bonnie Maine has been hired to go on sea term and administered the Follow The Voyage program.  This program is followed by approximately 1,000 middle school students.  Bonnie will be blogging daily about life at sea.

Admiral Gurnon will be speaking to students, faculty and staff about an upcoming budget increase.  The increase is due to be less than 10% and will not include layoffs or cuts to programs.  However there will be some cuts in spending.  Transfers from the “rainy day fund” may be necessary. 

There is a possibility that lab fees will increase.  There are different costs incurred for different majors.  Labs are approximately $500 per semester more expensive than a non lab class.  This increase would affect all classes except for the freshman class. 

January 4, 2010 is reporting day for all students for sea term.  Students must report on this date with all of their gear.  They have been given a list of required items for sea term.  This list will also be posted on the MMA website.  All students must have passports with them on January 4th. 

Captain Rozak described, to those in attendance at this meeting, what the along side week is like.  This week begins January 4th and ends when the ship leaves for sea term.  There will be lots of safety drills during this time period.  Captain Rozak also spoke of the “bank” on board the ship for the students and how emergency funds to students could be handled through the business office. 

Captain Bushy spoke about the first Sunday at sea being an acclamation day for all of the students.  He said that the infirmary was well stocked with anti seasick medicine if necessary.  Captain Bushy told the parents that their students would be in 1 of 4 divisions on the ship.  He said that all of the divisions would be cycling through sessions of training, watch, maintenance and academics.  The Sundays at sea would consist of cookouts and activities for the students.  Captain Bushy let the parents know that all cerfews would be strictly enforced in port.

The H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations will be required of all faculty and staff traveling on sea term.  As of this meeting, 4 seasonal flu vaccine clinics had been held. 

Students traveling on sea term can sign up for email before the cruise leaves.  Students must remember to de-activate their accounts once sea term has ended.

Addresses for each port will be furnished to all families whose cadets will be on sea term.  Letters for the cadets can be mailed to those addresses.  Packages cannot be mailed directly to the ship for safety reasons.  They must first be mailed to MMA, and MMA will forward the packages to the ship. 
Dress code in port will be appropriate and conservative.  The cadets should not dress in a way so to draw attention to them selves.  Port captains, in each port, will advise the Captain as to what areas of town the cadets should stay away from.  Some areas of town may be off limits to the cadets for safety reasons.    Captains Bushy and Rozak will speak to the cadets before they are allowed off the ship in each port to go over this information. 

On the ship, the infirmary will be open 3 times a day for sick call.  There will be a doctor, a nurse, third year emergency room doctor as well as emts on board the ship during sea term. 

Students will know ahead of time when their watches are on the ship.  This will allow them to sign up for excursions in each port if they choose.

Christine Esdale was introduced.  She is the director of Alumni Relations.  She helps with the scholarship committee and giving committee.  She told the parents that through Alumni Relations, 12 to 15 scholarships will be available to cadets at the school. 

The minutes from the September meeting were passed and accepted.  They can be viewed at www.mmapa.org

The treasured, Joanne Flemming was ill so Beth  reported on possible fundraising items.  $8,500 had been raised in ticket sales for the cruise raffle.  That figure is a little behind from last year by about $3,000.  Joanne is hoping to reach $10,000.  3 sea term scholarships will be given out by the monies raised from the cruise raffle.  Tickets for this raffle will be sold on the day the ship leaves.

There was a motion made to commit $10,000 to sea term scholarships.  The motion was carried unanimously.

T shirts will be sold on the day of  sea term departure for $15.  Sea term certificates can be ordered for $15 and stein orders will be $25.  The certificates and steins will be available for pick up on the day the ship returns.

The by law review committee would like to meet in January or February and be ready with changes and or revisions for the March MMAPA meeting. 

The parent handbook, put together by Bill Yalen, is currently being review by Captain Bushy and Captain Rozak. 

In place of a sea term dinner, the night before the ship returns, a brunch may be held on the day of arrival. 

The Admissions Liaison  Report for this MMAPA meeting is as follows:

Open Houses:

MMA hosted 3 Open Houses this fall, with the final Open House, which is the Athletic Open House, being held this coming Sunday December 6, 2009.  All were very successful with an average of 100 or more prospective students visiting at each event.  Volunteers are still needed for Sunday’s Open House.

The Academy was well represented at each of these Open Houses by many cadets, representing their particular major, club or organization.  It is very impressive to watch these cadets in action promoting their school to these interested students and their families. 

There will be an Open House on Sunday February 21, 2010, the day the training ship returns from Sea Term and another one on May 8th, 2010.  MMA will host its wonderful “Welcome Aboard Day” on Saturday April 3rd, 2009.  We will need parent volunteers for all of these events. 

Many thanks to all of you who helped with these Open Houses and also, a big thanks to all the parents who met up with MMA Admissions Officers at college fairs around the country.  Your support is instrumental to the success of these events. 

Information for the  host family program for freshman from out of state is available on the Plan Of The Day. 

There will be elections in May for new officers.  Information will be posted on line as to what the positions entail.

The website to watch the MMAPA meeting via webcam is www.media.maritime.edu/mmapa

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.