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MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY
PARENTS ASSOCIATION MEETING
MINUTES
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Karen White |
John A. Metaxas |
Guests:
Jay Austin, Chairman, Board
of Trustees
Paul F. Kelly,
Trustee
Admiral Richard
Gurnon, President
Captain Allen Hansen,
Vice President, Student Services
Captain Ed Rozak,
Commandant of Cadets
Gary Lowe, Dean of Advancement
Brian Taylor, Regimental
Commander
Get-Acquainted Social
Admiral Gurnon, Captain Hansen, Captain Rozak, Dean Gary Lowe and Trustees Jay Austin and Paul Kelly met with the parents prior to the meeting for a get-acquainted social and refreshments.
President Admiral Rick Gurnon was pleased to announce that there are over 1,000 cadets enrolled, the largest student body in the Academy’s history. There are 929 cadets and cadet candidates in dorms built for 880. The dorm expansion project, which will add 168 more beds, is under budget and ahead of schedule. They will be ready for use next August. The $14 million project is funded by the state dormitory authority.
At their June meeting, the Board of Trustees approved new athletic fields that will be ready in the Spring and give more opportunity for woman’s athletics and field rental. The library expansion project study is underway with a goal to have it approved and completed by 2010.
The Enterprise will travel to the Caribbean this year, with stops in ports in Barbados, St. Thomas and Miami at Super Bowl time.
Regimental Commander Brian Taylor from Bourne, a graduate of Bourne High School, brought the greetings of his Regimental staff.
Jay Austin, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, explained that there are 10 trustees, and an eleventh student trustee will be elected next Thursday. One of the trustees is an alum and the other nine are appointed by the Governor. The Board provides oversight to the Academy. Their role is to offer governance but not to govern, and to see that the school is well run, but they do not run it. Alum and parent Bill McClellan said that he is often asked what is going on between the Academy and the Trustees. Mr. Austin replied that there were recent Cape Cod Times articles that did not fairly represent the positive working relationship with open communication between the trustees and the administration.
Trustee Paul Kelly said that the trustees work through standing committees, and he is on three: Student Life, Athletics and Education. He is excited about the strategic vision that includes and increase in women’s sports offerings and the new Information Commons/Library, and said the IMB and Emergency Management majors are “phenomenal stuff.”
Captain Allen Hansen explained that the watch schedule has been revised in an attempt to minimize the impact on cadets’ class schedules and weekend activities and obligations. During holiday periods, from 0800 on the day prior to the holiday, through 0800 on the day after the holiday, there will be no mandatory student watches. The necessary ship business will be covered by students who will be paid to do watches. There will still be student watches during the holiday breaks, but no weekend maintenance. Cadets will sign up for their own blocks of required shipboard maintenance so they can sign up at a time that is convenient to them. He explained that weekend watch is four hours on, eight hors off, and that there is no prohibition against studying while on watch. Each company has about two weekend watches per semester.
October 21 is Family Day, including the Cadet Recognition ceremony when cadet candidates will be officially recognized as full members of the regiment. There will be a presentation on the upcoming Sea Term by Captain Bushy, presentations on career services, the wind turbine/alternative energy, lunch in the dining hall, and a nice dinner hosted by the Regimental Staff honoring the members of the 4th class. The cost is $25 per person, those under age 14 are free, and cadets are paid by their tuition and fees.
Captain Ed Rozak, Commandant of Cadets, said they can leave watch during class time if they have an exam. He speaks to the cadets and faculty at length to make sure everyone knows about the rules. This is all spelled out in Captain Bushy’s standing orders regarding watch. Each athletic team, the band and the honor guard all submit student rosters so when the watch schedule is made up, the cadets who participate in those activities will not be scheduled during practice or events.
Secretary’s Report The minutes of the May 19, 2006 MMAPA meeting were approved and accepted.
Treasurers’ Report Co-Treasurer Harry Wood reported that we have about $15,000 in our checking account. We owe $6,000 for tuition scholarships, $3,000 for sea term scholarships and another $3,000 for miscellaneous expenses. If each parent were to buy one $10 ticket, we would take in about $10,000. The prize is a cruise on May 7-12, 2007 with an ocean view cabin. Any parent who wants a group of tickets to sell should contact Harry and he will send them to you. Harry suggests we come up with an idea to raise another $1,000. Last year’s new item, the sun catchers, brought in between $800 and $1,000.
Admiral Gurnon said that when we say that we are offering scholarships for tuition or for sea term, it doesn’t convey the impact those scholarships have on their recipients. They are not just scholarships, but life-changing events for these cadets, especially the sea term scholarships.
Co-Treasurer Ann Prete spoke of the Health Services $225,000 grant ($75,000 each year for three years). The funds will support a counselor to assist in suicide prevention, fitting in well with the alcohol awareness, and bringing a full-time counselor to campus to provide services that are now contracted. The goal is to provide resources for prevention, treatment and education. Nurse Fredrickson wrote the grant, the first she ever wrote, and it is a feather in her cap that it was granted.
President Karen White thanked Ann Prete for assembling the parent information packets. The information goes hand-in-hand with what the cadets are doing with their alcohol awareness programs.
Admissions Liaison Report Admissions Liaison Jim Parker said there are opportunities for parents to represent MMA at national college fairs. There is a list of fairs and their locations, and interested parents should contact Fuji in admissions. Parent volunteers don’t need to know the full story of the Academy, just be able to tell your own story, help spread the word, and collect names.
Jim also asked for paperback books to be donated for Sea Term. The Enterprise has a library, but these used paperbacks are borrowed by the cadets to help pass the time and if they are not returned it is no big deal. They provide parents an opportunity to clear their shelves of books they don’t need any more, and it helps the kids have something to read at sea. Parents may bring donations to Recognition Day or to the December MMAPA meeting.
Gary Lowe, Dean of Advancement said that he works with the Academy and the MMA Foundation to improve the educational experience by raising money. Gifts to the Academy were up 31% last year, and the goal is to increase another 31% this year.
President Karen White said that we will again sell certificates and mugs, and that she will look into which certificate will be appropriate for this sea term. It may be The Order of the Spanish Main again.
Future Meetings The next MMAPA meeting will be on Sunday, December 3, 2006 at 4:00pm at Blinn Hall. There will be a Sea Term briefing at the December meeting and Captain Bushy will be invited to speak to us.
We will also have an MMAPA meeting on the night before The Enterprise returns from Sea Term, which will be Saturday February 24th.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ann Marie Stoica
Secretary
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