| Education Update
October 2012 |
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Upcoming Events | |
November 13, 2012
4:30 - 7:45pm
Annual Showcase Maine
Holiday Inn By the Bay
Portland, Maine
November 13, 2012
10:00am - 3:00pm
Promising Practices Forum
Holiday Inn By the Bay
Portland, Maine |
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Adorable Alfond Babies Make Television Debut | |
Keep your eyes and ears open while watching television AFTER the elections. NextGen® is featuring television commercials that promote the several grants available to Maine residents, including the $500 Alfond Grant. These ads feature actual moms and babies who have taken advantage of the Harold Alfond College Challenge. Super cute! |
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Husson University and Thomas College Celebrate SALT During Campus Kick-Off Events! | |
On October 24th, Husson University and Thomas College celebrated their SALT launch by offering campus-wide kick off events. At these events, students had the opportunity to register their SALT account, learn about its features and meet financial aid staff. FAME and ASA were also on hand to provide guidance and training to students regarding the benefits of SALT. Both campuses teamed up with FAME and American Student Assistance (ASA) to offer this innovative financial education and debt management program.
Created by ASA, SALT has revolutionized how college students manage their money and how they repay their student loans. The program is being sponsored by FAME at seven pilot institutions, bringing a new, revolutionary interactive program to help empower students to take control of their finances and their futures. Pilot schools are Beal College, Husson University, New England School of Communications (NESCOM), Thomas College, University of Maine Augusta, University of Maine Presque Isle, and University of Southern Maine.
See television coverage of Husson University as the first Maine school to launch SALT. Contact Mary Dyer at FAME for more information. |
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Joint Meeting - Maine College Access Challenge Grant Promising Practices Forum and MaineCAN Planning Committee | |
On Tuesday, November 13, FAME's Promising Practices Forum for 2012-2013 Maine College Access Challenge Grant (MCACG) recipients will be held in conjunction with MaineCAN's Quarterly Planning Meeting. The joint meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland. Participants from both groups are encouraged to attend as shown below:
The day starts at 10:00 am with the MaineCAN Steering Committee members providing an overview of the purpose and goals of MaineCAN and an update on current projects. From 11:00 am to 1:30pm, current multiple-year MCACG recipients will share information about their projects and what they have learned to date. Lunch will be served at noon. The remainder of the day will consist of roundtable discussions among current MCACG recipients.
Here is an overview of the day:
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10:00 am - 11:00 am |
MaineCAN Planning Meeting (open to all) | |
11:00 am - 1:30 pm |
Joint MaineCAN Planning Meeting and Promising Practices Forum for MCACG Recipients (open to all) | |
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm |
Roundtable Discussions (all current MCACG Recipients) |
This unique opportunity brings together individuals making a difference in the important areas of college access, persistence, and completion efforts in Maine. If you are interested in joining us or have questions about the day, please contact Mila Tappan. |
| Legislative Update | |
A supplemental budget bill may be necessary in January of 2013 to keep Maine's budget in balance. Commissioner Sawin Millett of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services recently informed members of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee that revenues for the current fiscal year are approximately $27 million below projections for the quarter that ended September 30. The state's budget is required to be balanced, so legislation to account for lower than projected revenues is a strong possibility in January.
Bond Issues on the Ballot
For the first time in two years, Maine voters will be asked to approve several bond issues on the November 6 state ballot. Four borrowing proposals totaling approximately $76 million will appear just below the same-sex marriage question. Proposals for borrowing for highways, bridges and other transportation projects comprise most of the funds sought. The rest is for public higher education, clean water projects and land conservation.
The bond proposals will appear on the state ballot in the following order:
* $11.3 million for capital improvements for the University of Maine System, Maine Community College System, and Maine Maritime Academy. It includes money for an animal diagnostic laboratory and a plant diagnostic and insect identification laboratory in the University of Maine System, as well as an improved machine tool technology in the community colleges.
* $5 million to purchase land and conservation easements that will provide water access, outdoor recreation, wildlife and fish habitat, farmland and working waterfront preservation.
* $51.5 million for transportation projects. Most of the money is for improvements to Maine's highways and bridges, with the rest going to projects including shipping port upgrades at Searsport and Eastport, transit buses, airports and expansion and improvement of medical evacuation helicopter facilities.
* $7.9 million to restore money to the revolving loan funds for public drinking water systems and for wastewater treatment facilities. |
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| FAME's 2012 Showcase Maine | |
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Finance Authority of Maine
1-800-228-3734
The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) does not discriminate in the administration of any of its programs or in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, gender, religion, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation. FAME is an equal opportunity employer, provider and lender.
The Alfond Grant is awarded to a NextGen account. Review Terms and Conditions for grant requirements and details. NextGen® is a Section 529 plan administered by the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). Before you invest in NextGen, request a NextGen Program Description and Participation Agreement (Program Description) from your Maine bank or financial advisor, or call FAME at 1-800-228-3734, and read it carefully.The Program Description contains more complete information, including investment objectives, charges, expenses and risks of investing in NextGen, which you should carefully consider before investing. You also should consider whether your home state or your designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's 529 plan. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, a registered broker-dealer, member SIPC, is the program manager and underwriter of NextGen. |
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