Colleagues,
We are most grateful for your support! Our community is small, but mighty!
Should you be so inclined, it would be great if you contacted our
delegation about the impact of the loss of GEAR UP in Maine.
What we know at the moment is that the competition was questionable, at
best. Eleven state grants were supposed to be funded according to the RFP.
Only four were (WV, VA, PA and OH). Our scores put us well within the
funding range (we were #6). The GU legislation requires 33% of the awards
go to states, 33% to partnerships and 33% are at the discretion of the
Secretary. State awards represented less than 20% of the funding awarded.
It wasn't just the state competition that was amiss. There were close to
200 partnership applications and 52 of them had perfect scores! The
tie-breaker that was used is questionable at best (they ran the FRL figures
and, evidently, selected those with the highest rates). 27 partnership
grants were funded. Imagine a perfect score and no funding!
That's what we know at the moment and we are learning more (much
distressing) each day. Again, thank you for your support. If you have any
thoughts of what we might or should be pursuing, please reach out to me (
[log in to unmask] or 852-0992).
I have attached the project's abstract for your information.
With much respect and gratitude,
Debbie
Debbie Gilmer | President
Syntiro
11 South Road Readfield, ME 04355
Cell phone: (207) 852-0992
Office: (207) 685-3171
www.syntiro.org
[log in to unmask]
*"What we do matters. Really, deeply matters. But how we do it matters even
more." Dave Hingsburger*
On Thu, Oct 7, 2021 at 10:19 AM Mary Sinclair <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Your work is valuable and makes a difference, and you are some of the best
> people to work with. We will keep our fingers crossed for changes and help
> in any way we can!
>
>
> *Mary Sinclair*
> Student Services Coordinator, Upward Bound
> <http://www2.umf.maine.edu/upwardbound/>
> University of Maine at Farmington
> 252 Main Street, Farmington, ME 04938
> 207.778.7429 (w) 207.712.2930 (c)
> Toll Free: 1.888.237.1667
> pronouns: she/her
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 7, 2021 at 9:48 AM Rusty Brown <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Mary et al.,
>> So very sorry to hear this news, please let us know what we can do to
>> support your effort.
>> Sincerely,
>> Rusty
>>
>> Rusty R. Brown
>> Academic Coordinator
>> TRiO Upward Bound Programs
>> University of Maine
>> 301 Chadbourne Hall
>> Office:207-581-3714
>> Fax: 581-2710
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>> * Due to the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic, UMaine faculty and staff
>> may be working from remote locations. We will monitor phone messages daily
>> and respond to urgent inquiries as soon as possible. We recommend using
>> email to communicate with the college during this time."*
>>
>> "All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal
>> opportunity to develop our talent"
>> John F. Kennedy
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Oct 7, 2021 at 9:03 AM Mary Freeman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> *The University of Maine Farmington and Syntiro are extremely
>>>> disappointed to share that we have learned that our "GEAR UP Maine RISE"
>>>> application was not selected for funding. There appears to be a number of
>>>> inconsistencies from past competitions that we and other states have
>>>> questions about. We will continue to engage the US Department of Education
>>>> to better understand their review of our proposal and exhaust all avenues
>>>> of appeal. We will let you know if we need your assistance during this
>>>> process.*
>>>>
>>>> *We remain committed to the critically important GEAR UP mission and
>>>> will work to seek alternative strategies to address the overwhelming needs
>>>> in Maine's economically challenged rural areas. *
>>>>
>>>> *A no cost extension for the 2014-2021 GEAR UP program was previously
>>>> approved by US ED through 9/24/2022 and our work on the Supplemental Award
>>>> to study the Class of 2020 for five years will both continue. *
>>>>
>>>> *For more information please contact Laurie Gardner, UMF
>>>> ([log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>) or Debbie Gilmer, Syntiro
>>>> ([log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>).*
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Mary Freeman | GEAR UP Scholar Coach Manager
>>> 11 South Road Readfield, ME 04355
>>>
>>> p: 207.446.2340 <207.685.3171>
>>> www.syntiro.org
>>> www.gearupme.org
>>> *www.gearupmeportal.org <http://www.gearupmeportal.org/>*
>>> @gumainescholars
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>
|
