FAQs-Continuing Students in Michigan

When does the next term begin?

Your next term is scheduled to begin on April 15, 2020. Due to the current stay at home orders in the state of Michigan, your next term will begin online and will be finished on campus when the stay at home orders are lifted.

For continuing students, you will be issued a grade for the course you are currently completing. If there are hands-on labs necessary for the completion of the course, you will be given an “incomplete” until such time as the labs are completed. On April 15th, you will begin your next course as scheduled by the Training department.

When will I be able to complete the hands-on portion of my current class?

Once the federal and/or state mandates for COVID-19 are lifted, you will begin following schedules developed by the Training department for the hands-on portion of any course completed online during the “Stay-at-Home” orders. Not every course will require additional hands on work. Some courses will be able to be completed in the online format. In coordination with our accreditor, state and regulatory agencies, and, in the case of the aviation programs, the FAA, every effort has been made to deliver online as much of the classroom (“theory”) work as possible.

Will the next term be online, as well?

In the state of Michigan, the current stay at home orders expire on April 30th. Because of the governor’s executive orders, the April 15th term will begin online, and any necessary hands-on work will be completed when we return to the campus after the stay at home orders are lifted.

If you have questions, individualized conversations will occur dependent on your program and the course you are taking, with your instructor or a training department administrative staff member. If you need immediate assistance, please reach out to Chris Pipesh cpipesh@miat.edu or Shuhdi Alrishood salrishood@miat.edu.

What are my options if I am unable to attend classes due to illness, caring for a family member, etc.?

MIAT has established policies and procedures to address a student’s inability to attend classes due to COVID-19 related illness or the need to care for family members. You should contact the Training department as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements to suspend your training if it is determined that is the best option for you and to develop a plan to return to school at the earliest possible date. FAQs-Continuing Students in Michigan April 13, 2020.

I am a veteran. Am I eligible for my housing benefits?

MIAT is working closely with the Veteran’s Administration to make certain our student veterans continue to receive all benefits to which they are entitled. The Veteran’s Administration’s guidelines as of today’s date are that any student who remains active during this time and attends at least 80% of their coursework (even if it is online) will continue to be eligible to receive their housing benefits. Please contact Cristy Ratliff at cratliff@miat.edu with any questions regarding VA and housing benefits.

How do I reach a staff or faculty member at the campus?

All staff and faculty are working remotely at this time and can be reached through e-mail or via phone. You may call the campus during business hours (8:00 am – 5:00 pm). Because staff/faculty are working remotely, however, please be patient if there is a delay in receiving a return call and/or e-mail. Our general e-mail box (contactus@miat.edu) is also being monitored and any e-mails sent will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member for response. Additionally, here are a few specific email addresses for further assistance:

• Financial Aid Questions: cantonFA@miat.edu
• Veteran Questions: Jeremi Redmond jredmond@miat.edu
• Bookkeeping Questions: Sandra Lupfer slupfer@miat.edu
• Technology Questions: Andy McKelvey amckelvey@miat.edu
• Canvas Questions: Joe Hutchison jhutchison@miat.edu
• Training Department Questions: Neal Perkins nperkins@miat.edu

What can I do if I am having trouble paying my school payment?

MIAT is aware that the disruption in work/home life caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may be causing financial difficulties. If you are experiencing hardship in making your scheduled payments to the school, please reach out to us. Active students may suspend their in-school payments for the next couple of months. If you are having difficulty making your in school payments, please contact Charlene Berry at cberry@miat.edu. Also, we are currently working on additional financial assistance programs for active students that will be rolled out within the next few days.