Faculty Caregivers Listening Sessions/Online Survey

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:22:52 -0500

Dear Colleagues,

The Caregiving Advisory Committee would like to invite you to a listening session or complete a brief survey to help us find ways to support faculty caregivers in the short-term and to recommend policies and procedures that strengthen a caregiving supportive community at UMBC. Specifically, we want to check in with you to see how you are doing and understand what you will need to be supported now and in the future.

Our committee is aware of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on working parents of young children and faculty who are caring for their elderly parents. We know that many of us are doing both. As members of our committee know firsthand, and as recent research has indicated, COVID-19 related disruptions are particularly hard on women and under-represented minorities.

This spring we would like to gather narrative data regarding the scope of the challenges that faculty caregivers are experiencing to help inform the goals and work of our committee. Please consider participating in one of our online listening sessions below to share your experiences and offer suggestions. These listening sessions are scheduled for:

Tuesday, March 23rd from 1-2pm
Facilitators: Matt Fagan (GES), Erin Lavik (COEIT/CBEE), and Brandy Wallace (SAPH)

Wednesday, March 24th from 12-1pm
Facilitators: Joanna Gadsby (Library), Lindsay Johnson (Music), and Orianne Smith (English)

Monday, March 29th from 11am-12pm
Facilitators: Jennifer Mata-McMahon (Education), Jess Myers (Women’s Center), and Phyllis Robinson (Biology)

RSVP is required to access the listening session link. Please sign-up for your preferred listening time via this google form.

We acknowledge that the very people we want to hear from most may have difficulties in attending the listening sessions. Others may wish to share their concerns in more private ways. With that in mind, we also created a feedback survey to share your experiences and concerns.

Thank you for your invested interest in sharing your experiences and concerns with the Caregiver Advisory Committee.

If you have questions, contact Orianne Smith (osmith@umbc.edu) or Jess Myers (jessm@umbc.edu).