UPDATE PROVIDED BY UMBC TRANSIT

Salaam, my name is Mastewal Hunde and I am commuter assistants at Off-Campus Student Services. 

I am currently a Mechanical Engineering major with a minor in Africana Studies. Besides being a CA, I also work as Desk Receptionist at Harbor Hall. I became part of the OCSS family as of January 2019, and have been loving my position since. I love getting to meet new people so please do not be afraid to contact me or came to the desk to have a chat. Thank you and I look forward to meeting you soon!

My name is Uche Anaeto, I’m majoring in biology. 

I commute from Gwynn Oak which is about 15 mins from campus. I’m really excited to be a part of the OCSS team to share my creative ideas on how to bring about interactions with students who live off-campus.

Hello, my name is Reina and I am a Commuter Assistant at Off-Campus Student Services. 

I am currently studying Financial Economics with a minor in Mathematics. When campus is open, I commute from Howard County. I am excited to be a CA and be a part of an amazing team. I joined OCSS because I want all commuters to get the resources they need and feel involved with the UMBC community. Being a commuter is great!

Hello! My name is Kayleigh Nelson and I am a Commuter Assistant for OCSS. I am a Senior studying Global Studies, and I also have minors in Public Health and Spanish. I live on-campus and I started working with OCSS in January of 2020. I'm a CA because I want to make sure that commuter students have the same opportunities and resources as students living on-campus. So if you have any questions or suggestions, please stop by!

This is a repost on behalf of the Office of Student Disability Services. 

Thanks to Stephanie Lazarus, UMBC's Accessibility Manager & ADA Coordinator, for this important message about the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility/posts/111379

The anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities reminds us, as a campus, to  celebrate all persons with visible and invisible disabilities, and remain committed to their equitable inclusion.

 Since its enactment on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, and its state-based equivalent statutory protections have provided protections for disability access and inclusion, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, in public accommodation, in public services, in transportation, and in telecommunications. Former President George H. W. Bush called the Act “a new birth of freedom” for Americans who identify as having a disability. This landmark civil rights law has changed society from benevolence towards disability to acceptance. While our campus, both by accessible design and accommodation, endeavors to provide equal access and inclusion for faculty, staff, students and visitors with disabilities, copious work remains, especially within external communities.

 Maryland protects people with disabilities both in Title 20, State Government Article, and in Sections 7-701 to 7-710, Human Services Title. While these laws provide protections, they must be enforced and awareness must continue to be raised to promote equitable access and acceptance of persons with disabilities - on campus, on the job, and in the classroom.

 Recently litigation in Baltimore City brought an assertion about a lack of curb ramps - raising awareness about federal accessibility requirements and  the ongoing need for diligence.  On campus, curb cuts are and accessible grading are described on UMBC's Accessible Route Map.  All construction and renovation on campus is designed to meet current accessibility requirements.  That being said, repair conditions and maintenance needs arise and should be reported to Facilities Maintenance via Work Control (410-455-2550, workorder@umbc.edu) or via a department's AIM request.  Accessibility concerns may be reported at any time via this linked online form. The replacement of elevators in the Sondheim and Fine Arts buildings in 2021 will be a boost to campus navigation, especially for people with disabilities.  UMBC's Web Accessibility page (link), including information for reporting difficulty about digital content accessibility is also shared via the footer of UMBC's websites.

 Additionally, all students with disabilities  - graduate, undergraduate, part-time, full-time -  may seek academic accommodation via Student Disability Services.  Similarly, employees  - faculty, staff, graduate assistants, student workers, work-study - may seek work-related accommodations via Accessibility and Disability Services.

Accessibility and Disability Services looks forward to working in partnership with UMBC's diverse and inclusive community to support equitable access to education,  and employment as we reflect on the growth of campus accessibility over the past 31 years. 

P.S. UMBC's support of accessibility pre-dates the ADA-read more about the designer Guy Chisholm who was honored for his 1965 accessible design elements at UMBC by Governor Mandel in 1982 via this link.

President Hrabowski (right) with Governor Hogan (center) and Anne Neuberger (left) at the July 2021 cyber summit. Photo by Maryland GovPics, Flickr CC by 2.0.

UMBC, State of Maryland launch Maryland Institute for Innovative Computing

Governor Larry Hogan yesterday announced the launch of the Maryland Institute for Innovative Computing (MIIC) at UMBC during a cybersecurity summit in Annapolis. 

The MIIC will address pressing challenges related to computing, analytics, and workforce in state agencies, with a focus on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science. UMBC faculty, students and staff will work with MIIC partners to provide expertise on the complex process of recovering from cyberattacks. They will also offer technical guidance to inform policy decisions for leveraging data safely, securely, and ethically.

The partnership will also include talent from higher education institutions within the University System of Maryland and across the state, and partners in the public and private sectors. 

“Maryland is showing the way by creating this innovative partnership that brings together experienced faculty and students who are eager to apply the knowledge they have acquired, with state agencies that need support facing pressing challenges,” says Anupam Joshi, director of UMBC’s Center for Cybersecurity, and professor and chair of computer science and electrical engineering. “UMBC is proud to lead the way in partnership with the state, staying true to our motto of inclusive excellence.”

As part of the MIIC, UMBC will utilize Computing Innovation Rapid Response Teams to develop real-time solutions to IT and data concerns in state agencies. These teams will include undergraduate and graduate students trained and deployed through internships and capstone courses. 

Another component of the collaboration, the MIIC Innovation Lab and Challenge Fund, will use an evidence-based approach to understand how government agencies can innovate in the computing space and can replicate successful approaches. 

The collaboration will also leverage the highly successful Maryland Technology Internship Program to develop a comprehensive computing and technology workforce development strategy. 

Cybersecurity summit

The summit drew participation from top federal, state, and private-sector cybersecurity leaders, includingAnne Neuberger, deputy assistant to President Biden and deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology. The event opened with remarks fromGovernor Hogan. Three panels followed, focusing on the national cybersecurity agenda, the state cybersecurity ecosystem, and the role of the private sector.

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski and Dean Keith J Bowman of UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technologymoderated panels. UMBC alumna Tina Williams-Koroma ‘02, computer science, president and CEO of TCecure, participated as a panelist. 

“There is no greater threat to the safety and security of Americans right now than the cyber vulnerabilities of the systems that support our daily lives, from our drinking water and our power supply, to our railroads and air traffic controls,” said Governor Hogan, in a statement ahead of the summit. “As the cyber capital of America, Maryland is proud to host this summit,” including “an open and productive discussion of our coordinated cybersecurity goals and initiatives as we work to protect the American people.”

Developing cyber talent

Bowman described UMBC’s role in cybersecurity workforce development within Maryland, nurturing talent and giving students opportunities to pursue related careers. He highlighted the Maryland Center for Computing Education, which is housed at UMBC and works to engage K-12 students in computing and support teacher development. 

“During my four years at UMBC, our College has benefited from support for both our academic programs and research from the Governor and state,” he said. “That support has enabled us to recruit, retain, and invest in outstanding faculty and staff that are developing Maryland’s next generation of engineering and computing professionals.” 

UMBC is a National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence for both education and research and one of the top producers of cyber talent for the National Security Agency. The university is also home to the Cyber Dawgs team, which won the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in 2017 and the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in 2021. 

Adapted from a UMBC News article written by Megan Hanks.

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