Dear Colleagues,
I hope you all received the email from Freeman, Philip, and the University Steering Committee about Mental Health Community Action Day, coming up on April 7th. This day represents a tremendous effort from all corners of the university to focus our collective attention on mental well being, to jump start conversations about where we need to go to better support and be supported, and I invite you all to participate as you’re able.
Please consider sharing this information with your students, and if you’re teaching on April 7th, it would be great if you could recognize this day however best suits your syllabus.
As part of the day’s programming, Orianne and I are hosting a drop in session for faculty only, so if you have thoughts or concerns around mental wellbeing, or just want to say hello in a low-key atmosphere, please join us virtually between 3:30-4:30.
Thanks so much,
Susan
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Connecting with Nature at UMBC
Locations: Library Pond and Administration Circle
Audience: Open to all, with a 20 person cap on each saunter
Register here for the Library Pond meet-up
Register here for the Administration Circle meet-up
11 a.m. – Noon Cultivating Resilience with Mindfulness with Jill Wardell
Location: Virtual
Audience: Open to all
More information and virtual event link here
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Restorative Practices at UMBC with Jeff Cullen
Location: Hybrid; Center for Well-Being, Room 118, and Online
Audience: Open to all
Register for the in-person event (18 person limit) or get the virtual event link here
12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. Mental Health Awareness Walk
Location: Breezeway
Audience: Open to all
More information here
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Group Fitness Pop-Up
Location: In front of the RAC
Audience: Open to all
More information here
2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Grief and Healing Circles
Three concurrent in-person sessions capped at 12 attendees each
Staff Circle Led by Jill Wardell
Location: 231 RAC
Register and get more information here
Student Circle Led by Beatriz Gutierrez Malagon
Location: Apartment Community Center MPR
Register and get more information here
Faculty Circle Led by Bambi Chapin
Location: 230 RAC
Register and get more information here
3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Behaviors of Concern: How and Who to Report To
Location: Virtual
Audience: Staff and Faculty
More information and virtual event link here
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Graduate Student Mental Health Panel and Listening Session
Location: Retriever Room, Undergraduate Admissions Office, Albin O. Kuhn Library, Pondside, Room 012
Audience: Graduate Students; attendance capped at 34
Register and get more information here
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Faculty Mental Well-Being with Susan and Orianne
Location: Virtual
Audience: Faculty
More information and virtual event link here
4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Student Government Association: Snacks and Mental Health Chats
Location: SGA Office, Commons 2B20
Audience: Undergraduate Students
Register and get more information here
6 p.m. – 7 p.m. Community Conversations
Location: Library Gallery
Audience: Students
Register and get more information here
Dear Colleagues,
Just a reminder that Dr. Carole McCann and I are hosting two Listening Sessions with Assistant Professors to discuss our proposal to reward and recognize DEI work in P&T. The dates and the Webex links are listed below:
Tuesday, February 22, from 3 – 4 p.m.
ID: 26210648116
Password: 6B2aTUBA4NS
Friday, February 25, from 1 – 2 p.m.
ID: 26207092308
Password: mM432D5RwUV
We ask that only junior faculty members attend these sessions. You can join through these links or I can add you to the calendar if you let me know your intention to participate. The “call to action” proposal that we have been circulating is attached.
Carole and I look forward to the conversation!
Orianne Smith (osmith@umbc.edu)
Faculty Senate President
Chair, Faculty Caregiving Advisory Committee
]]>Dear Colleagues,
Dr. Carole McCann and I are hosting two Listening Sessions with junior faculty to discuss our proposal to reward and recognize DEI work in P&T. The dates and the Webex links are listed below:
Tuesday, February 22, from 3 – 4 p.m.
ID: 26210648116
Password: 6B2aTUBA4NS
Friday, February 25, from 1 – 2 p.m.
ID: 26207092308
Password: mM432D5RwUV
We ask that only junior faculty members attend these sessions. You can join through these links or I can add you to the calendar if you let me know your intention to participate. The “call to action” proposal that we have been circulating is attached.
Carole and I look forward to the conversation!
Orianne Smith (osmith@umbc.edu)
Faculty Senate President
Chair, Faculty Caregiving Advisory Committee
]]>Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Faculty Caregiving Advisory Committee. We hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy in these exceptional times. While we are all eager to return to a vibrant campus community, we are also aware that the pandemic continues to impact the personal and professional lives of our faculty, staff and students. Below is a list of several resources that you may continue to find helpful during the spring semester. If you need additional help or have any questions about available resources we encourage you to reach out to your Chair or supervisor.
You may also contact me or any of the other members of the Faculty Caregiving Advisory Committee with any ideas for additional ways in which our committee can support you.
Orianne Smith (osmith@umbc.edu)
Chair, Faculty Caregiving Advisory Committee
Committee members:
Matt Fagan (Geography) mfagan@umbc.edu
Joanna Gadsby (Library) gadsby@umbc.edu
Lindsay Johnson (Music) lmjohnson@umbc.edu
Jennifer Mata-McMahon (Education) jmatamcm@umbc.edu
Phyllis Robinson (Biology) probinso@umbc.edu
Brandy Wallace (SAPH) bhwalla@umbc.edu
Caregiving and Wellness Resources
Caregiving and Family Support
Resources for Caregivers at UMBC
UMBC Cares Faculty & Staff Emergency Fund
Family Support for UMBC Faculty
Health and Wellness Support
Spring 2022 Wellness and Mental Health Awareness Events
Thursday, April 7: UMBC’s Mental Health Community Awareness Day
Save the Date!
Dear UMBC Community Members,
On behalf of the University Steering Committee, we are writing to ask you to save Thursday, April 7 on your calendar for a Community Mental Health Action day. The USC will be working with partners across campus to host events both in person and online over the course of the day to promote mental health and community well-being. For now, we are writing to ask three things:
1. Please help make this day happen! If you have an idea for a workshop, class, conversation, or event that you would like to take the lead on, please email Susan McDonough at mcdonoug@umbc.edu. Alternatively, if you’re already programming an event that we can help advertise, let us know.
2. Please consider building this day into your syllabi and plans for the work day, perhaps with an assignment or readings that reflect the theme through the lens of your field, or perhaps with a study day to allow folks to participate throughout the day.
3. Join us on Apr 7, 2022!
We look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks and hope that you’ll all participate in some way on this important day.
Sincerely,
Susan McDonough, Chair, University Steering Committee
Wendy Zhang, Vice-chair, University Steering Committee