Happy first day of class! If you have registered for on-campus COVID-19 testing this week, please see below for instructions on installing the MG Scanner app. Please note: It is imperative that you install this app before leaving your home. 

Please look for an important email from MG Scanner Mobile (MG Scanner) and open it for instructions on how to download the new app (MarylandGenomics SampleScanner) required for COVID testing this semester.

This email will contain a unique activation QR code that
must NOT BE SHARED with anyone else!

This is a sample of the email you will receive.

Please sign your online Consent Form first, 

-then-

Click this link for more detailed instructions and install the app

https://wiki.umbc.edu/x/3QOqBg

A few other important details to remember about on-campus testing: 

• This will be a non-observed, self-administered test with a nasal swab.

• When you arrive on campus, proceed to the Commons Garage.

• A volunteer will provide you a testing kit at the entrance.

• Park in any available spot and perform the test. If you are unable to use the app, please turn on your hazard lights and someone will assist you.

• After your test is completed, exit the garage and deposit your vial into the collection bin at the exit.

• Your testing results will be posted to your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile. It generally takes 72 hours to receive your results.

Key Points

• Faculty, staff, and commuting students who wish to test on campus January 26 - 29 can now schedule their test.

• We are working to categorize everyone who is approved to be on campus so that you can receive specific instructions about your testing schedule for the rest of the semester.

• Continue to check your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile.

Dear UMBC Community,

Updates for Spring Entry Testing

If you are expected to be on campus before March 1, you need to complete testing and submit a negative test result at the start of the semester. Faculty and staff who participated in testing from January 2 ﹘ 9 are not required to participate in this pre-semester testing period. Residential students will receive testing instructions separately from Residential Life.

Faculty, staff, and commuting students can now schedule an on-campus testing appointment. Please make every effort to sign up as soon as possible. You may also test off campus; options are detailed here. 

All community members who are currently approved to be on campus will receive an email from MarylandGenomics (MG Scanner Mobile) with instructions on downloading an app and a QR Code unique to you. You will need this information to test throughout the semester.  

Ongoing Testing Throughout the Semester

Based on your campus access status, we will be assigning everyone approved to be on campus to different categories and different testing schedules. You will see your designation in your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile by Friday, January 29. 

Groups and testing schedules include:

Group A ﹘ Residential studentsliving on campus will test twice a week throughout the entire semester except during spring break.

Group B ﹘ Pre-approved faculty, staff, and commuting students who come to campus two or more times a week and have shared work spaces and/or close interactions. This group will test twice a week throughout the entire semester.

Group C ﹘ Student athletes and coaches follow a unique testing schedule approved by the NCAA and the university. It includes regular testing at least twice a week.

Group D ﹘ Pre-approved faculty, staff, and commuting students who come to campus on average once a week OR come to campus less regularly but have a high risk situation that includes shared work space or interaction with others on campus. This group will be tested less frequently with the goal of accessing rapid antigen testing when feasible. More details will be provided directly to this group as the situation evolves.

Group E ﹘ Faculty, staff, commuting students, or other visitorswho come to campus for a one-time visit OR who visit once a week or less and do not have shared work space or interaction with others. If not already approved to be on campus, anyone in this category must first obtain approval from their supervisor and the Chief of Police to visit campus. We will share additional information on this process and testing guidance soon. In general, testing will not be required unless there will be exposure to others for more than 15 minutes.

After your COVID Compliance Card is updated with a group designation, if you believe that you have been assigned to an incorrect group, please speak with your supervisor. You can also contact covid19@umbc.edu.

Additional Compliance Requirements

Please remember that all community members who are approved to be on campus must complete the online symptom tracker every day, seven-days-a-week, starting 14 days before arrival. Please be sure to review all the campus access requirements. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping our community safe and healthy. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at covid19@umbc.edu.

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs

In this first of a series of updates, we’ll give a brief description of what Salesforce is, provide an overview of UMBC’s goals for the project, and summarize what we’re currently working on and what’s next.

Salesforce is a market-leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform.  Companies and nonprofits use CRMs to advertise and build relationships with, and track the contact they have with, their customers and patrons.  In higher education, Salesforce is used to support recruitment, admissions, student success, and alumni relations.  

UMBC has started an exciting, large, multi-year project to use Salesforce to help us in all of those areas.  In the first phase, we’re customizing and implementing the portion of the platform that helps with the recruitment of both undergraduate and graduate students using the Marketing Cloud component.  Marketing Cloud helps us provide potential students with a better, customized, experience and uses new digital marketing campaigns to show the value of a UMBC education. It helps admissions staff identify who our potential students are and what information might be of most use to them.   

We’ve just finished mapping out the different processes we use to recruit and admit students so that we can improve and automate them in Salesforce and the Marketing Cloud.  Our Admissions, Digital Marketing, and SA Teams have been hard at work in support of the project. The next step involves customizing Salesforce for UMBC. 

We’re projecting a “go-live” date for the first phase in the Spring of 2021.  Go-live includes demonstrating the platform and training our staff to get the greatest return on our investment and better serve our prospective students and families.  

Salesforce is an exciting and important part of UMBC’s Strategic Plan and Strategic Enrollment Plan.  We’re delighted to let you know about it, and that it’s proceeding on schedule. 

Robert Carpenter       
Deputy CIO, Division of Information Technology

Associate Provost, Division of Academic Affairs

Key Points

• All community members approved to be on campus will need to submit a negative test result

• Free testing will be available on campus

• Individuals who come to campus regularly should be prepared for more frequent testing during the semester

• Continue to check your COVID Compliance Card in myUMBC

Dear UMBC Community,

We hope that you had a restful and relaxing break. Please review these requirements for accessing campus at the start of the spring 2021 semester. This email details testing requirements for the beginning of the semester; we will share additional details on COVID testing for the remainder of the semester next week. 

Residential students returning to campus

All residential students will undergo COVID testing during spring residential move-in, January 22-25, and again approximately four days later. Students should check their emails regularly for their appointment time and specific instructions. If you do not receive an email by the end of today, January 15, please contact Residential Life. Residential students will also complete regular testing throughout the semester and should expect additional guidance next week. 

All other faculty, staff, and non-residential students

If you are approved to be on campus for the spring semester, you will need to submit a negative test result before February 2, the first day of in-person classes. You may take an off-campus test between January 25 and February 2 and submit your results using this form. 

We will also be providing free on-campus testing January 26-29. Details and a link you can use to schedule an appointment will be posted here when available. 

This pre-semester testing period is optional but not required for faculty and staff who participated in testing January 2-9.  

Please check your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile to see if you are currently approved to be on campus. All faculty teaching and students enrolled in in-person classes are automatically added to the list of community members approved to be on campus.

For staff returning to campus, if your profile indicates you are not approved to be on campus, you and your supervisor should complete the Return to On-Campus Work Application. If you have already been approved and are continuing for the spring, you do not need to re-submit the risk assessment and can indicate “on file” on the justification form. If this is the first time you are applying to work on campus, your supervisor should review and complete the entire Return to On-Campus Work approval process.

Compliance for community members approved to be on campus

All community members who are approved to be on campus must complete the online symptom tracker every day, seven-days-a-week, starting 14 days before arrival. All students, faculty, and staff are required to complete the Return to Campus COVID Awareness course if they have not already done so, and students will need to sign the Retriever Community Agreement if they have not already done so in the fall.

Testing and online symptom tracking are among our most powerful tools for keeping the entire community safe. We will be actively monitoring compliance during the spring semester and enforcing a range of actions for individuals who are not in compliance, including loss of access to campus. You may check your compliance status at any time on your COVID Compliance Card. 

Ongoing testing throughout the semester

While we are still working with public health experts to finalize our testing plan for the remainder of the semester, individuals who come to campus regularlyshould be prepared for more frequent testing. If you no longer wish to have access to campus, please complete an Opt-Out form. 

In addition, at this time, individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine will still need to participate in symptom tracking and testing. 

We recognize that this is a fluid and evolving situation and are actively working on developing policies and procedures that take advantage of the most current public health guidance and resources available to us. We appreciate your continued commitment to the health and safety of our community. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at covid19@umbc.edu.

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs