Fri, 13 Mar 2020 19:15:54 -0400
covid19update

March 13: UMBC COVID-19 Action Update

Campus Status: The University is closed through March 18 for spring break (and through March 22 for students). The University will reopen on Thursday, March 19, with employees working remotely (facilities will remain closed).

Currently, there are no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, at UMBC.

Daily Action Updates will resume after spring break. For the most updated information and more information on actions to reduce COVID-19 risks in our community, please visit COVID19.umbc.edu.

Student Services and Support

All residential students who have not been granted late stay must vacate campus by noon on Saturday, March 14.

The University System of Maryland understands students have financial concerns regarding housing, dining, and other expenses and provided an update today.

Staff are currently assessing where student employees may both be essential to continuity and can work safely during times where the university is open but classes are online. Student employees who cannot work remotely will remain in paid status. We are still developing the processes needed to make this happen.

Food

True Grits will be serving food through April 6, no other dining locations are currently open. They will serve Lunch (10:30 to 1:30) and Dinner (4:30 to 6:30). All food will be served in to-go containers and must be eaten elsewhere.

Academic Continuity

Nearly 200 faculty have participated in faculty training webinars sponsored by the Division of Information Technology in the last few days. They are working together to prepare for the transition to online teaching on March 23.

Our faculty are still hard at work, with many sharing their expertise to inform response to COVID-19. Check out this article by Dr. Jeffrey Gardner.

Business Continuity and Staff Support

The University will reopen on Thursday, March 19, with employees working remotely. Additional guidance on remote work and leave can be found here.

Procurement staff are currently making arrangements to support procurement and delivery. PCard holders will be receiving additional guidance next week.

Facilities

We are currently working with laboratory and research directors to evaluate which labs can and need to operate safely while facilities are closed. If you have questions about individual experiments, please reach out to your lab director.

While the library is currently closed for spring break, it will reopen next week with safety measures prioritizing social distancing. Hours will be posted here.

During the spring break closure, a number of health, safety, and structural maintenance projects will continue, including the RAC Renovation, work on the Health Services Building project, and elevator testing.

Transit is operating but on a reduced holiday schedule.

Travel

Based on the latest guidance and information, UMBC has suspended ALL study abroad programs for the spring 2020 and summer 2020 terms and is actively working to bring students home from all programs. More information available on the website.

If you have questions or concerns, please email COVID19@umbc.edu.