The Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities is pleased to announce its 2021-2022 research fellows, Dr. Karen (Lujie) Chen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Systems at UMBC; and Dr. Chien-Ming Huang, John C. Malone Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University.
Drs. Chen and Huang will work with Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars, classroom teachers, and young students from our Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) partners to explore the effectiveness of using robot-assisted learning and teaching in urban kindergarten to Grade 2 classrooms. Their project seeks to support whole child development through facilitating differentiated instruction and enhancing learning gains and student engagement using technology-based artificial intelligence.
Using a framework of socio-technology system theory, the Sherman Center Faculty Research Award will allow Drs. Cheng and Huang to understand the potential success factors and barriers to incorporating robot-based learning in authentic learning contexts, particularly with young learners. This innovative and interdisciplinary project introduces the ABii robot, developed by Van Robotics, into the classroom to support teaching and learning in the areas of mathematics, literacy, and socio-emotional learning.
For more information about the Sherman Center Faculty Research Award, please visit the Sherman Center website.
Dear Faculty and Staff,
As we get closer to the end of the academic year, we recognize that everyone needs a break. Join the Professional Staff Senate and Campus Life for Yappy Hour!
All faculty and staff are welcome to bring their pets to the Quad on May 24 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Come to socialize your pet with other pets or for a break to play with your coworkers’ pets!
If you have questions, please contact Jen Dress at dress@umbc.edu.
]]>Dear UMBC Community,
We invite the entire UMBC community to join us in celebrating the Class of 2022 by tuning in here for live streams of the Commencement ceremonies.
Graduate School Ceremony, Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 10 a.m.
Undergraduate Ceremonies, Thursday, May 26, 2022
10 a.m.: College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, The Erickson School, and The School of Social Work
3 p.m.: College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, College of Engineering and Information Technology, and The Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Please note that these in-person events may cause traffic delays in and around campus.
Join in the festivities now by sharing your graduation photo or a congratulations photo in our Commencement 2022 Photo Booth and participating in a virtual version of a UMBC tradition by Rubbing True Grit's Nose!
We encourage graduates and their families, as well as our entire community, to celebrate on social media using #UMBCgrad. Photo templates are available here.
We hope you will join us in celebrating the Class of 2022! If you have questions about our ceremonies, please contact us at commencement@umbc.edu.
The Commencement Committee
]]>Dear UMBC Community,
We are aware of the rising number of COVID-19 cases being reported in the Baltimore region. The COVID-19 Health and Safety Team continues to respond to new COVID-19 case reports each day and is closely monitoring the situation within our campus community.
We are encouraging all members of our community to be especially mindful of the personal precautions they can take as we approach the last day of classes, final exams, and end-of-semester activities.
Please stay home if you experience symptoms. We encourage community members to continue to report positive COVID-19 cases.
Please wear masks whenever possible while indoors, especially when attending large gatherings both on- or off-campus.
The wearing of KN95 or N95 masks continues to be required in all classes, instructional labs, and performance spaces being used for academic programs, including spaces where in-person examinations are held; as well as during posted hours in the Retriever Activities Center (Monday -- Friday, 9 a.m. -- 11 a.m.), in healthcare settings, and on UMBC Transit.
Rapid antigen tests continue to be available for pickup at the UMBC Police station and The Commons information desk. PCR testing will be available on campus through the end of the semester.
Thank you in advance for your help in finishing the semester strong. If you have questions, please contact covid19@umbc.edu.
Provost Philip Rous
Vice President of Information Technology and CIO Jack Suess
COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs
]]>We are delighted to announce that a proposal by Governor Larry Hogan to transfer the 175-acre Spring Grove Hospital Center property to UMBC was approved today by the Maryland Board of Public Works. The Board also approved a lease between UMBC and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to enable the agency's continued operation of the Spring Grove Hospital Center for up to 20 years while MDH implements its facilities master plan for statewide mental health services.
The transfer of the property allows the UMBC community to plan for our future facilities needs concurrent with MDH's continued occupancy. Once MDH has vacated all buildings on the site, the lease will terminate and the property will be available for use by UMBC.
UMBC has talked with public officials and community leaders for decades about our need for future expansion space at Spring Grove. This commitment reflects the appreciation state leaders have for all that our campus has accomplished and will accomplish in the future.
UMBC does not yet have a specific plan for the site. Having clarity about where we can continue to grow allows us to plan wisely for a very bright future. The campus will engage with the State, the County, community leaders, and other partners as part of our regular master facilities planning process. Through this process we will envision a future for the Spring Grove property that supports the university's long-term development while strengthening economic development and quality of life in the Baltimore region and Maryland. This work will begin as we approach our master facilities plan update in 2023.
In the meantime, we can all take pride in this important recognition of the university's momentum.
Thank you for all that you do for UMBC.
President Freeman Hrabowski
Provost Philip Rous
]]>The FY 2023 Sensitive Equipment Inventory will begin on July 1, 2022.The Sensitive Equipment Inventory is a University requirement that is conducted every three years by all campus departments. This procedure is necessary to account for the University's sensitive equipment and to identify any weakness in the University's policies and procedures for safeguarding our assets.
The FY 2023 Sensitive Equipment process has many new improvements!The campus is being divided into three groups for taking the inventory. Dividing the campus into smaller groups will enable the Inventory Management department to provide quality assistance to the property custodians should any difficulties arise. Each group will have 90 days to complete their inventory. After 45 days from the cycle's start date, Inventory Management will contact departments that have not completed their inventory to remind them of the requirement and to offer assistance. This reminder will also help prevent departments from procrastinating until the end of the cycle to have the inventory completed.
Inventory Management is also working with the Division of Information Technology to develop a DocuSign process to submit the Sensitive Equipment Inventory by the due dates. This process will enable property custodians to upload the required documentation for lost assets and will provide a workflow from the property custodian to the departmental approver to asset management, making the final steps to completing the inventory more efficient.
We will provide group assignments and potential training dates in a separate email. Please give your department's property custodian your full cooperation in order to make this task a success!
Remember Team Work...Makes the Dream Work!
]]>Dear Faculty and Staff,
Are you graduating this spring, or is your child or partner graduating? If so, we can reserve up to five seats for you and your guests at the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
Please email commencement@umbc.edu to reserve your seats by May 24, 2022.
Please note: this amenity is only for current UMBC faculty and staff members and is not for the general student body.
If you have family or friends who are unable to attend the in-person ceremony, please share this link with them so they can tune in to the Commencement live streams.
]]>Dear UMBC Community,
Spring 2022 Student Course Evaluations (SCEs) are in progress. If you have not already completed your evaluations, I am encouraging you to do so soon. Evaluations are accessed online and will be available through Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at midnight.
Completing your SCEs is helpful for understanding and evaluating student and faculty experiences, especially as we've experienced changing learning environments throughout the pandemic. All responses are anonymous and confidential and are not released until after spring semester final grades are submitted.
You can access the online SCE with any device (e.g., desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone). The survey application is accessible by email link, a BlackBoard building block link, and a "Student Course Evaluations" link that is available on myUMBC. Your myUMBC credentials are used to login to "profiles." Once logged in, students see a list of courses in which they are enrolled and can complete a survey.
Faculty are encouraged to promote the SCE survey and to remind students that the survey can be completed 24/7 from now through May 17, 2022, at midnight.
Provost Philip Rous
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