Key Points:

• Governor Hogan’s budget provides a $1,000 bonus for state employees, including USM faculty and staff.

• A more positive budget outlook also allows temporary salary reductions affecting some UMBC employees to end earlier than expected.

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to confirm that the extraordinary work of UMBC and other state employees during the pandemic will be recognized with a $1,000 bonus, a step proposed by Governor Hogan and now passed by the General Assembly. 

Regular faculty and staff and Contingent II employees will receive the one-time bonus of up to $1,000. The bonus will be pro-rated for eligible part-time employees (e.g., 50%= $500, 75%=$750, etc.). Graduate Assistants and Contingent I employees are not eligible. 

The bonus payments will be processed by the Human Resources Department and will be reflected in the paychecks issued April 30, 2021.   

We are also pleased to announce the early end of temporary salary reductions for faculty and staff earning $100,000 and above, which was part of a multi-point plan to protect campus jobs. This will be reflected in the paychecks issued April 16, 2021.

Both the one-time bonus and early restoration of full salaries were made possible by  prompt, aggressive budget actions taken this past year in the face of projected pandemic-related revenue declines, including diligence in adhering to the hiring freeze, and greater operating savings than expected. The University has also benefited from Federal stimulus funding, which is being used to cover pandemic-related costs originally expected to be supported from regular operating funds.

We are deeply grateful for all that you are doing to keep our campus community safe and healthy and to support academic progress and business operations during this difficult time. While we will continue to face operational and fiscal challenges through the pandemic and beyond, this year has affirmed that we know how to get through them together. Keep hope alive!

President Freeman Hrabowski and Provost Philip Rous

Dear UMBC Community,

As we prepare for a primarily in-person campus in the fall, we look forward to creating opportunities for students to safely gather and participate in campus events and activities.

We are working with SGA to plan activities this fall and we understand that the continued presence of COVID-19 will mean that all of our community gatherings will need to prioritize health and safety. For example, gathering in large groups will likely be restricted. With this information, we would like to share a few key updates to help our campus community, including student organizations, begin planning for a successful fall semester: 

• Free Hour will continue, but will be moved to Fridays between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in order to help prevent overcrowding in dining spaces.

• We intend to provide outdoor programming options for students including movies, bingo, food trucks, yoga, trivia, and more!

• Campus Life is working alongside SGA to make sure there are spaces dedicated to student organization programming.

• Virtual events will continue to be an important part of making sure all in our community stay safe. Hosts of in-person events should consider how they can offer options for community members to participate remotely. Several new spaces across campus are being outfitted with technology to make this possible.

• If you are looking to join one of the 230+ student organizations at UMBC, please check out: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/studentorgs. For student organizations looking for additional support during this transition, feel free to reach out to SGA or Campus Life at campuslife@umbc.edu.

We look forward to sharing details as we know more. If you have specific questions or concerns, please reach out to us at sga@umbc.edu.

Provost Philip Rous and SGA President Mehrshad Devin

Dear UMBC Community,

We are pleased to share with you that in partnership with the University System of Maryland, UMBC is recognizing Juneteenth as an administrative leave day. 

For 2021, UMBC will be closed on Friday, June 18. Exempt employees who must work on June 18th can take administrative leave by August 31, 2021.  Nonexempt employees who must work on the administrative leave day will be credited with the administrative leave on that day.  

Juneteenth honors June 19, 1865, the day that Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and that the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, declaring the freedom of slaves in states not controlled by the Union, would be enforced for the first time. We support the work of activists in Maryland and across the country that are seeking to make Juneteenth an official holiday as it has long been observed by many in our community as a way to celebrate the accomplishments and resilience of Black Americans. 

At UMBC, we know how impactful the legacy of slavery is for our community members. We also know that the work for racial equity is far from over. We are committed to continuing this work every day through our words, our actions, and our community values. 

We encourage all in our community to use the day to put our UMBC values of equity and inclusion into action by participating in events honoring the holiday or through education and self-reflection on racial justice issues.

President Hrabowski and Provost Rous

Key Points

• Wider vaccine access and new public health guidance allow us to prepare for a return to a vibrant campus community.

• Most courses will be offered face-to-face or in hybrid format during the Fall 2021 semester.

• Preparations are underway to reopen residence halls with occupancy up to 95 percent.

• Students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to seek vaccination as soon as you become eligible.

Dear UMBC Community,

We are very pleased to share the good news that progress in COVID-19 vaccine access and new public health guidance about physical distancing now allow us to prepare for a Fall 2021 semester return to the vibrant campus and community life that we have all missed. We are planning for most courses and campus services to be offered face-to-face this fall.

We know that our students are especially eager to return to on-campus learning, residence halls, athletics, recreation, and other in-person activities. With the leadership of our COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee, faculty and staff across the University are working very hard to plan for a fall semester that offers these options with appropriate safety measures in place, as well as flexibility to meet diverse needs and individual health concerns. While detailed planning and risk assessments are still underway for some particular courses and activities, we can share these general updates:

• Most courses during the Fall 2021 semester will be in-person or hybrid, as reflected in the Schedule of Classes published today. Graduate student registration opens today, and undergraduate student registration begins Tuesday, March 30, 2021. We will continue to make additions to the Schedule of Classes over the coming months.

• We are preparing to reopen residence halls at up to 95 percent occupancy. Additional information is being shared with students this week.

• The fully renovated Retriever Activities Center will offer expanded recreation facilities including a track, cardio-training, weight-training, spinning, group exercise space, and basketball courts.

• Services for student well-being ﹘ including health, counseling, and spiritual resources, as well as student conduct and community standards ﹘ will reopen in a brand new facility adjacent to Erickson Field.

• Planning is underway for reopening other facilities and community spaces, including the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, The Commons, performance spaces, and galleries.

• A full calendar of on-campus events open to both residential and off-campus students is being planned for fall.

While we look forward to a much more active on-campus community this fall, we also know that the pandemic is far from over and that the campus must remain vigilant and be prepared to modify our plans accordingly. We will continue to rigorously follow local, state, and federal public health guidance regarding such safety measures as testing, symptom tracking, mandatory mask wearing, hygiene, ventilation, physical distancing, and space occupancy. Supervisors and department chairs will work with faculty and staff on returning to work on the physical campus as appropriate.

Current public health guidance strongly suggests that as more students, faculty, and staff become vaccinated, the more we can expand in-person activities planned for the fall. The Governor has pledged that all individuals over the age of 16 will become eligible for vaccination in April 2021. We strongly encourage each of you to seek vaccination once you are eligible.

Public health conditions and plans are changing rapidly, and we understand that even good news can raise questions and concerns. We will continue to communicate frequently as more information about the Fall 2021 semester is available. In the meantime, please contact covid19@umbc.edu if you have immediate questions or concerns.

President Freeman Hrabowski

Provost Philip Rous