As COVID-19 positivity rates continue to rise across the nation and in Maryland, we are writing to update you on campus health and safety plans. Thanks to your collective efforts, the UMBC campus remains a comparatively safe environment. While our positivity rate remains low, we are managing a recent increase in positive cases and suspected exposures. We also know that we are not immune to the wider infection trends. We appreciate the dedicated work of the staff supporting the affected students and colleagues. We wish a speedy recovery for those who are COVID-19-positive, and good health for those who are being monitored in quarantine.

We want to assure you that the COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee is closely monitoring the dynamic public health conditions both on and off campus, as well as guidance provided by the Governor, the Baltimore County Health Department, and the University System of Maryland. At this time, we ask for your cooperation and increased vigilance as we implement several immediate measures necessary to protect campus health and academic continuity, and also carefully consider any further actions we may take if the situation worsens.

For students currently on campus

We strongly urge resident students to take a COVID-19 test prior to the Thanksgiving break. Resident students have received information about free on-campus COVID-19 testing scheduled for November 16﹘18. Please register now for available slots. For commuting students, free testing resources are available here. Students who will return to campus after the holiday, including those in Walker Avenue apartments, are required to be tested and have received information on how to do so.

If your classes are currently fully remote and you do not have symptoms, we want to make it possible for you to return home ahead of the Thanksgiving break. Residential Life will be sharing updated information on early check-out processes.

In order to reduce risk, the dine-in option at True Grits will end effective tomorrow, November 12. We are also reconsidering planned in-person events, with a goal to either move to a virtual platform or defer to a later and safer time. Athletics will discontinue practices for out-of-season sports effective November 13.

For faculty and staff approved to be on campus 

Both the Governor and public health officials have recommended telework as a way to reduce community spread. We are already in line with this mandate, with most faculty and staff working remotely. For our employees who have been approved to be on campus, we remind you to continue with health and safety measures, including mask wearing, social distancing, and symptom tracking. If you have concerns about your work arrangement, please reach out to your supervisor. 

For faculty who are teaching in-person classes, please consider that some students who have been attending in-person classes may be interested in participating remotely for the last few classes before the Thanksgiving break. Any flexibility you can provide to support our students during this time is greatly appreciated.

Holiday safety reminders

We know that many of you face difficult decisions about whether to gather with family during the upcoming holiday. Please review the Governor’s new actions related to gatherings and travel. We strongly advise against out-of-state travel and large gatherings where physical distancing is not possible.

Please remember that it may take up to two weeks to develop symptoms and that you are capable of transmitting the virus to others even if you are asymptomatic. This period before and during the Thanksgiving break is a critical time to be vigilant in your mask use and your efforts to restrict your contact with others.

Finally, we want to make you aware of Maryland’s new COVID alert system. You may have received a notification today on how to join this important new resource available for contact tracing. You can learn more here.

Thank you for all that you have done so far to keep our campus and community safe and healthy. We deeply appreciate your continued vigilance and the care and concern you have shown each other. We know that this is a stressful time, and we will do our best to communicate regularly as the situation evolves. You can reach us with questions or concerns at covid19@umbc.edu.

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs

Dear Members of the UMBC Community,

In observance of Veterans Day today, we honor those who have served as members of the United States Armed Forces during times of war and times of peace. On behalf of the UMBC community, we acknowledge all of the ways that veterans contribute to our campus community and the broader society. They are our students, faculty, staff, alumni, family members, and friends. 

We are particularly proud of our veterans who are finishing their degrees during or after their service while balancing family commitments and a career. Their perseverance and commitment to academic growth inspire all of us. Veteran students who are in need of support or are interested in connecting on campus should reach out to Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS). OCSS and the Human Resources Department are partnering with OCA Mocha to offer a free coffee and treat to UMBC student, faculty, and staff veterans during the week of November 9 ﹘ 13. 

UMBC has a number of partnerships with military branches and related agencies. We are fortunate to host a Naval ROTC program, which offers courses in leadership, national security policy, U.S. military affairs, and more. We also work alongside our neighbor, the United States Naval Academy, and other military services through research partnerships focused on cybersecurity and related topics. And, many veterans and active duty military personnel have advanced their careers and education through certificate programs offered at UMBC Training Centers.

As a nation, Veterans Day affords us an opportunity to reflect on the tenets of freedom, service, sacrifice, and resilience. Please join us by sharing your appreciation with the veterans in your life. 

President Freeman Hrabowski and Provost Philip Rous

Dear Members of the UMBC Community,

At this moment in America, we are all called to lead. The health of our democracy and the future of our nation depend on the character we show in the coming days and weeks. No matter the political beliefs we hold and the emotions we feel at this time, we must demonstrate the moral leadership necessary to unite our nation in true pursuit of both liberty and justice for all. While many of us have spoken these words in the Pledge of Allegiance thousands of times, we know that they are easy to recite and yet hard to put into practice.

Still, we know that our democracy is strong. Amid the stresses of a pandemic, Americans achieved the highest voter turnout in more than a century. We must show respect for those who voted - especially the many first-time voters at UMBC and beyond - by allowing time to count and verify all votes cast. Peaceful protests and legitimate legal challenges are extensions of the democratic process. We know that some in our community may decide to join celebrations or demonstrations. Given the current spike in COVID-19 cases and the possibility of other health and safety issues, we urge you to make your decisions thoughtfully.

We also recognize that a strong democracy depends on much more than elections. In a period of deeply polarizing rhetoric and actions, we are grateful to be part of a community that appreciates diverse experiences and aspires to be a model of a just society in which we wish to live.

As individuals and as a university community, we will continue to learn about the prominent issues in this election, engage in conversations that help us explore others’ stories, and believe in the humanity of all. 

Our community has been through so much together this year: COVID-19, stark reminders of ongoing racial injustice, remote learning and work, loss of social connection, additional responsibilities for childcare and eldercare, economic stress, and the uncertainty and emotion of the election. We are deeply grateful for all that our UMBC students, faculty, staff, and alumni do to make a difference for the campus and beyond. We also wish to remind you of the importance of taking care of yourself, seeking support when needed, and approaching others with compassion. Please visit Together Beyond - Election 2020 Resources for helpful advice and information.

President Freeman Hrabowski

Provost Philip Rous

Mehrshad Devin, President, Student Government Association

Bobby Lubaszewski, President, Professional Staff Senate

Alex Rittle, President, Graduate Student Association

Orianne Smith, President, Faculty Senate

Melody Wright, President, Non-Exempt Staff Senate

We ask urgently for your help and assistance as a predicted but nevertheless concerning surge in coronavirus cases occurs in Baltimore and across the nation. Here at UMBC, we are also seeing a slight but concerning increase in positive cases. At this time, our campus community has the collective power to prevent a surge at UMBC.  

We wish to remind students, faculty, and staff, especially those approved to be on campus, of the commitments we have made, both individually and collectively, to keep our colleagues, friends and families safe. Social distancing, mask wearing, and symptom tracking are our most valuable tools. For students living on campus, student gatherings remain prohibited, mask wearing is required, and students found in violation of the Code of Student Conduct will face disciplinary action. 

It is now two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday. As students plan to return home and the rest of our community makes holiday plans, we strongly suggest that you begin limiting your activities and exposure to others now in order to minimize risk to those in your household. 

Resident students should get tested before returning home and have received information about free, on-campus COVID-19 testing November 16 -18. For commuting students, faculty, and staff, free testing resources are available here.

As we move through the remainder of the semester, it is critical that each of us renews our commitment to be an active partner in keeping our community safe. We deeply appreciate the efforts and sacrifices many in our community have made so far to keep the campus prevalence rate low, and we ask that you be even more vigilant in these final weeks of the semester.   

Our hearts go out to our many community members who have already lost friends and family members to this virus. We know that many are fatigued and struggling with the restrictive measures we must take to stay safe. But we also have faith in our community to come together and do what is necessary.

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs