Off-Campus Student Services is proud to announce discounted bus passes for currently enrolled students at UMBC for the Spring 2022 semester. In order to access your pass, please follow these steps:
Download the CharmPass app from the App Store or Google Play
Sign up for CharmPass using your UMBC email address
Select the “Baltimore Link” service
You will see your $55 pass at checkout
Photos with each of the aforementioned steps are included. Happy Travels!
Dear Commuter Students,
Welcome to Spring 2022 at UMBC! Whether you are a new or returning Retriever, we are excited to have you and look forward to connecting. If there is ever any way Off-Campus Student Services can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us or stop by our office in Commons 1A02, right next to the Bookstore.
As we gear up for another semester, OCSS wants to make sure we continue to keep our UMBC community as safe as possible from the Omicron variant of COVID-19. We have been extremely successful in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 because of all of you and that is not lost on us. You make the difference and we appreciate you for that. To ensure that we remain on the right path, this letter is intended to review UMBC’s COVID-19 response and the safety measures that will continue to keep our community safe.
KN95 masks are required. All community members are currently required to wear a KN95 or equivalent mask indoors in public spaces at UMBC. This includes in classrooms, on transportation, and inside dining facilities when not actively eating. KN95 equivalent masks include: an N95, KN95, or KF94 mask, FFP2-3, or a double surgical mask. Free KN95 masks are available during business hours at the UMBC Police Station, Campus Card and Dining Services, the Retriever Activities Center, The Commons Information Center, and the Albin O. Kuhn Library Circulation Desk.
Entry testing is required for Spring 2022. All community members are required to take an on-campus PCR test on the first day they return to campus. If possible, we also recommend that you take an at home rapid test the day before you return to campus in addition to the required PCR. Here is some additional information on how to test.
Vaccinations are required. The University System of Maryland and UMBC are requiring all students, faculty and staff to remain up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. This includes an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine—a “booster shot”—when you are eligible. Make sure to report your vaccines or request an exemption as soon as possible.
Maintain physical distance and limit gatherings. Evaluate all of your group activities. Other than going to class, we strongly encourage moving group meetings and study groups online. Many of OCSS’ activities will be online. When conditions permit, we will also offer some safe in-person options for events.
With your assistance, we look forward to a productive, safe, and exciting Spring 2022 semester. If you have questions about OCSS programming or services, please contact us at ocss@umbc.edu. We appreciate your help and commitment to ensuring that UMBC remains healthy. Best wishes on a successful term!
Sincerely,
M. Antonio Silas, Ph.D.
Director, Off-Campus Student Services
Joshua Gray
President, Student Government Association
As additional faculty and staff return to campus over the next two weeks, we wanted to share additional instructions and answers to frequently asked questions about how to complete an on-campus COVID-19 PCR test. All community members are required to test the first day they return to campus, regardless of vaccination status.
1. We recommend that you take an at-home rapid test the day before you come to campus.
2. Testing on-campus requires the use of a mobile app. Please review these instructions, download and register now, before you come to campus to test. If you need technical assistance, email mgscanner@umbc.edu.
3. Plan to test as soon as you arrive on campus, before 11am if possible.
4. When you come to campus, plan to pick up a vial and swab at:
The UMBC police station
The Center for Well-Being (during operating hours)
The University Center 3rd floor vestibule
5. Find an isolated or distanced place to complete your swab. This may be your car, your office, or outside. Return your completed test to the drop box at each location. Do NOT test at the pick up and drop off locations as you may expose others.
Frequently asked questions:
Can I be on campus while I am waiting for my results?
Yes. Once you complete your test, you may remain on campus to complete your day wearing an appropriate mask and maintaining physical distance as much as possible. We are relying on masking and distancing protocols to reduce on campus transmission while we await your test results. Given the shortage of testing in Maryland, we felt this was the fairest way to require an entry test.
How long will it take to receive my results?
UMBC cannot check on the status of individual tests. In general, it can take up to three business days to receive your results. Testing results from on-campus tests will be posted to your COVID Compliance Card in your myUMBC profile.
Is testing on campus safe?
We do believe testing on campus is safe, as long as community members follow instructions, pick up their kits, and swab in a location that is distanced from others. For the first week of classes, we plan to make additional testing, as well as technical assistance, available in the RAC, in order to reduce any potential crowding at testing sites. In addition, it will be helpful to have most employees complete testing next week, before students return.
What if I recently tested positive? Should I test?
You are not required to test as you may continue to test positive for up to 90 days. You will need to report your result in order to be exempted from entry testing. Information on how to do this and when you can return to campus is available here.
Please email covid19@umbc.edu if you have any questions.
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