• If you are sick, stay home and in bed and rest. Avoid crowded places like dining halls, classrooms, restaurants, and the RAC or other fitness centers to prevent spreading illness to others
• Take fever-reducing medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve) if you do have a fever (temperature over 100°F). Please check your temperature using a working thermometer. If your fever persists for more than 48 hours in spite of taking these medications, please seek medical care (UHS hours Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., (410) 455-2542).
  
• Drink lots of fluids.
  
• If you have been diagnosed with the flu and develop shortness of breath or severe fatigue, call your healthcare provider or go to an emergency room.

• Wash your hands frequently and/or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizing stations are located around campus.
  
• Avoid contact with those who are ill, if possible.
  
• Clean high-touch surfaces in your room and/or office with antibacterial cleaner (bleach wipes are very good).
  
• Cough into your sleeve or a tissue, not directly into your hands, and wash your hands immediately.
  
• Avoid touching your face both when you are ill and when healthy. This spreads germs!
• Avoid sharing food, utensils, cups, and water bottles.
• It may still be helpful to get a flu shot. UHS provided more than 700 flu shots this season and while we do not have any more shots, vaccines may be available at local pharmacies or from your primary care doctor.
  

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Frances Watson as SGA President. Frances is a current junior, majoring in Computer Science. Frances is a Center for Women in Technology Scholar that has had many on-campus roles, including being President of the Chesapeake Hall Community Council her freshman year, serving as an SGA Senator, and previous Executive Vice President. In addition to these leadership roles, Frances is passionate about making an impact within the community and ensuring the UMBC adventure is fulfilling for all students. She brings a wide variety of experiences to the position of SGA President. She makes an effort to engage in positive leadership and has spent time as a leader promoting her peers’ involvement in the UMBC community.

In addition, the Student Government Association would like to thank our past President, Vrinda Deshpande, for her service to students at UMBC. She has serviced as the consummate advocate for students during her tenure as Executive Vice President (2018-2019) and President (Fall 2019) and her legacy within SGA is one of compassion, thoughtfulness, and relationship building. We again thank her for her service and contributions to SGA and the UMBC community.

The Division of Student Affairs, in collaboration with partners across campus, is working closely with the United Way of Central Maryland to provide awareness and education about its information and referral service network, 211 Maryland.

Available to all Maryland residents, the United Way’s 211 Maryland is free, confidential, and multilingual, offering 24/7 guidance 365 days a year. It provides people with referrals to health, crisis, and social services and helps with problem solving. It is also a resource for government officials to make information available to Marylanders in the event of natural disasters or other crises.

This service is available by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting 211md.org/

UMBC is the first USM school to foster a relationship with 211 Maryland staff and be intentional about providing awareness and education to all members of the University community regarding these health and human services. Information about 211 Maryland is listed on UMBC’s Human Resources and the Division of Student Affairs websites, and a representative spoke to department heads across campus, Chartwells and ABM employees, Student Affairs staff, and the Professional Staff Senate. In addition, 211 Maryland staff members attended the Maryland Charity Campaign kickoff breakfast and the fall Faculty and Staff Health Benefits Fair. We will continue to share this resource with our community. 

Please share this important service with your colleagues and students. If you would like an informational card(s) and signage to post in your department/office, or if you are interested in having a representative from 211 Maryland speak to your department/office, please call Student Affairs at 410-455-2393. 

The Counseling Center is dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of UMBC students, and staff are excited to offer new and expanded wellness resources. We hope you will take advantage of these important tools to support your personal development and help you make the most of your UMBC experience.  

New WellTrack Interactive Self-Help Therapy App

The Counseling Center now offers the WellTrack interactive self-help therapy app free to UMBC students. Use the modules to address concerns related to stress, anxiety, depression, and public speaking (this module available only on the WellTrack website). If you want to follow up with a counselor, the Counseling Center staff is here to help. Services are free and confidential for registered UMBC students. To make an appointment, call 410-455-2472 or stop by the offices at the Student Development & Success Center on Center Road (in between Chesapeake Hall and Susquehanna Hall across from Erickson Field).  

Download the WellTrack app and register with your UMBC ID for full access; no identifying information will be shared with counseling staff unless you choose the option to do so. Please note that all of the Counseling Center’s screening resources are for informational and educational purposes only, and are not intended as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

Mind Spa Expands, Moves to Albin O. Kuhn Library and Patapsco Hall 

Mind Spa is an important campus resource with self-care tools to help you relax, improve concentration and memory, and overall success as a student. Counseling staff have collaborated with staff from University Health Services’ Office of Health Promotion, Residential Life, and the Albin O. Kuhn Library to make it more accessible to all students. Mind Spa has moved out of the Counseling Center and is now available in two locations: Albin O. Kuhn Library, Room 367, and Patapsco Hall, Room 163. A UMBC ID is required to access either space. 

Mind Spa is a quiet space equipped for the practices of mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation, and includes a massage chair, meditation cushions, hot tea, and other wellness resources. You can also check out light therapy boxes from the library location to use in the Mind Spa space or in your room. 

Practicing mindfulness and meditation can have important physical and mental health benefits such as increased concentration, awareness, and regulation of emotions. Studies show that these practices have positive short- and long-term effects on the brain. You might begin to notice benefits from your experience at Mind Spa immediately or after a few sessions.

“These resources tap into our goal to create a supportive culture of care and wellness for our students,” says Alayna Berkowitz, who recently joined the Counseling Center as assistant director of outreach and mental health promotion. “There are many different ways to engage with therapeutic resources beyond the in-person setting. The WellTrack phone app is great for a generation that is using social media and apps more than previous generations. Not all students present for traditional talk therapy, and both WellTrack and Mind Spa offer students other opportunities – through a phone app and quiet spaces – to take care of themselves.”

Berkowitz adds that the Counseling Center’s goal is to make sure its resources and programming take into account the complexity of UMBC students’ diverse and intersecting identities and needs. 

 Learn more about the Counseling Center’s services and resources.