We know this week has been challenging for our campus community. As the UMBC community reacts to news and responds to events, we want to make sure that students, faculty, and staff have the support that they need.

Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b)

Website

i3b@umbc.edu

On November 19, 4 to 5 p.m., i3b invites impacted students, staff, and faculty to the Mosaic Center (The Commons: 2B23 on the 2nd floor of The Commons) for drop-in support and community care. 

Retriever Integrated Health/Counseling

Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.: 410-455-2542

If you are finding recent incidents triggering and need additional mental health crisis resources, visit the Counseling Center’s crisis resource page.

The After-Hours Support Line helps connect students to resources: 410-455-3230.

Togetherall is a free online peer-to-peer community for students, and offers a safe and anonymous mental health support space 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Office of Equity and Inclusion

UMBC’s Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) is responsible for promoting and coordinating the University’s core values of inclusive excellence, equity, diversity. OEI has primary responsibility for managing UMBC’s efforts related to Title IX as well as other civil rights issues, including discrimination, harassment, hate and bias.

Community members may report instances of hate or bias through the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s confidential reporting form. 

Faculty and Staff Support

Dear UMBC Community,

We are deeply saddened and concerned to learn about a reported hate-bias crime in The Commons Tuesday night. A UMBC student reported that she was approached by an unknown male who attempted to pull off her hijab, the traditional headscarf worn by some Muslim women.

Acts such as this have no place at UMBC. Hate and bias are counter to UMBC values, especially our community’s deep commitment to diversity and inclusion and welcoming people of all backgrounds.

UMBC Police are investigating, and the Division of Student Affairs and Office of Equity and Inclusion have reached out to the student, as well as other students impacted, including the Muslim Student Association, Student Government Association (SGA), and the Graduate Student Association (GSA).

The UMBC community is invited to a community care space for support and dialogue on Monday, November 22, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The event will be held in the Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being at The Center for Well-Being, and is a collaboration between Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging (i3b); the Muslim Student Association; SGA; and GSA. Counselors from Retriever Integrated Health will be on-site to provide additional support as needed. Imam Yaseen Shaikh from The Islamic Society of Baltimore and Rabbi Jeremy Fierstein, chair of the UMBC Religious Council, will also be on-site to provide additional support as needed. The front patio of The Center for Well-Being will be used as a back-up location if needed to accommodate COVID-19 capacity expectations. The Center for Well-Being is located on Center Road between Chesapeake and Susquehanna Halls.

Students in need of support can contact i3b at i3b@umbc.edu. Faculty and staff can access support through the Employee Assistance Program.

We are committed to offering a safe and inclusive campus environment where community members and visitors of all backgrounds feel that they belong.

Community members, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni, can always report concerns using this confidential reporting form. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call UMBC Police at 410-455-5555.

It is essential that we continue to work together in building a caring, equitable, and inclusive community. Thank you for your commitment to inclusive excellence at UMBC.

President Freeman Hrabowski

Provost Philip Rous

Mehrshad Devin, President, Student Government Association

Orianne Smith, President, Faculty Senate

Joel Tyson, President, Graduate Student Association

Melody Wright, M.A. '21, President, Non-Exempt Staff Senate

Jess Wyatt, President, Professional Staff Senate

Dear UMBC Community, 

As you make your personal plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and accompanying break, please take a moment to consider the safety precautions you need to consider to keep our community healthy. We ask that you:

1. Review CDC guidance on domestic and international travel.

2. Consider the most effective way to minimize your risk as you gather with friends and family, particularly if there are individuals in your family who are unvaccinated or at a higher risk of COVID-19 complications. The CDC provides excellent advice on Safer Ways to Celebrate Holidays. 

3. Test if necessary. Fully vaccinated community members without symptoms are not required to test but may use on-campus testing if they think they may have been exposed. Any community member who is not fully vaccinated is required to test immediately upon returning to campus. More information on testing is available here.

4. Stay healthy! If you have not already, please consider getting a flu shot. If you are sick, do not come to campus. If you are exposed to someone who has COVID-19, review our response and reporting protocols before returning to campus.

We have had tremendous success at keeping our campus healthy and controlling the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate everything you are doing and ask for your ongoing support as we continue this effort. 

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs