Dear Colleagues,

The Faculty Annual Report (FAR) is due Friday, May 2, 2025. As a faculty member you are required to complete the FAR.

The FAR informs multiple processes, including merit review processes (where applicable), an annual and comprehensive review of tenured faculty. Some of the data you enter are also aggregated to satisfy reporting to the University System of Maryland (USM).

You need to certify your annual submission for it to be considered complete. You do this by going to the “Certify Your Annual Submission – Mandatory” section of Faculty Success, located at the bottom of the main page. Read the statement, check the box, add the calendar year and then click “save”. This signals and certifies you have completed your FAR.

Faculty have the option to save a copy as a PDF and sign by using the “Fill & Sign” function, or you may print and then sign before sending a copy to your chair. Faculty and chairs sign off on all final FAR submissions. You should keep a copy for your records and future use; only you and your department have a copy. We encourage you to regularly update your information in Faculty Success throughout the year!

Complete Your Faculty Annual Report

Directions: Log in to myUMBC and click Guide, and then choose Faculty Success by Watermark under Personal Links. Please use the “?” link located on the top right of the tool bar on the Faculty Success main page for information about navigating Faculty Success.  For more UMBC Specific questions and information regarding how to complete the FAR go here.

Due Dates

May 2: FAR is due. Faculty members submit a signed copy to their chairs.

May 16:IRADS will provide the department chairs feedback. Any corrections to individual FARs must be completed via Faculty Success. 

May 22: Last day for faculty to resubmit a revised signed copy to their chair.

May 30: Chairs sign and submit all department copies to their appropriate dean. 

About the Faculty Annual Report

All faculty members are required to complete an annual report. Specifically, all tenured or tenure-track faculty, should submit a report, including those serving in an administrative or research unit and those who are on sabbatical, on leave without pay, or on fellowship leave. All full-time, non-instructional faculty should also submit a report, including research faculty, research associates or post-docs, visiting faculty, instructors, and lecturers.

If you have any concerns, comments, or suggestions related to the Faculty Annual Report itself or to the reporting process, these should be directed to Ana Oskoz, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, at aoskoz@umbc.edu, or contact Brynn Krasney at 410-455-8909.

New Features in Faculty Success

• Calendar year has been added to “Certify Your Annual Submission – Mandatory” to signify that year’s completion.

Dear colleagues,

As chair of the search committee for the Dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, I wanted to let you know that starting next week, we are bringing finalists to campus for interviews. The candidates will meet with representative groups from across the university, our search committee, and with the community at a forum, the first of which will be held in ITE 104 on Tuesday, February 18th from 1:15 to 2:00 p.m. We will provide more information and invitations to register separately.

We welcome your feedback on candidates and look forward to sharing more with you as the process continues and we name the next dean of the college.

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions related to the search.

Bill

William R. LaCourse

Dean, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences

Chair, Dean of COEIT Search Committee

Dear colleagues,

I hope the beginning of this new semester finds you well and rejuvenated. The energy on campus has been palpable the past few days as our academic community reunites. While this semester brings familiar excitement, I know many of you have expressed concerns about potential changes to federal policies and their implications for our work.

Rest assured that the university is committed to supporting you through any potential impacts they may bring. While these proposed changes face significant legal challenges, we understand their potential impact on your research and teaching. We continue to evaluate all the information as it develops and are putting together a robust university strategy that will help us navigate and respond to these changes together. We will share specific details as the situation clarifies. Most importantly, we are committed to supporting our faculty, staff, and students and maintaining the integrity of our academic enterprise.

At UMBC, our mission remains the same. We will continue our pursuit of inclusive excellence and the advancement of research, teaching, and learning. I encourage you to maintain your curriculum, research, and pedagogical philosophies and avoid making any preemptive changes. Your dedication to these principles is the bedrock of our academic community and the mission of higher education, and the Office of the Provost stands ready to assist you in maintaining our shared commitments. We will continue to communicate as policy changes arise. 

To support your work this semester, I want to highlight several key resources. I shared most of these resources last semester, as well, but want to make sure you have them available as the semester starts. As a faculty member, I always found it useful to have this information in one place as the semester started. If there is other information you think would be helpful please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at provost@umbc.edu.

Supporting Students and Managing Classroom Behavior

I want to make sure you are aware of UMBC’s faculty and staff disruptive student behavior guide, which also pertains to managing your classroom. John Fox is serving as the inaugural Dean of Students in the Division of Student Affairs, and ensuring all students can thrive without disruption is a key responsibility of the Dean of Students Office. Supporting all students is key in all the work you do as faculty and the university has a number of resources available including the Academic Success Center, the Office of Student Disability Services, Retriever Integrated Health, Retriever CARE, Retriever Essentials and Connections, and the Office of Equity and Civil Rights. Please make sure students are aware of this information. International students in your courses may face unique challenges, particularly during their first semester, and I encourage you to direct them to the dedicated resources and services offered by the Center for Global Engagement. I also encourage you to regularly check in with your students to see how they are doing and ensure you guide them to resources on campus.  

International Students and Global Opportunities

The Office of International Students and Scholars reminds faculty that F-1 and J-1 visa holders must follow specific enrollment requirements including full-time status, limited online courses, and work loop authorization restrictions. Please direct international students to the dedicated resources and services offered by the Center for Global Engagement for support with these requirements.

The Global Opportunities Fair will be held on February 5, 2025 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. on The Commons Main Street, showcasing study abroad programs and international opportunities. Summer 2025 faculty-led study abroad program applications are due February 14.

Additionally, students, faculty, and staff can pursue Fulbright opportunities. UMBC has been named a top producer of Fulbright awards for three of the past five years. Faculty interested in the 2026-27 Fulbright Scholar Program can apply starting mid-February 2025, with applications due September 15, 2025. For more information about Fulbright opportunities, contact Dr. Brian Souders, UMBC's Fulbright Program Advisor, at fulbright@umbc.edu.

UMBC Policies and Procedures

A comprehensive list of USM and UMBC policies and guidelines is available at UMBC Policies, and resources for faculty regarding academic integrity are available at Academic Integrity Resources for Faculty.

Campus Closures

Please be sure to sign up for text alerts so you are aware of campus emergencies and weather-related campus closures.

I recognize the challenges and uncertainties we face, but I'm continually inspired by your dedication to our students and your world-class research. Please reach out with any questions or concerns at provost@umbc.edu. I look forward to working together with all of you to not only maintain but innovate on our vital shared mission and commitment to excellence this semester.

Best,

Manfred

Manfred H. M. van Dulmen

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs