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]]>Good afternoon Retrievers,
Following the recent announcement from the University regarding the surge in COVID-19 cases on campus, the Student Government Association would like to reiterate to the student body the importance of following COVID-19 guidance both from the University as well as the CDC.
With the emergence of the new Omicron variant, which has the potential to be more transmissible than other circulating variants, it is crucial that we maintain a safe environment on campus, and take important measures to reduce the spread.
Please continue to follow the mask requirements on campus. You must wear a proper face covering over your nose and mouth in all indoor public spaces, including academic buildings, the Commons, and the RAC unless actively eating or drinking. Residential Life is also now requiring residents to wear masks inside all residence halls and apartment buildings. There are no exceptions to this rule.
It is also important to get your booster shot as soon as you are eligible. Individuals over the age of 18 who received Pfizer or Moderna may get their shot after 6 months have passed from the second dose. Individuals who received Johnson & Johnson should get their booster shot after 2 months have passed since getting their single dose.
Retriever Integrated Health is partnering with Safeway pharmacy to host another on-campus COVID-19 booster and flu vaccination clinic on December 8, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Retriever Activities Center. Off-campus guests, including family members, are welcome. Both the Pfizer and Moderna boosters, along with the flu shot, will be available at the clinic. You may opt in to receive one, or both shots.
We recognize that COVID fatigue is very real. We all want to move forward, and put this pandemic behind us. The only way we are going to be able to do that is by following the guidance set for us and continuing to be cautious as we go about our lives. We appreciate your efforts to keep our collective community safe, Retrievers. We, the SGA, wish you a safe and successful final few weeks of the semester.
Sincerely,
The UMBC Student Government Association
Mehrshad Fahim Devin, SGA President
Joshua Gray, Executive Vice President
Mercedes Fuller, Director of Community Wellbeing
Terence Lesigues, Associate Director of COVID-19 Relief
We, the SGA, wholeheartedly hope that you have a delightful break enjoying time off from school (especially after the hectic, incessant midterm season), spending time with loved ones, and eating good food. May this break bring you a sense of repose, and remember that there is less than a month left of this semester- we’re almost there!
That being said, however, we must recognize the great history that comes with the holiday. Thanksgiving’s origins are a harrowing reminder of how Indigenous peoples continue to be treated in this country, and thus, we would like to further recognize and uplift Indigenous voices today and always. If you are interested in reading UMBC’s land acknowledgment, you can check out this page here. We also encourage you to continue to do your own research about the history of this land.
Have a SAFE break and we look forward to seeing you back on campus soon!
Yours in service,
The UMBC Student Government Association
Good morning Retrievers,
In the wake of the two recent hate crime/bias incidents against members of our UMBC community, the Student Government Association would like to earnestly say that UMBC is not a university that embraces nor accepts hate. We stand firmly on our values, as an organization and university, of inclusivity and social justice.
The SGA is a dedicated partner with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, i3b, Retriever Integrated Health, and the Graduate Student Association to combat injustice and hate-based violence on campus. This work is housed within our two internal institutions, the Department of Diversity and Inclusion and the SGA Diversity and Inclusion Framework. Additionally, SGA and its partners all offer resources for reporting and healing following situations like this.
As a community, we should continue to honor the identities of our fellow Retrievers and provide inclusive spaces for one another.
We encourage everyone to join the Muslim Student Association, Student Government Association, Graduate Student Association, and i3b for a community care gathering for those that are in need of support. The community care gathering will be held at The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being on Monday, November 22, 2021, at 12:30 p.m.
Yours in service,
The UMBC Student Government Association
Mehrshad Fahim Devin, SGA President
Joshua Gray, Executive Vice President
Hazel Amanze, Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Hello.
Please complete this online survey to help support the work of the UMBC Police Department and the Division of Student Affairs as they collect student opinions on the first-ever UMBC Community Risk Survey. Findings from this survey will be used to inform training for UMBC's community and plans for handling emergencies as they arise.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe_P5REkubyNmSTzIdT1B_OyzmqY_jcFx5_Yaasck3jr3Wsuw/viewform
Please also share the survey with your networks so that the Emergency Manager and his team have more findings to work with.
Yours in service,
Joshua Gray
SGA Executive Vice President
This week is Transgender Awareness Week! As a community, we see UMBC as one of the nation's most diverse and inclusive universities. It is an institution that welcomes all student backgrounds and identities and aims to engage and support their success inside and outside of the institution. As we all observe Transgender Awareness Week, we would like to recognize, acknowledge and support all our incredible transgender students. We would also like to bring awareness and visibility to their experiences and educate ourselves on their experiences so that we may all be better allies and provide support and advocacy. Violence against the transgender community is at an all-time high in 2021 that may, unfortunately, result in a fatality. Discrimination is also another factor that the community has to face on a daily basis. From the stigma against the trans community, to the lack of medical care and resources, we as a community can help take a stand with our trans friends, family, colleagues, etc. as we fight against their injustice. If you would like to support at a UMBC level, you can visit the Women’s Center and i3b Pride Center for more information and resources. Beyond information and resourcess, there are also LGBTQIA+ safe spaces.
Programs happening this week:
Happy Veteran’s Day!
Today we honor those who have served to represent our country in the six branches collectively constituting the United States Armed Forces: the Navy, Coast Guard, Space Force, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. No part in choosing to serve is facile, nor does it get any easier while actively serving or after; thus, we pay great reverence to those who have made such sacrifices for us all.
Did you know that this day is quite historically enriched? We can trace back the origin of Veteran’s Day to 1918, when the crusades of World War I were finally seen to cease. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice, or truce, was alas effectuated, thus deeming November 11th a day worth forever commemorating. Due to this armistice mentioned above, this day was once recognized as “Armistice Day”, though this was later changed to the renowned “Veteran’s Day” we observe today later by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954.
While we may hope for a day without the need for war, we cannot turn a blind eye to history; thus, today and always, we, the SGA, hope to uplift those who have served in any of the six branches.
The Off Campus Student Services (OCSS) here at UMBC offers resources particularly for veterans, which you can find here! The Registrar’s Office also holds benefits for Veteran Students, and either financial aid or scholarships may be further available.
If you are personally a veteran, you may want to check out the Veterans Luncheon at True Grits today from 12PM-2PM to get a complimentary lunch (in wing 3 of True Grits). All students can also stop by OCSS’s front desk to drop off donations for the Coat Drive as support for the MCVETS this Friday.
Again, happy Veteran’s Day, and thank you for your service.
In celebration,
The UMBC Student Government Association
Mehrshad Fahim Devin, SGA President
Joshua Gray, Executive Vice President
Nailah-Bena Chambers, Vice President for Student Organizations
Ayah Aligabi, Treasurer