This month, thrive with one small step, such as scheduling a health screening check-up, as a powerful move toward the future you want to live. This simple step will help catch chronic conditions early, helping you manage them effectively and prevent complications down the road. Your future self will thank you!
Monday, November 10, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: What is Self-Compassion
Self-compassion means showing yourself the same kindness and understanding you'd offer a close friend - especially when life gets tough. Instead of beating yourself up with harsh criticism, learn to embrace your flaws, forgive your mistakes, and nurture your well-being. Discover how self-compassion can boost your physical health, sharpen your mental clarity, and help you thrive emotionally.
Register for 11/10 What is Self-Compassion
Monday, November 17, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: What is Self-Acceptance
Self-acceptance isn't just a buzzword - it's a superpower! By embracing every part of who you are, even the messy, imperfect bits, you unlock a deeper kind of love and respect for yourself. Tap into the transformative magic of self-acceptance and discover how it can elevate your confidence, strengthen your relationships, and bring peace to your inner world.
Register for 11/17 What is Self-Acceptance
Wednesday, November 5, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Healthy Habits for Success
Research shows that practicing healthy habits leads to good physical, mental, and financial well-being, fulfilling relationships, and career success. Unlock your potential in these areas and start building your own path to thrive.
Register for 11/5 Healthy Habits for Success
Wednesday, November 12, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Natural Ways to Fight Colds and Flu
Join to learn how to protect you and your family from colds and the flu. Natural ways to manage cold and flu symptoms will also be shared.
Thursday, November 6, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Chair Pilates
Experience the power of Pilates! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, this class is designed for you. Get ready to feel empowered, refreshed, and stronger - like a core workout meets a mini-retreat just for you!
Register for 11/6 Chair Pilates
Friday, November 7, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Experience of Gratitude
In this guided meditation you'll experience a deep appreciation for the positive aspects of your life. Continue to practice this for a gratitude-filled holiday season!
Register for 11/7 Experience of Gratitude
Friday, November 14, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Filling Your Cup of Gratitude
You can continue to fill your gratitude cup to the brim by learning how to recognize small gratitude moments in this guided meditation.
Register for 11/14 Filling Your Cup of Gratitude
Tips for a Healthier You
Friday, November 7, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Understanding Diabetes
Deepen your understanding of the risk factors that contribute to developing Type 2 Diabetes and build skills that support healthier blood sugar levels.
Register for 11/7 Understanding Diabetes
Friday, November 14, 11:30 - 11:45 am: Living Tobacco Free
Quitting tobacco is a difficult, yet necessary, step in living a healthier and longer life. Learn the risks of continuing to use tobacco, the benefits of quitting tobacco, and ways to support your quit journey.
This November, the Division of Institutional Equity has a full lineup of events and opportunities for the UMBC community. All events and opportunities across the division are open to full participation by all community members. Here's how you can get involved!
Join the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services for a guided tour of UMBC's "Campus on a Hill" on November 10th & 19th. Accessibility is everyone's responsibility, and this is a great opportunity to learn about campus accessibility features, challenges, and how you can be an effective Accessibility Ally! Registration and additional information about the tours can be found here: [November 10 & November 19]
This virtual training session will cover topics such as an overview of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR), what constitutes prohibited conduct under university policy, responding to a disclosure, procedures for reporting and resolving reports of prohibited conduct, trauma-informed care, confidentiality, and other applicable policies and procedures. Registration and additional information can be found here [ November 10 & November 21]
UMBC is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of the campus community and is committed to maintaining a campus environment that is free from sex discrimination, including both sexual and gender-based harassment and violence. To help meet these goals, UMBC requires all students to complete an online educational program on topics including consent, bystander intervention, sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, stalking, and related topics. All students are required to complete this training at the start of each academic year. The online training can be accessed at UMBC's Vector Solutions login page. For questions, please see the Student Training FAQ page or email ecrtraining@umbc.edu.
Join us for the first session of this fall's Inclusive Excellence in Action series " Using Microaffirmations to Foster Psychological Safety for Faculty and Staff ". Participants will reflect on our shared responsibility to uplift one another, especially when safety falters, and leave equipped with a practical, values-grounded toolkit of microaffirmations to nurture respect, belonging, and inclusive excellence across campus.
November is Native American History Month. Stay tuned for our 'Read, Watch, Listen, Participate' post.
Join the Center for Social Justice Dialogue for a fun and reflective evening of storytelling, dialogue and community. Attendees will learn about the importance of storytelling and how stories cand be told through stitching. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Join the Center for Social Justice and Dialogue for the final session of this series, "Imagining Justice & Belonging Together". Participants will explore actionable ways to foster a culture of care, connection, and collective responsibility.
Leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance, the WGEC invites community members to make a quilt square to honor those who have lost their lives to transphobia.
Note: All programs, events, and opportunities are open to full participation by all individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and University nondiscrimination policies.
In August, DoIT announced that UMBC will transition to YuJa as our new video capture and hosting platform, replacing Panopto. YuJa is a modern video system with advanced editing capabilities, active learning quizzing, detailed analytics, accessibility support, and sophisticated content sharing options. While migrating to YuJa now – to be ready for the Spring 2026 term – is challenging, doing so also reduces ongoing concerns about Panopto's media and folder management, pace of feature development, and increasing fees.
"In anticipation of my winter session course, I was able to quickly and easily migrate my videos to YuJa," said Tara Carpenter, Chemistry, who teaches UMBC's largest courses, CHEM 101 & 102. "I was also able to download the YuJa software and prepare to record a video in just a few minutes without prior training. Not only is it easy to use, but the features look amazing for professors and students."
YuJa is now fully available to campus users with access via Blackboard and myUMBC login. You can start using YuJa for recording and hosting video content right away!
What happens to existing Panopto video content?
UMBC plans to migrate all video content from Panopto and it will take two key stages to move this media between two vendors. Starting November 10th, Panopto is preparing our video content for export, including compiling a large metadata file with user information, video titles, associated closed captions, corresponding edits, and embedded quizzes. This stage of the process can take up to four weeks. The second stage will require YuJa to import the video content, which can take another four weeks to process. At this time, we estimate the video migration to conclude around January 9, 2026, allowing for the holiday break and barring unforeseen technical issues. If we anticipate delays, we will notify the campus.
When can I access my existing media in YuJa?
During the migration, you will be able to access your imported Panopto content as soon as each media file is processed to your YuJa account. You will find your content in your Media Management page, associated with your user profile, and from there, you can share it with your courses. You do NOT have to wait until the entire migration is finished to use your imported content in YuJa or to start recording new videos in YuJa.
What happens if I need access to existing Panopto content for Winter classes and it is not yet available in my YuJa account?
Panopto will still function for viewing content in Blackboard and via other sharing options. However, if you are concerned now about your winter course, you can self-migrate content, or if you wait for the bulk migration and you do not see your content in YuJa, please contact Instructional Technology via RT ticket by December 22, 2025, for specific support in this scenario.
Can I move my own content?
Yes, of course! Faculty and staff who have small video collections, or videos without edits and quizzes, can choose to move their own content at any point once YuJa is available. This is an optional step available to faculty who prefer to manage their own videos. You may encounter duplicate videos as imported content appears, which can be removed as you determine.
How will I know about the status of the migration?
Instructional Technology will also post updates via myUMBC and via pop-up message in Blackboard once the migration begins with periodic progress reports about the status of the migration.
Will DoIT keep all migrated content in YuJa?
After a period of time, some migrated video will be marked for removal -- for example, video that is orphaned since users are no longer with UMBC. Additionally, DoIT will establish video retention policies based on a variety of criteria such as lack of views over a certain period of time or copyright violation. These criteria will be vetted in collaboration with the Faculty Senate Computer Policy Committee by early Fall 2026 along with storage quotas for all users.
Can I keep using Panopto during the content migration?
Yes, you can still share and view content, including media used in Fall courses. However, we recommend that you do not use Panopto to record new media starting November 10th since YuJa will have the list of content it is importing. If you choose to create new videos in Panopto during the migration, you will need to move that media yourself from Panopto to YuJa once the migration ends. There will not be another bulk migration after the first one concludes. If at all possible, please start using YuJa now if you need to record new media.
When does Panopto access end?
Access to Panopto via Blackboard will end on December 22, 2025 after the fall semester concludes. This means that the tool will not be available in Blackboard courses and organizations, but video content will still be available in Panopto to view until the end of our license. Users can still log into Panopto via myUMBC until March 23, 2026 to download and move any remaining video content. UMBC's contract with Panopto ends on March 25, 2026, at which point we will no longer have access to the platform.
What training is coming for YuJa?
Instructional Technology will offer the following workshops on getting started in YuJa as well as two Video Production Labs in January to offer 1-1 support for migrating your media. Please review our upcoming schedule on myUMBC, or register for one of these events:
Additional training will be scheduled.
Follow the Instructional Technology myUMBC group for more information about YuJa updates and training events. To log into YuJa via myUMBC, please visit umbc.edu/go/yuja. To review the documentation, please visit umbc.edu/go/yujafaqs. Additional questions about the migration are addressed in this Google Doc.
These financial webinars are open to all Faculty and Staff, regardless of your retirement plan or vendor.
Register for TIAA’s live webinars to get financial information, news and tips from their experts.
Reserve your spot by clicking the registration links below. These webinars are a part of your retirement plan benefits.
Wednesday, November 5, 12pm to 1pm: Naming beneficiaries: Why it matters
Naming beneficiaries to financial accounts is something we hear a lot about, but know we will learn why taking care of it is important!
Learn:
Wednesday, November 13, 3pm to 4pm: How to get the most out of retirement income
Learn how to plan ahead and create income that lasts a lifetime. Develop a diversified income strategy to manage risk and protect financial security in retirement.
They will discuss how to:
Digital Accessibility 101: Principles and Practices
What is digital accessibility, and why does it matter in your course? If a student couldn't access your materials, would you know what to do -- or how to fix it? Join this session to learn the foundational principles of digital accessibility, legal context, and core practices. We'll share tips for creating accessible images and Blackboard content, and where to find training support.
Session Objectives
Explain the importance of digital accessibility in higher education.
Describe basic steps faculty can take to improve course accessibility.
Define alternative text and best practices for writing descriptive alt text
Review accessibility settings available in Blackboard courses and organizations
Whether you're building a new course or updating old materials, this virtual session will give you practical steps to get started.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 (12 pm - 12:50 pm)
Design Accessible Courses: Leverage UDL and Quality Matters Standard 8 for Content Remediation and Inclusive Learning Experiences
Creating accessible and inclusive courses requires thoughtful consideration of diverse learning styles and strategies that foster engaging learning experiences. The foundational concepts of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—providing multiple means of Representation, Action and Expression, and Engagement—are strongly supported by the Quality Matters (QM) Higher Education Rubric, specifically General Standard 8: Accessibility and Usability.
Session Objectives
Explain alignment between QM Standard 8 and the three core principles of UDL.
Apply remediation techniques for text and images (QM 8.3, 8.4) after identifying course barriers with a course accessibility report from Anthology Ally.
Develop a "plus-one" action plan to implement UDL by modifying one course component to offer flexible learning options.
By proactively reviewing QM Standard 8 and using UDL's core principles, you can move beyond accessibility compliance to intentionally building an inclusive learning environment for all students.
Thursday, November 6, 2025 (12 pm - 12:50 pm)
Create your Digital Accessibility Action Plan
Whether you are beginning or continuing your journey to create or remediate accessible content, this session will help you define your personalized action plan to improve digital accessibility in your course. Participants will leave with clear next steps to implement digital accessibility best practices.
Session Objectives
Identify technology tools like Anthology Ally for creating or remediating digital content
Describe 3 easy fixes for common PDF accessibility issues identified by Ally
Recall strategies for creating or remediating PDF files to improve accessibility
Create an action plan to support accessibility goals in your course, including appropriate technologies
In this session, participants will have the chance to create an action plan that reflects on the changes they have already made and identifies next steps or resources to keep building an inclusive digital learning environment.
Register for Free NDLW Events
This year's NDLW events take place November 3-7, 2025. All sessions are free to attend, but require registration via USDLA.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology, please consider the following options:
Check our extensive FAQ collection & Supported Technologies
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Join us for Inclusive Excellence in Action, a semesterly series highlighting key inclusion, belonging, access practices and behavior at UMBC. Each session will offer practical insights into the work in these areas, share valuable resources, and equip participants with actionable skills and behaviors to foster inclusivity in their personal and professional lives. This engaging series will inspire and empower our community to implement inclusive excellence daily.
Grounded in UMBC's vision of redefining excellence through an inclusive, collaborative culture, this Inclusive Excellence in Action session invites us to harness the small, intentional gestures—microaffirmations—that strengthen psychological safety and everyday belonging. Whether it's affirming someone's name or pronouns, giving thoughtful recognition, or inviting quieter voices into the conversation, these actions disrupt exclusion, foster dialogue, and reinforce trust. Together, participants will reflect on our shared responsibility to uplift one another, especially when safety falters, and leave equipped with a practical, values-grounded toolkit of microaffirmations to nurture respect, belonging, and inclusive excellence across campus. Register here: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/doie/events/147642
This session centers on embedding microaffirmations and microresistance into everyday campus life. Participants will learn how to proactively address bias, respond confidently to microaggressions, and foster a sense of belonging through intentional gestures and effective communication strategies. Drawing on Dr. Floyd Cheung's research and experience, participants will walk away with practical, values-driven tools, such as OTFD and ACTION, to build inclusive and trusted spaces for students and colleagues alike. Register here:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/doie/events/147644
To request accommodation(s) or to inquire about event accessibility, please get in touch with each program office directly. All sessions are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.
On Tuesday, November 18, UMBC will host its own Fix Your Course Content Day, dedicated to improving the accessibility of digital course materials in Blackboard. This one-day push is a chance for faculty, staff, and instructional designers to review Ally accessibility reports, make fixes, and strengthen our commitment to inclusive teaching.
Why Fix Content?
What to Do on November 18
Here's a simple roadmap you can follow:
1. Review your Ally report.
Log into your course and go to Books & Tools from the right navigation menu to access your Ally accessibility report. Note your starting score. Prioritize files you use most (syllabus, major readings, assignment sheets, etc.) or where you have inaccessible images that impact meaningful content.
2. Make at least 3 targeted fixes.
Use the Ally "repair" workflow (built into Blackboard) to take action:
3. Strive for 85.
As you make your fixes, aim for an Ally score of 85 percent or higher in your courses. This benchmark represents solid progress toward accessible, student-ready materials. Each improvement -- adding alt text, correcting headings, or replacing scanned PDFs -- moves your score closer to 85, or exceeds it, and helps ensure your course is usable for every learner.
4. Document or share progress.
Record which courses and files you've improved. If you'd like to be recognized with a microcredential for your portfolio or LinkedIn profile, submit your results using this Google Form. Instructional Technology will also share the top five departmental improvements.
5. Reflect and plan next steps.
Think about recurring patterns in your courses (e.g. many scanned articles, many images lacking alt text). Use that insight to inform future course redesign or content creation. Consider sharing your top three fixes with your departmental to help normalize accessible practices across campus.
A Few Tips to Make It Easier
On November 18, join us in making a measurable impact on our course content. Whether you fix three items or thirty, your work matters. Let's make UMBC's digital learning environment more inclusive together.
Ready to take the first step? Visit UMBC’s Digital Accessibility site or run an Ally course report today. Support is also available from Student Disability Services and Instructional Technology.
Friday, October 17
Monday, October 20
Tuesday, October 21
Friday, October 24
Monday, October 27
Thursday, October 30
Tuesday, November 4
Friday, November 7
Estate planning is more than a will. From getting an early start on your financial plan (hello, compounding!) to naming someone you trust for health care and financial decisions—plus ways to create a legacy for the people and causes you care about—this free series during National Estate Planning Awareness Week covers the essentials and beyond. (Reminder: if you don’t make your own arrangements, the courts and state will decide for you.)