April is Financial Literacy Month!
Retirement & Financial live webinars: Register TODAY!
Maryland Supplemental Retirement Plans (MSRP) is excited to
present live webinars on topics such as: Budgeting, Credit, State Pension,
Healthcare Benefits, Social Security, and more!
MSRP will send you a reminder email with a link to the
webinar one business day prior to the webinar.
These exciting and important live webinars will be presented
by MSRP and Key Speakers on important topics to save you money and help you
plan for your future retirement.
Life and Money: Smart Financial Strategies for Every
Milestone
Key Speaker: SECU (State Employees Credit Union)
Join SECU for expert tips on smart budgeting through life’s
biggest financial moments—buying a home, planning for college, supporting aging
parents, and more. Gain practical strategies, resources, and banking essentials
to take control of your money with confidence.
Understanding Credit and Credit Reports
Key Speaker: University of Maryland Extension
Increase your confidence and improve your abilities to use
and manage credit responsibly. Learn the latest information about what to look
for in your credit report and key factors that impact credit worthiness.
My Income & Retirement Planner
Key Speaker: Nationwide
Discover how this all-in-one digital tool can simplify your
financial planning and help you make informed decisions about your future.
Whether you're just beginning your retirement journey or have more complex
needs, this planner offers the flexibility to adapt to your evolving financial
goals.
Protect YOUR Wealth: Understanding Your Insurance Needs
Key Speaker: MSRP
Lack of insurance can force people into bankruptcy. Learn
about the different types of life insurance, homeowners, and renters’
insurance. This webinar covers the important questions you need to ask while
shopping for a plan that may suit your needs.
My Medicare Matters!
Key Speaker: Nationwide Retirement Institute
Medicare can be confusing. Learn about important enrollment
decisions you need to make as well as Medicare coverage, costs, and more!
Retirement Readiness First Steps Webinar
Key Speaker: MD State Retirement Agency
The Retirement Readiness First Steps webinar provides a
general overview of the survivor, disability, and retirement benefits
administered by Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (SRPS) – including
descriptions of service retirement eligibility rules, vesting criteria, and
ways to obtain additional qualifying service credit. This presentation is
designed for early career and mid-career members of the Employees’ and
Teachers’ Retirement and Pension Systems.
Social Security: Fundamentals for Every Age
Key Speaker: MSRP
Join our webinar to learn the basics of Social Security,
including eligibility for retirement benefits, the impact of early retirement,
and how spousal and survivor’s benefits work. We’ll also show you how to access
your "my Social Security Account" and use other online tools.
Estate Planning and Legal Considerations
Key Speaker: Bress Raut Law, LLC
Learn the latest strategies to conform your estate planning
to current laws and help avert costly mistakes. Explore inexpensive ways to
avoid probate and learn the basics of Trusts.
Investing Basics: Managing Market Volatility
Key Speaker: MSRP
Understanding the fundamentals of investing can help you
make informed investment decisions—even in uncertain times. Learn practical
strategies to manage market volatility and stay focused on your long-term
financial goals.
What You Need to Know About Your State Healthcare Benefits
Key Speaker: MD Dept of Budget and Management
This webinar covers key topics about State
retiree health benefits, including eligibility, premium subsidies, and
Medicare.
ALL MSRP WEBINARS ARE APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES IN LENGTH.
Any employee can attend an MSRP webinar, regardless of their retirement plan.
In March, Ultra's update includes two new course reports, an exciting rubric enhancement requested by faculty, and improvements to the AI Course Design Assistant.
Located on the Analytics page, the two new course reports focus on goals. The Course Goal Coverage Report provides a comprehensive view of goal coverage in the course, including a detailed breakdown of course items aligned with goals. The Course Goal Performance Report evaluates how a course meets selected goals, including a detailed breakdown for individual students and goals. These reports do not include third-party tools and uses snapshot data that is up to 24 hours old.
Instructors will be able to pop out the grading rubric into a separate window when grading an assignment. Formatted in a grid view, the pop-out rubric is a separate, movable window. Popping out a rubric allows an instructor to view a student's submission and the rubric side-by-side for a more efficient grading experience. However, the expand icon for popping out a rubric will only appear if the primary browser window is sufficiently large enough to display enough of the course page. Instructors will be able to print a blank or completed rubric using their browser's print function.
Image 1: Example of new pop-out rubric
Content Creation & Management
AI Course Design Assistant
Communication & Engagement
- Long discussion posts are now fully visible without scrolling.
- Posts have a gray background for better contrast.
- The number of posts and replies now appears on the discussion home page, replacing the total response counter.
- The Edit button is now directly accessible from each post.
Assessments & Grading
- If an instructor hides an assessment while students are actively taking it, those with the test open can continue without disruption.
- Instructors can configure the visibility of calculated columns from Items Management, streamlining the gradebook view. (Note: The Overall Grade column remains visible at all times.)
- The layout for the Test Submission Page for students now mirrors the assignment submission page update from September 2024, ensuring feedback is clearly presented.
Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around March 6-7, 2025. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on March 11, 2025; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.
Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
Thumbnail-image: New to Ultra [decorative]
The State Wellness Program's aim is to motivate, inspire, and
educate employees through monthly wellness webinars (live and on-demand), healthy challenges,
guided meditations, wellness coaching, and much more.
March invites us to embrace Spring - and to also celebrate National Nutrition Month! This month is a fantastic opportunity to focus on eating habits and learn more about nutrition to help you make smart food choices for yourself and your family. Let the Wellness Program support you as you "march" toward healthier eating habits as part of your 2025 Thrive Journey!
Challenge! Spring Into Motion
Starts March 17th!
It's time to Spring into Wellness with this challenge! Spring Into Motion will inspire you to move more and discover Spring things such as adorable baby animals, vibrant blossoms, gardening tips, healthy recipes, and more. Whether you're a beginner or a fitness enthusiast, Spring Into Motion will help boost your energy and overall well-being during this season of renewal and beyond.
Mindful Mondays: Mindful Eating
Monday, 3/10, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Healthy Eating Made Easy
Do you want to make smart food choices but find it challenging to decipher health claims and nutritional information on food packaging? In this session, you'll learn just what to look for on labels and other tips to make food shopping easier. You'll also get ideas for meals and snacks and tips on meal prepping.
Register for 3/10 Healthy Eating Made Easy
Monday, 3/17, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Mindful Eating Habits Made Easy
Think of the last meal you ate - how did you know you were done eating? Studies at Cornell University show that you may eat until there is a visual cue that influences how much you eat. For instance, if you ate chicken wings in that meal and the bones were left on your plate, they served as the visual cue to stop eating. However, if the bones were immediately discarded so that you could no longer see them, you may have continued to eat. Mindful eating incorporates strategies like the visual cue so that more attention is given to your eating habits!
Register for 3/17 Mindful Eating Habits Made Easy
Monday, 3/24, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Curbing Your Cravings Made Easy
Do you reach for a snack when you feel down or upset? If so, you're not alone! It's common to turn to food to help cope with big, difficult feelings. Eating activates the brain's reward system and makes you feel better - in the short term. Learn your personal common triggers and strategies to reduce emotional eating for the long term in this webinar.!
Register for 3/24 Curbing Your Cravings Made Easy
Tuesday: It's Mardi Gras For All!
Tuesday, 3/11, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Jambalaya
Dive into pure Louisiana comfort with this one-pot wonder that's packed with smoky sausage, juicy chicken, and aromatic spices. Every bite is a celebration of Creole goodness!
Register for 3/11 Jambalaya
Tuesday, 3/18, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Shrimp Creole
Turn up the heat with this bold and saucy New Orleans classic! You'll master the perfect balance of spices, tomatoes, and tender shrimp for a dish that sings with flavor.
Register for 3/18 Shrimp Creole
Tuesday, 3/25, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Beignets
Get ready to fry, dust, and indulge! These pillowy dough pockets showered in powdered sugar are golden perfection. Synonymous with New Orleans, they will transport you straight to the streets of the French Quarter!
Register for 3/25 Beignets
Healthy U Wednesdays: A Dietitian Explains Series
Wednesday, 3/12, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: A Dietitian Explains Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND Diets
Wednesday, 3/19, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Meal Prepping Made Easy - Lunch and Dinner
As lunch and dinner are often your heavier meals, they can make a large impact on your overall nutrition - which means it's important to eat healthier at these meals. This session is packed with information on the components of healthier lunches and dinners, different meal prepping techniques, and realistic strategies to fit your lifestyle and preferences. As a bonus you'll get fun and easy recipes!
Register for 3/19 Meal Prepping Made Easy - Lunch and Dinner
Wednesday, 3/26, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Meal Prepping Made Easy - Breakfasts and Snacks
You asked and our Registered Dietitian, Amy, delivers! A balanced breakfast provides more than just fuel for the morning - it's an opportunity to lay the foundation for smart food choices throughout the day. And a balanced snack does more than satisfy a craving - it stabilizes your blood sugar and actually decreases your cravings for sugary foods. Amy will provide examples of balanced breakfasts and snacks so that you choose the ones that work best for you.
Register for 3/16 Meal Prepping Made Easy - Breakfasts and Snacks
Thursday Wellness Focus: Nutrition
Thursday, 3/13, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Plant-based Meal Planning
A plant-based diet does not mean that you can't eat meat! It means that your meals mostly consist of plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, and more. These provide essential nutrients to support a healthy immune system, healthy heart, and healthy weight. Learn how to create meals that meet all your nutritional needs by incorporating plant-based proteins and foods.
Register for 3/13 Plant-based Meal Planning
Thursday, 3/20, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Spice Up Your Meals!
Pass the pepper, not the salt! Amplify the flavor of almost any dish and add a layer of nutrition with a sprinkle of herbs or a twist of ground black pepper. Discover the benefits of adding herbs and spices to your meals to take your tastebuds to a new dimension!
Register for 3/20 Spice Up Your Meals
Thursday, 3/27, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Eating to Maximize Your Workouts
Maintaining an active lifestyle is dependent on eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting plenty of good-quality sleep, and much more. In this nutrition-focused session, you'll learn how to choose foods that help you maintain an active lifestyle.
Register for 3/27 Eating to Maximize Your Workouts
Fridays: Guided Meditations for Spring Renewal
Friday, 3/7, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Noticing What Brings You Joy
A pleasant way to experience mindfulness is to notice what brings you joy. In this guided meditation, you'll take a short virtual walk in your favorite place - at a park, on a trail, or around your block - as you notice the sights, feelings, and sounds that you like.
Register for 3/7 Noticing What Brings You Joy
Friday, 3/14, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Your Inner Child Meditation
Experience your very own Spring playdate with your inner child in this guided meditation. Your inner child, always with you, serves as a reminder that you can be serious at times and playful at other times. It's a great balance!
Register for 3/14 Your Inner Child Meditation
Friday, 3/21, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Intention to be Happy
Sometimes your thoughts may not be loving or caring toward yourself. Tune into your capacity for self-care and self-love as you acknowledge your desire to be happy in this guided meditation..
Register for 3/21 Intention to be Happy
Friday, 3/28, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Filling Your Cup
It's officially Spring! In this guided meditation, you'll virtually experience your favorite Spring things - the feeling of grass beneath your feet, the sounds of birds in the trees, and the sight and smell of flowers blossoming to fill your cup of Spring appreciation!
Register for 3/28 Filling Your CupMSRP/Nationwide webinars are open to all Faculty and Staff.
Click here to Register. All webinars
are approximately 45 minutes in length.
How to Plan for
Taxes in Retirement
It’s important
to know how to develop a successful retirement tax strategy. In this webinar we
will discuss how to manage the impact of taxes in retirement, the basics of how
Social Security will be taxed, and what the Maryland Pension Exclusion means
for you!
March 12th at
11 am
March 13th at 1
pm
March 18th at 1
pm
March 20th at
11 am
My Income & Retirement Planner
Learn how the My Income & Retirement Planner (online
tool) can simplify financial planning and help you make informed decisions
about your future. Whether you're just beginning your retirement journey or
have more complex needs, this planner can adapt to your evolving financial
goals.
March 27th at
11 am
March 31st at 1
pm
Walk Me Through: Online Enrollment Tutorial
Let's Enroll Together! Enroll in real-time in a Maryland
Supplemental Retirement Plan, i.e. 457(b), 401(k), or 403(b). During the
webinar, a Nationwide representative will walk you through, step by step,
explaining how you can easily enroll in approximately 10 minutes.
You must have your 6-digit payroll code (360231) and
payroll type (University of Maryland) to enroll.
March 6th at 11
am
March 6th at 1
pm
March 25th at
11 am
March 25th at 1
pm
MSRP Basics: Building Your Financial Foundation
This is a comprehensive overview designed to help you take
full advantage of the State of Maryland’s Supplemental Retirement Plans.
Whether you’re a new employee or looking to refresh your knowledge, this
session will cover how these plans work, their benefits, and how you can start
building a secure financial future.
March 12th at 1
pm
March 18th at
11 am
Beyond the Basics: MSRP Strategies for Every Stage of
Your Career
As a State of Maryland employee, you have access to
exclusive savings opportunities through the Maryland Supplemental Retirement
Plans. This webinar provides an in-depth look at practical and effective
strategies to help you maximize these benefits at every stage of your career.
March 13th at
11 am
March 20th at 1
pm
Click here to Register. All webinars are approximately 45 minutes in length.
]]>
MSRP/Nationwide webinars are open to all Faculty and Staff. Click here to Register. All webinars are approximately 45 minutes in length. How to Plan for Taxes in Retirement It’s...
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State Wellness webinars: February 2025
Heart Health & Black History month
The State Wellness Program is here to motivate, inspire, and
educate employees through monthly wellness webinars (live and on-demand), healthy challenges,
guided meditations, wellness coaching, and much more.
Highlighted webinar:
Tuesday, 2/11, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Building Wealth in the Black Community
Closing the racial wealth gap isn't a simple fix, but many experts say that financial education is a great way to start. In this easy-to-follow workshop provided by MetLife, you will gain insight into the importance of credit scores, life and disability income insurance, investing, and legacy planning.
Register for 2/11 Building Wealth in the Black Community
Mindful Mondays: Finding Joy
Monday, 2/24, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Benefits of
Positivity at Work
Adopting a positive mindset at work has been shown to help
you stay motivated, work better with others, make good decisions, recognize
opportunities that come your way and more. Learn how to put a positive spin on
work to truly appreciate what you do!
Register for 2/24 The Benefits of Positivity at Work
Tuesday: Dishes to
Make Your Taste Buds Dance!
Tuesday, 2/18, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Decadent
Chocolate Brownies
Valentine's Day celebrations continue! These moist yet chewy
brownies with a perfect crispy-crackly top are gooey in all the right places
and come together in a snap. Harvard researchers found that the flavonoids in
chocolate support heart health!
Register for 2/18 Decadent Chocolate Brownies
Healthy U Wednesdays: Love Your Heart
Wednesday, 2/12, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Heart Healthy
Diet
Nutrition is a controllable factor that can help keep your
heart in tip-top shape. In this webinar, you'll get tips on how to easily add
healthy and delicious foods that are within your budget.
Register for 2/12 Heart Healthy Diet
Wednesday, 2/19, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Stress and
Your Heart Health
While stress may not directly cause heart attacks, it can
lead to high blood pressure, increased plaque buildup in arteries, and reduced
blood flow to the heart. All of these increase your heart attack risk. This
webinar presents more information on how stress impacts heart health and
suggestions for stress management.
Register for 2/19 Stress and Your Heart Health
Wednesday, 2/26, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Sleep and Your
Heart Health
Sleep plays a crucial role in heart health and getting
enough quality sleep is essential. In 2022, the American Heart Association
added sleep to their checklist of health and lifestyle factors for good heart
health. Learn more about the relationship between heart health and sleep and
get recommendations for better quality sleep.
Register for 2/26 Sleep and Your Heart Health
Thursday Wellness Focus: Show Your Heart Some
Love!
Thursday, 2/13, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Cholesterol and
You
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your
body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol
can increase your risk of heart disease. Learn how to prevent and manage high
cholesterol.
Register for 2/13 Cholesterol and You
Thursday, 2/20, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: What the Heart
Wants
Give your heart what it wants - good health! Join this
engaging webinar led by a physician to discover how to maintain a healthy heart
and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Register for 2/20 What the Heart Wants
Thursday, 2/27, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Heart-Healthy
Smile
90% of systemic conditions like heart disease impact oral
health, and the reverse is true - oral health issues can negatively impact
heart health. Learn more about this fascinating relationship and ways to manage
oral health for optimal health outcomes.
Register for 2/27 Heart-Healthy Smile
Fridays: Guided Meditations for Heart Health
Friday, 2/14, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Daily Practice
for Love and Happiness
What better day than Valentine's Day to remember that we all
want the same thing - to be loved! In this guided meditation, you'll experience
appreciation and love for yourself and others. This will be so uplifting that
you'll want to practice this every day of the year!
Register for 2/14 Daily Practice for Love and Happiness
Friday, 2/21, 11:00 am - 11:15 am:
Mind Appreciation
Express wonder and appreciation for your miraculous mind and
the variety of thoughts that flow through it. Express gratitude for its
complexity such as its ability to understand, process, and reflect what has
happened and what your future will bring in this enlightening guided
meditation.
Register for 2/21 Mind Appreciation
Friday, 2/28, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Giving Gladness to
Your Heart and Mind
Offer gratitude and kindness to your thinking mind to bring
it a sense of peace. This peace will benefit your heart as your heart beat
slows and your breathing deepens. Enjoy this opportunity to give gratitude to
your thinking mind - your heart and mind will thank you back!
Register for 2/28 Giving Gladness to Your Heart and Mind
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The State Wellness Program is here to motivate, inspire, and educate employees through monthly wellness webinars (live and on-demand), healthy challenges, guided meditations, wellness coaching,...
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