April 3: UMBC COVID-19 Action Update

April 3: UMBC COVID-19 Action Update

Campus Status: The University is open, with employees working remotely. Facilities will remain closed. Maryland is currently under a Stay at Home Order.

For the most updated information and more information on actions to reduce COVID-19 risks in our community, please visit COVID19.umbc.edu. 

Thank you to everyone that participated in our first-ever virtual Town Hall. We will be posting a recording with captions at covid19.umbc.edu/town-hall.

Student Services and Support

• The Stay Black and Gold Emergency Fund is a resource for UMBC students who face urgent and unexpected financial challenges and is available for students now. Learn more, apply, or donate here.

• The Counseling Center has created a unique series of free interactive workshops to help support students struggling with stress or anxiety.

• Walker Avenue Apartments are owned by the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), and managed by Capstone on Campus Management. MEDCO is issuing prorated refunds to its student residents. Housing charges for these buildings are not processed through UMBC, so refunds will not be processed by UMBC. For more information, contact Capstone on Campus Management.  

• The Census Bureau has issued updated guidance that college students will be counted as they would have if COVID-19 had not occured. UMBC has developed a process by which we will provide the Census Bureau with information for students who were living on the UMBC campus prior to COVID-19, so they will be counted appropriately. Visit UMBC's Census 2020 Resources page for the most up-to-date information.

• University Health Services is providing services remotely, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays. Please visit their website or call 410-455-2542 for more information. 

Academic Continuity

• The Provost has issued Guidance on Remote Instruction setting forth recommended best practices for remote instruction and asking that faculty consider challenges and barriers to access that students may be facing with respect to remote instruction due to differences in time zones, limited access to a computer or the internet, familial duties, military duties, or disabilities.  

• The Academic Success Center has developed FAQs for UMBC’s new Academic and Enrollment Policies in partnership with the Student Government Association and Faculty Senate. 

• UMBC's 24th Annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD), originally scheduled to be held on campus on April 22, will instead take place online from April 22 – 29.

• Students in Internships, Cooperative Education, Research Experiences, Field Placements, and Service-Learning & Community Engagement activities should review the Provost’s Directive for Applied Learning Experiences During COVID-19.

• The Center for Social Science Scholarship is convening an “Ask the Expert” virtual forum on social science responses to COVID-19 featuring faculty panelists. 

Business Continuity and Staff Support

• Business Services is only able to process payments that are University mission critical or essential for research. More information here.

• Employees who have a live paycheck dated Friday, April 3, will have their check delivered to the address listed on their most recent tax forms.

Facilities

• Payroll deduction for faculty and staff parking will discontinue, beginning with the next pay period (April 12).

• Only employees with a letter from their supervisor or students that are approved for late stay should be on campus. If you have an emergency need to visit campus, call UMBC Police Deputy Chief Bruce Perry at 443-677-2195 or Lieutenant Derrick Johns at 410-207-0850.

• The Mailroom will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. --12 p.m. Courier service is currently unchanged.

#UMBCtogether

In the midst of challenging times, the UMBC community always finds ways to support each other. Check out how Retrievers are staying #UMBCtogether even though we’re physically apart:

• https://twitter.com/UMBC_WSoccer/status/1246163802850234368

• https://twitter.com/UMBCsoftball/status/1246146631176724481

• https://twitter.com/CoachCRogers/status/1246112850403373057

• https://twitter.com/keithjbowman/status/1246104135948214272

• https://twitter.com/JLKoesterer/status/1246091270734389248

• https://twitter.com/UMBC_ACSA/status/1246074558819401728

• https://twitter.com/lisamgray7/status/1245844145375248386

• https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hp1c0np6e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

• https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ervvEg0yl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

• https://www.instagram.com/p/B-c55T6h4nB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link