July 23: Retrievers Return Action Update

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 20:19:11 -0400
covid19update

Campus Status: UMBC is open, with most students, faculty, and staff studying, teaching, and working remotely. Facilities remain closed. If you have an emergency, please call UMBC Police at (410) 455-5555. Maryland is currently under a Safer at Home Order. However, travel and other restrictions remain in Baltimore County and other areas.

The latest campus updates are posted on the Retrievers Return website. If you have questions or concerns, please email covid19@umbc.edu.

Student Services and Support

The student cost to attend UMBC has been reduced for the fall 2020 semester. Learn more here.

Check out the latest Stay Connected with Student Affairs, including an announcement about Welcome Week.

Students can take the online Leadership Challenge to explore different paths to leadership, and have meaningful discussions about leadership with other UMBC students.

Learn five things students should know about UMBC Financial Aid resources.

Read an update on Library services for fall 2020.

The Behavioral Risk Assessment and Consultation Team (BRACT) supports community members who experience behaviors of concern within and among the UMBC community. To report or consult about behaviors of concern, please email bract@umbc.edu. To learn more about behaviors of concern, please view these important videos.

Business Continuity and Staff Support

Effective immediately, Contingent I positions will no longer require hiring exception approval. Both new and renewal contracts may be submitted following standard procedures. Information about the hiring freeze and hiring exception process is available through Human Resources.

Phase 2 of the Return to On-Campus Work plan will begin on August 3. Most employees will continue to work remotely; some will be needed on campus. Whether working remotely or on campus, employees might face childcare and/or family care challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supervisors and department heads are asked to make every effort to be flexible in accommodating the needs of their employees. Supportive measures, resources, and leave options may include the following:

Frequent well-being check-ins

Temporary modified work schedules

Leave under Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

Emergency Family Medical Leave (EFML)

Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL)

Consideration of on-campus childcare (Y Preschool)

If employees test positive for COVID-19 or have reason to self-isolate, they may be eligible for Emergency Paid Sick Leave. Please contact HR for more details.

Campus Access

UMBC’s buildings are secured, with some employees and research teams on campus and taking appropriate health and safety precautions. Only employees with permission from their supervisor, approved researchers, and/or approved students should be on campus.

Faculty Summer Access Requests: If you need to access the campus to prepare course materials for a class that you are teaching this fall, or access to your office to teach online during the summer, please submit a Summer 2020 Campus Access Request Form.

Faculty Fall Access Survey: Please respond to this quick Fall 2020 Faculty Office Access Interest Survey by July 28.

If you have a one-time emergency need to visit campus and have gained appropriate approval(s) but do not have keys to gain access to the building/office that you need to visit, please call UMBC Police Deputy Chief Bruce Perry at (443) 677-2195 or Lieutenant Derrick Johns at (410) 207-0850.

UMBC Together

Visit the UMBC Together myUMBC group for a weekly events spotlight.