August 13: Retrievers Return Action Update

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 16:18:18 -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 Roadmap website. If you have questions or concerns, please email covid19@umbc.edu.

COVID-19 Testing and Symptom Tracking

Students and employees who are approved to be on campus this fall are receiving more information this week about testing and symptom tracking requirements directly via email.

Beginning today, August 13, all students and employees approved to be on campus during the fall 2020 semester will be required to complete UMBC’s online symptom tracker every day, seven days a week.

More information about testing and online daily symptom tracking requirements is available on the employee and student sections of the Retrievers Return website.

Student Services and Support

Students can sIgn up for DoIT’s Start of Semester Student Technology Sprints to make sure they are tech "self-sufficient" to learn online. Sessions start on August 16.

An International Student Experience town hall will be held Friday, August 14, at 10 a.m.

Learn about Virtual Navigation of the Job Search During COVID-19 on Friday, August 14, at 2 p.m.

The Mosaic Center presents “Where My People At: Multicultural Engagement at UMBC” on Tuesday, August 18, at 3 p.m.

Save the date for Off-Campus Student Services’ Adult Learners and Veterans Fall Welcome event for new and returning students on Monday, August 24, at 6 p.m.

Business Continuity and Employee Support

Join the Professional Staff Senate, Non-Exempt Staff Senate, and Human Resources on Wednesday, August 19, 3-4:30 p.m., for a virtual town hall to discuss leave options for staff as we prepare for the fall semester. Please RSVP to this myUMBC event if you plan to attend.

Learn more about the Guidelines for Hosting Events for the fall 2020 semester.

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 approved students should be on campus.

Faculty Fall Office Access Requests: If you need to access the campus during the fall semester to prepare course materials for a class that you are teaching, or access to your office to teach online during the fall semester, please submit a Fall Office Access Request. If you need a teaching assistant to also have access to campus for instructional purposes, please include the TA’s information in your request. Please submit your request by August 13, 2020. Decisions will be rendered by August 18, 2020.

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

Mask up in style with a UMBC mask, available at the UMBC Bookstore. More styles are coming soon.

You're invited to UMBC’s Fall Opening Meeting on Thursday, August 20, at 11:30 a.m. Register ASAP for this important annual event, now online. More than 400 community members have already signed up to attend.

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