We ask urgently for your help and assistance as a predicted but nevertheless concerning surge in coronavirus cases occurs in Baltimore and across the nation. Here at UMBC, we are also seeing a slight but concerning increase in positive cases. At this time, our campus community has the collective power to prevent a surge at UMBC.
We wish to remind students, faculty, and staff, especially those approved to be on campus, of the commitments we have made, both individually and collectively, to keep our colleagues, friends and families safe. Social distancing, mask wearing, and symptom tracking are our most valuable tools. For students living on campus, student gatherings remain prohibited, mask wearing is required, and students found in violation of the Code of Student Conduct will face disciplinary action.
It is now two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday. As students plan to return home and the rest of our community makes holiday plans, we strongly suggest that you begin limiting your activities and exposure to others now in order to minimize risk to those in your household.
Resident students should get tested before returning home and have received information about free, on-campus COVID-19 testing November 16 -18. For commuting students, faculty, and staff, free testing resources are available here.
As we move through the remainder of the semester, it is critical that each of us renews our commitment to be an active partner in keeping our community safe. We deeply appreciate the efforts and sacrifices many in our community have made so far to keep the campus prevalence rate low, and we ask that you be even more vigilant in these final weeks of the semester.
Our hearts go out to our many community members who have already lost friends and family members to this virus. We know that many are fatigued and struggling with the restrictive measures we must take to stay safe. But we also have faith in our community to come together and do what is necessary.
Provost Philip Rous
Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer
COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs