Announcement: Biological Sciences Course Renumbering
BIOL 142 becomes BIOL 140 in Spring 2026!
The Biological Sciences Department announces a change in course numbering among the introductory courses in Biology. This change affects the majors (BIOL, BIOC, BINF, and BIOE) and minors (BIOL, BINF, BIOQ) offered by the Biological Sciences Department, and may have impacts for other majors and programs that include the courses described below.
In 2010, the Biological Sciences Department established two introductory Biology courses for their majors and minors:
- BIOL 141 Foundations of Biology: Cells, Energy and Organisms
- BIOL 142 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution
These courses were in an enforced sequence - BIOL 141 was a prerequisite for BIOL 142.
Starting with the Spring 2026 semester, BIOL 142 will be renumbered to BIOL 140, making the new introductory courses for Biological Sciences Department majors and minors:
- BIOL 140 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution
- BIOL 141 Foundations of Biology: Cells, Energy and Organisms
These courses will not be an enforced sequence, to allow Bio Track Chemical Engineering majors to enroll directly into BIOL 141.
Beginning with Spring 2026 Course Registration and continuing forward, you will no longer find BIOL 142 listed in the Schedule of Classes.
What does this mean for majors and minors?
If you have taken BIOL 141 and BIOL 142: You’re all set! You have already fulfilled your Intro Biology requirement and do not need to take BIOL 140. Just be aware of the numbering change, as documents like the Undergraduate Catalog, Departmental major worksheets, etc., will be updated to reflect the new course numbering.
If you have taken only BIOL 141: Simply take BIOL 140 as your next class, as you will not be able to register for the course as BIOL 142. Degree audit has been set up to recognize that BIOL 140 and BIOL 142 are equivalent, and nothing will be required on your part. It will fulfill your Intro Biol requirement for your major.
If you have taken neither course: We recommend that you take BIOL 140 first (possibly along with CHEM 101 or 102). Your understanding of some of the topics covered in BIOL 141 may be enhanced by having some background knowledge in chemistry, so you can give yourself some extra time to complete CHEM coursework by taking BIOL 140 first. We do not recommend taking BIOL 140 and BIOL 141 at the same time, even though the courses are not in an enforced sequence.
If you are transfer student who took Intro Biology at another institution: If the course you took elsewhere was already considered equivalent to BIOL 142, then it will transfer in to UMBC and be considered equivalent to BIOL 140. There is nothing you need to do.
If you are in a major that is administered by a department other than Biological Sciences that is affected by this change: Please see your academic advisor for your major for guidance.
If you have any questions, please contact the advisor for your major, CNMS Advising, or the Biological Sciences Department.
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The Biological Sciences Department announces a change in course numbering among the introductory courses in Biology. This change affects the majors (BIOL, BIOC, BINF, and BIOE) and minors (BIOL,...
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New Course Number! BIOL 142 becomes BIOL 140 in Spring 2026
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Provost Newsletter: Oct. 17, 2025
From The Provost's Perch (Thanks for the suggestion, Rick)
Happy Friday and welcome to the fourth installment of the Provost Newsletter.
What's in a name?
Turns out the polling feature is only accessible by clicking through to the myUMBC posting. With that now sorted, we'll keep the newsletter name poll up for an additional week to allow everyone a chance to vote for their preferred choice.
(Scroll, scroll, click, scroll, scroll, vote, smile knowing you have made the world [or at least this newsletter] a better place.)
Just Breathe
There is so much to love about this time of Fall semester! The leaves are turning and the air is crisp. It is also a time when I realize we are well beyond the start of the academic year, there is much work left to be done, but the end of the semester is not close (yet). Sometimes, in order to keep going, we need to take a pause. As a faculty member, I enjoyed reading "The Slow Professor." It provided me with the insight that more is sometimes counterproductive and that reflection and pause can actually lead to our best work (and a healthier version of ourselves). Take time for reflection or take a deep breath.
For me, reflection also comes when I take walks and enjoy natural beauty (which can be particularly awesome this time of the year). As part of still getting to know the surrounding areas, I would love to hear from you about a favorite trail or park that I should explore. Please share it here.
Highlights! Highlights! Send Me Your Highlights!
I hope you read this in your best "Newsies" voice.
Each week, I highlight accomplishments to be celebrated, events to attend, and examples of the great work being done by you, our faculty and staff at UMBC. If you know of a program, or event that should be highlighted, please submit it here.
Two Days Left
LIVEWIRE 15: Blazing Trails
Don't miss the final two days of the Department of Music's LIVEWIRE 15: Blazing Trails. Now in its 15th year, the Livewire festival celebrates the "innovators, the brave, the experimental, the 'firsts:' the trail blazers." Special highlights include the faculty contemporary ensemble Ruckus that is planning a recording highlighting its work. Having faculty perform together demonstrates the extraordinary sense of community in the department, one of the big recruitment draws for music students from across the state.
Friday: Talks and concerts ending with Julius Eastman's "Femenine."
Saturday: Events throughout the day culminating in a performance by Ensemble Bravura.
Festival Schedule: https://music.umbc.edu/events/event/147222/
UMBC Interdisciplinary CoLab Accepting Proposals
UMBC Interdisciplinary CoLab is currently accepting proposals for Summer '26. Teams of three students work with a project leader (faculty or staff) for four weeks in June to create an outward-facing, narrative-based research deliverable for a community partner.
Previous projects have engaged with archived texts and images to develop websites for special collections and area museums, built podcasts from oral history interviews, and worked with communities on documentary videos and digital stories.
To find out more about submitting a proposal, visit https://iaac.umbc.edu/call-for-projects/ or email Donald Snyder, principal lecturer, Media and Communication Studies, at dsnyder@umbc.edu.
New AI Logo Available
As you probably saw yesterday, UMBC's artificial intelligence working group in conjunction with University Communications and Marketing has created UMBC AI logos that can be used for both digital and print branding. I encourage you to download the logo and use it for all of your AI-related projects, programs, and activities.
For questions concerning the use of the logos, or to add your project or program to the university's official list of artificial intelligence efforts, please email Anupam Joshi, UMBC's chief AI officer, with a copy to Kyle Pokorny.
New Faculty Spotlights
Each week we feature the newest members of our community.
Aneeka Ratnayake, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health
Areas of Research/Interest: Epidemiology and Public Health
Fun fact about Aneeka: I taught kids how to ski for nearly a decade!
Michelle Antero, Assistant Teaching Professor, Information Systems
Areas of Research/Interest: Enterprise Systems, Business Models, Innovation
Fun fact about Michelle: Learning to play the harp
Are you a new faculty member? Please take two minutes to fill out the form and submit your bio if you have not already done so.
Help Make this Newsletter Better
Do you have a great idea? Are you organizing an event everyone should know about? Let us know here.
Thank you for your commitment to the Retriever community.
Until next week,
Manfred van Dulmen
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Happy Friday and welcome to the fourth installment of the Provost Newsletter. What's in a name? Turns out the polling feature is only accessible by clicking through to the myUMBC posting. With...
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