Community

Chartwells, which operates dining services programs at over 200 colleges and universities nationwide, just named UMBC Dining Services “National Account of the Year.” The award is given annually to the university account that demonstrates excellence in several areas, including customer service, customer satisfaction, community service, diversity and growth. In particular, dining services has worked hard to incorporate its employees into the larger UMBC culture, which pays off in both employee and customer satisfaction. Tom DeLuca, resident district manager for UMBC Dining Services, said the award “validates the efforts of our team and our commitment to being the best—having a quality… Continue Reading UMBC Dining Services Named Chartwell’s “National Account of the Year”

Freeman Hrabowski, President, Jack Suess, Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, and John Fritz, Assistant Vice President for Instructional Technology & New Media, write for the EDUCAUSE Review about transformational initiatives in higher education, the value of assessment and the role of information technology. You can read the full article, “Assessment and Analytics in Institutional Transformation,” online.

Dalton Tolliver ’15 was named the America East Conference Volleyball Rookie of the Week for matches ending October 2, 2011. Tolliver amassed a team-high 28 kills in two matches and hit .323 in a 3-0 win over Binghamton and a 3-2 setback versus Albany. She totaled one solo block and recorded four assisted blocks. Her 16 kills versus Binghamton tied a season high. She is the second Retriever freshman to earn the first-year player award in 2011. Hannah Schmidt ’15 was the league’s recipient on August 29 and September 6. Read the full press release here.

From President Freeman Hrabowski and Interim Provost Philip Rous We are delighted to let you know that UMBC has again been recognized as a national leader in innovation and undergraduate teaching in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges guide. For the third year in a row, UMBC tops the U.S. News ranking of national universities everyone should be watching—a designation recognizing that we consistently find new ways to improve students’ educational experiences. U.S. News also ranks UMBC fourth on the list of top national universities “where the faculty has an unusual commitment to undergraduate teaching.” UMBC is tied with… Continue Reading U.S. News Again Recognizes UMBC as Top Innovator

From Freeman Hrabowski and Philip Rous As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the campus is noting the significance of this time in several ways. Our community is remembering the victims and the far-reaching impact of the attacks with a number of campus events designed to support reflection, service, and healing. For those who may need support, counselors will be available in the Counseling Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Monday to talk with people about feelings related to 9/11. The campus remains vigilant about suspicious activities and threats. The UMBC Police are regularly in contact with… Continue Reading UMBC 9/11 Remembrance and Preparedness

Beginning in October of 2011, UMBC will transition from issuing student refunds via paper checks to E-Refunds (electronic deposit of refunds). Parent refunds will continue to be issued via paper checks. Why Direct Deposit? Students will have access to refunds much sooner! Provides convenient access to refunds, on and off campus, via a debit card. Eliminates refund checks lost in the mail. Provides efficient customer support, easy online tracking of refunds and immediate text message notifications, as soon as refunds are available. Supports the campus “green” initiatives. How It Will Work Students will receive the UMBC Student Refund Card (a… Continue Reading E-Refunds for Students Coming in October

Faculty and staff are invited to learn more about the Voices Against Violence Program, as well as the steps one must follow when reporting incidents of sexual assault and relationship violence, Tuesday, September 20, 2-3 p.m., in the Commons room 329. At the end of the session, you will be able to clearly identify the University’s protocol for responding to and reporting incidents of sexual assault and relationship violence on campus; understand the steps a staff or faculty member must take when reporting such an incident; comprehend the importance of reporting this information, both for the victim as well as… Continue Reading Responding to Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence at UMBC (9/20)

The Homecoming Decorating Contests are back this year, and offices are encouraged to deck their spaces out in black and gold to share in the spirit of Homecoming! Departments registered by Friday, September 16, will have spirit packs delivered to their offices by students from our Spirit Street Team on Monday, September 19. All offices and halls must register by Monday, October 3. If you are a department or residence hall, wanting to participate in the contest, visit http://alumni.umbc.edu/homecoming_spirit for more information and to register.

What does it cost when you are tense or have trouble concentrating at work, are unsure about your ability to perform a task, feel overwhelmed about having too much to do or avoid having an honest conversation about a challenging situation? This year’s Professional Development Day is dedicated to helping you develop calm, confident power at work. New findings about the brain show that staying calm in challenging times can help our minds think more clearly, prioritize our workload and accomplish tasks more easily. When we can talk honestly, our stress decreases and productivity improves. In this program participants will… Continue Reading UMBC Professional Development Day 2011 (9/22)

To our recent staff new hires and re-hires: We are delighted you have chosen UMBC as your place of employment, and we welcome you to the campus community. Each new employee comes to UMBC with a unique set of skills, abilities and talents. You have the opportunity to contribute directly to UMBC’s success and our primary objectives: (1) to be one of the best public research universities in the nation; (2) to be a major resource for Maryland and greater Baltimore; and (3) to create a campus community that finds enrichment in cultural and ethnic diversity. Again, welcome to UMBC,… Continue Reading Welcome Recently Hired Staff to UMBC