The UMBC Connection | Reaccreditation, Teaching, Research, and Campus Highlights

Dear UMBC Faculty and Staff,

With the fall semester in full swing, this edition of The UMBC Connection brings together important employee information, opportunities for professional growth, and significant updates and achievements from across the university.

You’ll find information on Open Enrollment, teaching and leadership development, UMBC’s reaccreditation and new School of Education, research reaching from the Chesapeake Bay to space, student innovation, athletics, and more.

Opportunities & Events

Ways to connect and engage across UMBC.

• 10th Annual Provost Teaching and Learning Symposium
  Faculty and staff are invited to attend the 10th Annual Provost Teaching and Learning Symposium on Friday, October 2, from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. in the University Center. This year’s program will focus on re-envisioning UMBC’s general education program to support lifelong learning, with a keynote from Paul Gaston, Distinguished Fellow at the American Association of Colleges and Universities and former provost at Kent State University, facilitated idea-sharing sessions, and a showcase of pedagogical innovations from across UMBC.

• Learn More About re-IGNITE, UMBC’s Newest Leadership Development Program
  Current supervisors, managers, and leaders are invited to an information session on Thursday, September 24, from 10–11 a.m. to learn about re-IGNITE, the newest offering from the HRSTM LEADS Academy. Launching in January 2027, the cohort-based program will focus on emotional intelligence, situational agility, and helping leaders adapt their management approach to meet the needs of their teams.

• Celebrate 10 Years of Retriever Essentials
  Join the UMBC community on Thursday, September 24, from 4:30–6:30 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom as Retriever Essentials celebrates a decade of addressing food insecurity and connecting community members with essential resources. The event will include reflections from program founders, student voices, and a look at what’s ahead.

• Faculty and Staff Appreciation Games Continue This Fall
  UMBC faculty and staff can receive two free tickets to select Retriever Athletics games this fall. Upcoming Faculty/Staff Appreciation games include women’s soccer against New Hampshire on Sunday, September 27, at 1 p.m. and volleyball against Coppin State on Wednesday, October 28, at 5 p.m. To claim tickets, visit the UMBC ticket site, log in with your myUMBC credentials, and select the Faculty/Staff Tickets option.

• Culture Builders Keynote Featuring Valarie Kaur
  Students, faculty, and staff are invited to hear civil rights lawyer, educator, and Revolutionary Love Project founder Valarie Kaur on Thursday, September 24, from 4:30–6 p.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. Drawing from her book See No Stranger, Kaur will explore how curiosity, courage, relationships, and love can help shape communities and institutions where people can belong, participate, and thrive.

Campus Updates

Important information for the UMBC community.

• Prepare for Open Enrollment: Confirm Your SPS Workday Access
  Open Enrollment for State of Maryland health benefits will run from Monday, October 19, through Friday, November 13, at 5 p.m. Eligible employees will be able to enroll, cancel, or make changes to their health benefits, with changes taking effect January 1, 2027. Before Open Enrollment begins, employees are encouraged to log in to SPS Workday to ensure they can access the system. Employees will also receive weekly Open Enrollment email alerts from the State of Maryland.

• Religious Observances and Accommodations for 2026–27
  Faculty and staff are encouraged to review UMBC’s updated guidance on religious observances, holidays, and spiritual practices for the academic year. Resources include the university’s Interim Policy on Faith-Based and Religious Accommodations, information on weekly and daily observances, and additional supports to help faculty and staff respond to accommodation needs across the UMBC community.

• Applications Open for MyRCA Faculty Research Collaboratory
  Applications are open through October 15 for Make Your Research Come Alive (MyRCA), a cross-disciplinary program for faculty interested in expanding the visibility, reach, impact, and funding potential of their research, scholarship, and creative activity. Participants will develop skills in research storytelling, pitching, and broader-impact communications through monthly sessions beginning in December.

University Milestones

Major achievements and milestones across UMBC.

• UMBC Celebrates the Launch of the New School of Education
  UMBC will formally celebrate the launch of its new School of Education with a ribbon cutting and open house on Wednesday, October 7. The School brings together programs spanning early childhood, elementary and secondary education, teaching English to speakers of other languages, and other pathways preparing educators to serve Maryland and beyond.

• UMBC Earns Full Reaccreditation from Middle States
  The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has reaffirmed UMBC’s accreditation, with the university’s next comprehensive review scheduled for 2033–34. The reaffirmation follows a multi-year self-study and spring site visit and reflects the work of faculty, staff, students, and campus partners who contributed throughout the process.

• UMBC Research Shows Long-Term Success of Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Restoration
  New research from UMBC, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and NOAA shows that restored oyster reefs in Maryland’s Harris Creek continue to support larger and more diverse fish communities years after restoration. The research also demonstrates a cost-effective approach combining underwater video and sonar technology to monitor restoration success in challenging environments.

• UMBC Researcher Helps Unlock the Mystery of Dark Energy with NASA’s Roman Telescope
  UMBC researcher Rebekah Hounsell is helping lead work connected to NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which launched in August and will study dark energy and the accelerating expansion of the universe. Hounsell is co-lead and project manager of an international team developing tools researchers will use to analyze the telescope’s supernova data, which will be publicly available to researchers, students, and citizen scientists.

More from Across UMBC

Additional updates and opportunities.

• hackUMBC Returns September 26–27
  UMBC’s student-run hackathon returns for its 12th year, bringing students together for a 24-hour experience focused on creativity, collaboration, and hands-on problem solving. Students of all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome, and registration has been extended through Friday, September 25, at 11:59 p.m.

• Explore the Latinx Film Festival
  In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication, the Albin O. Kuhn Library, and the Office of Community and Culture are presenting the Latinx Film Festival through October 9. Upcoming screenings explore themes of culture, community, identity, and resilience through stories centered on Latinx experiences.

Help Shape The UMBC Connection

As this effort continues to take shape, your feedback will help guide how we strengthen internal communications across the university.We welcome your input and invite you to share your feedback on The UMBC Connection.

If you would prefer, you are also welcome to reach out directly to Jessica McGroarty, Director of Internal Communications, at jmcgro@umbc.edu.

University Communications and Marketing