DoIT believes faculty are important partners and will play an essential role during the Ultra migration. The new Blackboard course interface is significantly different from the Original course we’ve had for the last fifteen years, marking a notable change for UMBC faculty. All faculty will need time and support to prepare their courses for the proposed migration timeline.
Since recommendations and feedback from peer leaders can be helpful during change, 15 faculty have agreed to be Ultra Faculty Ambassadors:
Ambassador’s Name |
Representing Areas |
Elisabeth Arevalo-Guerrero |
Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication |
Stephen Bradley |
Arts (Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts) |
Jamie Gurganus |
Engineering, Mechanical |
Kate Hemmis |
Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration and Policy |
Nancy Kusmaul |
Social Work |
Katie Morris |
Universities at Shady Grove |
Eileen O'Brien |
Psychology / Instructional Systems Development |
Tim Phin |
Ancient Studies / Historical Studies / Philosophy |
Neha Raikar |
Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering |
Melissa Roane |
Management of Aging Services |
Sally Shivnan |
English |
Donald Snyder |
Media & Communication Studies |
Liz Stanwyck |
Mathematics & Statistics |
Mary Tabaa |
Education / Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages |
Gary Williams |
Emergency Health Services |
Throughout the transition to the new course interface, Ultra Faculty Ambassadors will communicate information to departments and college peers, respond to basic questions about using Ultra, and provide feedback to the Instructional Technology team about any concerns or functionality requests. The Ultra Faculty Ambassadors also attended a full-day of customized training to better prepare for their important role.
Visit our Ultra Course Adoption Center for helpful resources and tools including a course adoption guide, course inventory, and course roadmap.
As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:
Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
Request a consult with instructional technology staff