Welcome to the fall 2020 semester at UMBC! We’re excited to welcome you back even though these extraordinary times create unique challenges for many of us. We want to provide you with information about how to protect yourself, support the health and safety of our campus community, and reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 at UMBC and beyond. We also write to share UMBC’s community expectations during the transition back to campus.

All students who will be attending face-to-face classes and/or living or working on campus this fall are required to complete the Return to Campus COVID Awareness training by August 27, 2020. To access the training, please use the following instructions:

• Log in to your UMBC Blackboard site.
• Select the “Organizations” section located on the left side of your screen.
• Select the training “Return to Campus COVID Awareness.”
• Select Module 1 to begin the training.
• This training does not have to be completed in one sitting; however, you must complete all five training modules.

If you are having any issues accessing the training, please follow the instructions located at this FAQ page to self-enroll in the Return to Campus COVID Awareness.

At the end of module 5, you will be asked to acknowledge and sign the Retriever Community Agreement making a personal commitment to precautions and actions required in order to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 on our campus and beyond.

If you do not complete the training and sign the Retriever Community Agreement by August 27 you will be required to take classes online and/or live off campus until circumstances allow for a return to campus.

Additional information on all of the requirements for students approved to return to campus, including information on COVID-19 testing options and daily symptom tracking, is available on the Retrievers Return Roadmap site.

Thank you very much for your commitment to helping us keep our UMBC community as healthy as possible. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Standing Together Coming Out for Racial Justice

NAMI African American Mental Health

Coping with Anxiety

The Many Faces of Structural Racism: A Campus Conversation - UMBC is committed to facing the challenge of understanding our position in society and our role in dismantling structural racism

View a recording of the event here*

View the event slides

View the responses to Q&A

Africana Council - promotes the study of people of African descent by broadening the educational and cultural experiences of students in all majors and those who demonstrate an interest in this discipline

Women’s Center - advances gender equity from an intersectional feminist perspective through programming, support services, and advocacy for marginalized people

Mosaic Center - dedicated to creating an environment that supports cross-cultural education and collaboration at UMBC

Counseling Center - provides free and confidential short-term individual and group counseling for personal, emotional, relationship, substance abuse, and vocational concerns

Curated by Samuel Dupuy ('20), Health Administration and Policy Program

We’ve all hit the same turbulence, a pandemic! Therefore, we all need to take good care of ourselves, our bodies, and our minds.

Self-care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, especially during periods of stress.

Here are some of the areas that you can keep healthy by practicing self-care: Finance, Nutrition, Mental, Personal Hygiene, Fitness, and Social.

There are many areas of need for self-care. Knowing how to balance each area will help to keep your well-being in a healthy state - meaning being cautious and aware of your own physical and mental health. Keeping yourself healthy helps to transmit good vibes towards those around you.

Some negative consequences of not caring for yourself include:

●      Fatigue and loss of energy

●      Poor relationships

●      Addiction

●      Weight gain

●      Sleep deprivation

Self-care is not something that only corresponds to female-identified people; male-identified people are often misled to believe they must toughen up when it comes to self-care or even mental health. However, that is not the case! Here are some positive self-care tips that anyone can use:

●      Take care of your personal hygiene (e.g., shave/trim, wash your face, etc.)

●      Sweat out the stress

●      Prioritize your needs before others. This is not selfish!

●      Manage your diet

●      Schedule a checkup with your healthcare provider

●      Get mental health support. If you feel vulnerable, reach out and talk to someone!

●      Fuel and move your body properly!

●      Stay socially connected with loved ones and friends

●      Get enough sleep. Do not skip sleep to get more things done

If you are looking for additional self-care resources, try checking these out:

·       Recreation and Physical Education are offering Group Fitness Classeswith instructors via Instagram and YouTube to work on your health and wellness while the RAC is closed.

·       These unprecedented times could be hard to deal with and hard to adjust to, whether you are a student or a parent, here are some tips

·       Knowing how to deal with and take care of your mental health is crucial for your own well-being. Everyone reacts and copes differently. This resource gives you ways to reduce and take care of your stress/anxiety.

·       Not knowing where to go for help? MHA’s Mental Health & COVID-19 Resources can help you during these times of uncertainty.

Remember, self-care is not selfish! You must fill your own cup before you pour into others’.

Written by Samuel Dupuy ('20), Health Administration and Policy Program