Dear Community, 

With dangerously high temperatures predicted this week, we want to share some basic information on heat safety. If you are participating in outdoor activities either on or off campus, please consider making adjustments to keep all of your community members safe. 

Temperatures are projected to be in the high nineties today and will feel warmer, possibly over 100 degrees. The National Weather Service provides a variety of resources on heat stroke and heat exhaustion. This Heat Safety worksheet also provides information and tips.

Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. Heat-related illnesses can occur with even a short period of exposure. Please keep in mind:

• Young children and infants are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness and death.

• It is never safe to leave a child, disabled person, or pet locked in a car. Do not allow children to play in cars where they could accidentally lock themselves inside. To learn how to prevent hot car deaths, see the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration webpage on heatstroke.

• Adults with pre-existing diseases, using certain medications, living alone, or with limited mobility who are exposed to extreme heat can experience multiple adverse effects.

• People with chronic medical conditions are more likely to have a serious health problem during a heat wave than healthy people. Pregnant women are also at higher risk.  

• Avoid strenuous exercise or work outdoors, avoid direct sunlight as much as possible, stay hydrated, and take regular breaks.

Please be safe and beat the heat. 

Paul Dillon, Chief of Police

Bruce Herman, Director, Health & Counseling

Michael Pound, Director, Environmental Safety & Health

COVID-19 Health & Safety

• UMBC is hosting an additional on-campus vaccine clinic on Tuesday, June 22 from 1-4pm. We will be administering the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. Participants will be able to schedule their second shot at Safeway locations or other providers. You can sign up for an appointment here.

• Reminder: Please report your vaccination to the University ASAP. More information here. You should report your vaccination by July 6. 

• More information on our medical and religious exemption process and all necessary forms can be found here. Requests should be submitted by July 6.

Return to Campus Updates

• New guidance on planning fall events is available here. 

• Beginning July 6, Starbucks in the University Center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will provide breakfast and lunch options.

UMBC Together

• Visit the UMBC Together website for recent social media posts and the UMBC Together myUMBC group for information on upcoming events.

Key Points

• Event safety guidance continues to evolve given the changing public health situation.

• Due to limited space availability, we do not recommend planning large events f Fall 2021.

• Scheduling for fall events opens on July 1 in 25Live.

• Consider offering virtual components to events so all community members can participate.

• For the fall, Free Hour has been moved to Fridays between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Dear Colleagues,

We know that our community is eager to resume in-person events and traditions as we return to more in-person campus operations.  This is a dynamic time, with rapidly evolving public health protocols, changing state and local requirements, and limited space availability on-campus.  In this context, the Events and Activities Workgroup is assessing what safety measures will be required for fall events. We can share the following updates that we hope will assist you as you plan your fall events, particularly those that happen in the first half of the semester.

The Events and Activities Workgroup has been reviewing and approving a limited number of summer on-campus events and activities. These decisions are giving us vital information and feedback to inform how to effectively evaluate, advise, execute, and assess our efforts around safety and risk mitigation for events and activities for the fall within the context of broad UMBC guidance. 

Large Events

Due to potential physical distancing protocols, most of our large event spaces are currently scheduled to be used for classroom instruction. Because of the limited space inventory and evolving safety concerns, we do not recommend planning large events in the early fall. The COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee (CPCC), in conjunction with Event & Conference Services, is working with campus leadership to plan a limited number of indoor and outdoor large events for our community. If you wish to plan an event with more than 50 attendees, please reach out to your Vice President or Dean to discuss. 

Virtual Events

Our pivot to virtual events has helped us learn a lot about access and ways to connect with those not on our physical campus. When we return to in-person events, we hope that hosts will continue to offer options for community members to participate in events remotely. Several new spaces across campus are being outfitted with technology to make this possible. We will share additional resources over the summer. At this time, we continue to recommend that day-to-day business meetings remain in a virtual format using Webex in order to ensure safety and access for all community members.

Event Scheduling Considerations: 

• As of July 1, the exception process for in-person events will be transitioned.  The risk assessment review will be integrated into the 25Live event form, allowing us to more nimbly manage requests while simplifying the process for campus partners. The first step in scheduling an event with an in-person component will be to request a space in 25Live. 

• Free Hour has been moved to Fridays between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in order to help prevent overcrowding in dining spaces. Keep this in mind when scheduling events, as there may be classes during the noon hour.

Other Considerations

Guidance related to UMBC events at off-campus locations as well as policies for events that include off-campus are under consideration.  

Thank you for your partnership as we continue to monitor the situation and develop the most appropriate guidance for our community. 

Greg Simmons, Vice President, Institutional Advancement

UMBC will be closed on Friday, June 18, to observe Juneteenth, an annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.The official holiday occurs on June 19, recognizing the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended, and enslaved people in Confederate states had been freed more than two and a half years earlier. 

While Juneteenth has long been celebrated in the Black community, many other Americans are still learning about the importance and significance of this day. Although the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, freed enslaved people in Confederate controlled states, the reality is that freedom was delayed for many. 

For example, Maryland, a Union border state, was not included in the Emancipation Proclamation, and enslaved people in the state were not officially freed until the following year. Even in Confederate states that were included, many slaveholders withheld the information from enslaved people until forced to comply. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution formally abolished slavery in America in December, 1865.  

In recognition of the delayed emancipation of enslaved people, Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas, and is now celebrated throughout the United States on June 19 each year; it is believed to be the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On Tuesday, the Senate unanimously passed a measure that will make Juneteenth a federal holiday, and the House is expected to approve the measure as well.  

We encourage all in our community to use the day to put our UMBC values of equity and inclusion into action by participating in events honoring the holiday or through education and self-reflection on racial justice issues. 

You can learn more about the legacy and importance of Juneteenth through the National Museum of African American History and Culture and at PBS. For ways to celebrate and recognize this important day, we encourage you to join a webinar about Harriet Tubman sponsored by the Erickson School of Aging Studies. Our partners at the University of Maryland, Baltimore are also presenting a Juneteenth Jubilee. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is performing a special celebration that you can watch for free on MPT.

For faculty and staff, Friday June 18 will be added to your timesheet as an administrative leave day. Exempt employees who must work on June 18 can take administrative leave on an alternate day by August 31, 2021. Nonexempt employees who must work will be credited with the administrative leave on that day. 

Thank you for all that you do to live our community values.

President Freeman Hrabowski

Provost Philip Rous